Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-12-22
A YOUNG Lawyers MISTAKE.
Dispnting the Legal Existence OF
the Court.

the Court.
The San Francisco Morning Call says:
1t has been well remarked by distin-
guished historian, that For ways that
are dark and tricks that are vain, the
heather Chinee is peculiar, and this
wise aphorsm must be truthfully ap-
piled to the average California attorney.
A case in which one of this class figured
occurred in the municipal criminal court
last week. Mr.. Blank, young attor-
ney of the last mentioned class, appear
ed as counsel for villainous looking
Chinaman, who was called to receive
sentence on his third conviction on one
charge of grand larceny. All Shook was
told to stand up, and the judge gazed
upon him with an eye in which there was
a varied assortment of stern Justice and
commiseratioa. Mr.. Blank slowly rose
from his chair, ran his bouy fingers
through his raven locks, and, extending
his right arm in digni6ed and author
itative manner, signifed his intention o!
making little speech:
II propose" said Mr.. Blank, waving
his hand at the assembled spectators
with rare self-possession, Il propose to
contest the authority Of this court in the
matter of the people of the State of Cali
lornia versus my worthy and innocent
client, All Shook. / propose, may it
please your Honor-and don { think It
will propose to establish the fact that
this court has no authority and no legal
existence, and that all its acts since its
assumed organization have been null
and void and non compos mentis.
Hold on, young mani" exclaimed
the court, with deprecatory motion of
the judicial hand, that game won't
play here worth a cent. While this
court has the deal the per centage re
mains in it's favor, and you needn't think
you can hog the gams or bust the bank.
Maybe you think you're playing it
smart, but this court has had its eye
teeth filed and sand.pspered long ago,
and all traces Of vegetation have been
carefully extirpated from its opticular
organs"
MAY it please your Honor" re-
sponded Mr.. Blank, Il have long line
Of authorities to present. Here, James,
bring in the documents" At these
words a little boy about three feet high
entered the court room, bearing about
fifty ponderous tones.
" Now, your Honor" continued Mr..
Blank, II move that the defendant be
discharged on the ground that the court
has no legal existence.
The court adjusted its spectacles and
remarked grsvely: Young fellow,
there are times when patience ceases to
be virtue.
At this juncture the deputy sheriff
stood behind the attorney ready and
willing to take him by tho collar and
throw him down stairs; she clerk, in an
distracted manner, laid his hand upon
heavy glass inkstand, and the porter
stood at the door with a large-sized
broom in his hand.
my friend" continued the court,
mildly, sit is now autumn, when the
cottonwoods shed their leaves and moth
ing is green but the evergreen, But you
make a-ahem-a condemned mistake
when you take me fer sn evergreen. In
all the experience of this court 1t has
never happened that an attorney was
fool enough to request the court to legis-
late itself oct OF office, and out OF the
perquisites aud emoluments pertaining
to the same This court was at first
disposed 10 deal leniently with this de-
praved heAthen; but in order to vindi
cate its authority il imposes q sentence
upon your client Of four years in the