Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1873-06-05
Calling the Dead.

Everybody will remember that Ma
tilda Heron, the actress, while in Cali
fornia some years since, married law
yer popularly known as Harry Byrne," "
from whom she subsequently parted.
Upon his death, year. or two ago, Miss
Heron went to San Francisco in the
hope of securing portion at least of
the handsome property he was said to
have left, in which effort, we believe,
she failed. Byrne was universally ad-
mitted to be man Of rich and scholar
ly literary attainments and of original
and eloquent genius as an advocate.
Among the many instances of his
power as prosecutor, the following
from ''Frisco" paper, is perhaps the
most striking:
Some time in the year 19-, a gentle
man from one section of the country,
being displeased with the conduct, ac-
tions or words of another from the
other part Of the country manifested
his disapproval by deliberately shoot
ing him down.
In his hour of need the influence of
his element was employed; his section
al friends focked around; eminent
counsel were engaged, among whom
were the names Of such men as Baker,
McDougal, and Tingley, the leaders
of the bar. Byrne, who occupied the
position of District Attorney, being at
that time a very young man, felt it his
duty to call to his assistance man of
rising talents, who was then winning
his way, to the high position he after
ward attained-Elisha Cook.
The day of trial commenced, but it
was conceded on all sides that the
prisoner, with his eminent counsel,
his command of money, and his throng
of sympathizing friends, would cheat
the gallows and mock at justice. After
the evidence was all in, Mr.. Cook made
an able and brilliant opening for the
State, but to no avail. Then followed
the cousel for defence. They were for
chile, able, and eloquent. They
wrought a powerful effect upon the
jury, and it was palpable to all that
there was scarcely possibility of a
verdict antagonistic to the prisoner.
Mr.. Byrne rose in the courtroom
and amid deep silence proceeded to close
for the prosecution. Pale as the white
walls around him, with long and flow
ing black locks, his eye burning and
glowing like blazing coal, he tore
the veil of sophistry, weayed around
the subject, by his adversaries, and laid
the bold and awful facts orethejury.
Now rising to awful denunciation, he
seemed a Nemesis to the covering Grim
inal before him; now he turned his
voice to low persuasion as he sought to
mould the jnry to his wish. But, as
he paused, after a tremendous effort,
his eye pursuaded him that, unless he
called to his aid some new and startling
line of action, the verdict would be a
gainst him. s.....s.-.
At the time an old eccentric man
was bailiff of the court. Que of his pc
culiarities Was to sleep through the ar
guments of council; and naught could
arouse him save the command Of the
court or the voice of the district attor-
ney directing him to do some official
act; but at these well-known sounds
he would start from his seat with an
alacrity remarkable for one of his years,
Turning to the the old man, (who
was enjoying his usual nap) Byrne, to
whom this idiosyncrasy was we'll
known, pointed his finger at the peace
full lineaments of his countenance, and
eulogized his faithful attention to his
duties. "But," said he, che has in
this case left one duty unperformed. .
Then with avoice that thrilled through