Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1873-08-02
AARON BURR.
His Wonderful Legal Ability
Entrapping q WithesS---A
Thrilling Scene ia Court.

EnIrapp1nE q WltheSS---A
Thrilling Scene in Court.
Raroly are more entertaining
phases Of chars ,ter presented than
! those of AarC5 Burr, and among
| the numerous stories rife concern
ing him, the following, showing
both hiSlegal versatility and abili-
ty, and his skill as a Hcrack shot"
as we'll. Hamilton and Burr were
occasionally associated in the trial
of cause. On such occasions they
were almost irresistible. 1t is re
lated that on one occasion they
were retained to defend q man in
dicted for murder, and who was
generally believed to be guilty, |
though the circumstances under |
which the crime was committed |
rendered it deeply interesting
case of circumstantial evidence
During the progress of the trial, as
the circumstances were developed, !
suspicion began to attach TO the /
principal witness against the pris-
Oner. Burr and Hamilton brought /
all their skill in rOss-examination
to bear on the witness, in the hSpe
Of dragging out of him his dreadful
secret. But with singular sagacity
and GOODNESS he eluded their efforts,
though they succeeded IN darken-
ing the shadows OF suspicion that
fell upon him, and Strengthening
their conviction of their clients
innocence. Before the crOss-exam-
inatiOn of the witness was cOuclu-
ded, the Court adjourned for tea
al believe our client is not guilty,
but l have no doubt that Brigham,
that cunning witness, is really the
guilty man; but he is so shrewd,
deep and cool that l am fearful his
testimony will hang poor Blair, our
client, in spite of all we can do"
said Hamilton to Burr, while on
their way from the courthouse to
their hotel. 81 agree with you that
Blair is not guilty, and Brigham is,
and believe we can catch him. l
have a plan that will detect him, il
l am not wonderfully mistaken"
said Burr. He then proceeded to
explain to his associate the nature
of his plan. "You may succeed"
said Hamilton, after listening to the .
plan. 9IEs worth trying, at any
rate, though you have q man of |
iron to deal with. After tea, Burr |
ordered the 5heriff 10 provide uu I
extra number of lights for the
eyeninn session, and to arrange
them so that their rays would con-
verge against the pillar iu the court
room near the place occupied by
the witness. The evening session
opened, and Burr resumed the cross /
examination of the witness. 1t was
test of the profound skill and SUBJ
tlety of the lawyer-the self-posses-
sion, courage ands:tact of the wit
ness, standing on the very brink
of the horrid gulf calmly and in.
trepidlY resisting the efforts of the
terrible man befors him to push
him over. At last, after dexterous-
" leading the witness to the appro-
PIRATE point, Burr suddenly seized
4 lamp in each hand, and holding
them in such manner that their
light fell instantaneously upon the
face of the witness, he exclaimed in
a startling voice, like the voice of
the avenger of blood:
GENTLEMEN OF THE JURY, BEHOLD
THE MURDERER.
With wild, convulsive start--a
face of ashy pallOr-eyes starting
from their sOckets-lips apart, his I
whole attitude evincing terror, the
man sprang from his chair. For a
moment he stood motionless, strug-
Cling to regain his self-possession.
But it was only a momentary strug-
gle; the terrible words of the advo-
cate "shivering along his arteries,'
shaking every nerve with palsying {
fear. Conscious that the eyes OF
all in the courtroom were fixed up
on him, reading the hidden deeds
of his life, he left the witness stand
and walked shrinkingly to the door
of the court room. Bat he was pre-
vented from making his escape by
the Sheriff. This scene, so thrill
ing and startling, may perhaps be
imagined, though it cannot be des-
cribed. Like the fall of David
Deans, in the court room, before
Judges, jurors, and lawyers, when
the doom of Effie, his youngest
daughter, was pronounced by the
testimony of her older sister, Jen-
ME Deans. It struck the spectators
with silent awe; changing the whole
aspect of the trial, overthrowing in
an instant the hypothesis which the
Attorney-GenerRl was confident
would send his prisoner to the gal
lows-sGving an innocent man from
the dreadful hands of q bold and
skillful perjurer. The false witness
was arrested, two indictments found
against him, one for murder, anoth-
er for perjury. He was acquitted
on his trial for murder, but subse-
quently convicted Of purury ind
sentenced to a long Imprisonment.
The high toned liberality and
generosity with which Hamilton
and Burr conducted the contests OF
the Bar created no bitterness or an
imosity. They continued friends
until they became great partisan
leaders-until the polluting inhu-
ences of politics-their collision as
rising statesmen, created that re-
lentless antagoRism which culmina-
ted in that tragic scene when Ham
ilton fell by the hand of Burr, in the
NEST famous duel in history du-
ell which doomed it's survivor to OBJ
loquy and reproach which he never
oHtliYed, and which, with the alleg-
ed treason for which he was tried
and acquitted in 1907, ostracized \
hifa from his Hfank among great
men of the nation. il