The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1875-09-22
Law and Lawyers.

Mr.. Thomas a left-handed on the
nose. L saw the blow struck; I saw
Mr.. Thomas fall; saw blood I
even halted and explained to Mr..
Kenndy how man could get along
in this world without either fighting
or running.
Mr.. Kennedy was arrested. It was
right enough to arrest him. Ifa man
argues with another man. knocks him
down to enforce his particular views
and doesn't exhibit meak and low
ly spirit after his fit of anger has
passed away, it is but wright that
he should be arrested.
His Honor the Judge made me
take solemn oath to tell the truth.
He might have judged from my
looks that would tell deliberate
lie about a one-horse knock-down. or
perhaps he hoped would perjure
myself and give him a chance to
send me to State prison for Eve
or ten years.
The council for the prosecution
then wanted to know what my name
was. I had lived next door to him
for eleven years, but yet he sud-
denly suspected that / might be
John Smith or William Patterson.
After had satisfied him that my
name was my name he wanted to
know if [ lived in Detroit. He
could have walked from the conrt to
my house blindfolded, but he per-
sisted in his question. Then he
wanted to know ifI lived in ''Detroit
County of Wayne, State of Michi-
gam He seemed to suspect that
the name of the county had been
charged and that | didn't know
whether / lived in Michigan or Ohio.
but I satisfied him.
All this didn't use up but half an
hours time and then he wanted to
know If saw the difficulty between
Kennedy and Thomas. was quite
sure | saw it, but he didn't seem to
be, He wanted to know if l saw
the blow struck il was certain /
saw it if there was more than one
blow; if there were three blows; If
there was any kicking; and after an
other half hour he SCENE d to believe
that l had seen some part of the
difficulty. if not all of it.
The council for the defence had
been impatiently waiting and as
soon as | was turned over to him he
began:
"You say your name is Quad?''
"Yes, sir"
81 want the jury to remember
that And you say you live in De-
troit?'
''Yes. sir"
"Let this jury remember that this
witness says he lives in Detroit T.
exclaimed the attorney as he gave
me fierce look. He made q note
of that himself, and then continu-
ed:
"Now. sir. do you own the house
you live ing'
''Yes, sir
s'You hear that gentleman |" he
said. turning to the jury. Now. sir
is there mortgage on that house e
81 object p said the council for
the prosecution, suddenly springing
up.
You do. eh?'
"Yes, / do. I can't see what
bearing this question has on the
case"
'.Well, your Honor" replied the
other lawyer facing the desk, the
question is q vital one-a hinge
question. We expect that the an
gwer to that question will decide the
innocence of my client" f"
His Honor leaned back as if the
fate Of kingdoms depended on his
decision, and the lawyers read from
the Twelfth Michigan report tho
Seventeenth Massachusetts,, the
Ninth New York, the Eleventh Yer
mont, and one or two other and for
an hour and half the case was put
aside. They finally got through and
the court decided that | need not
answer the question. 1t was, then
noon and the court adjourned until
two o'clock.
When the court opened in the
afternoon the lawyer resumed the
cross-examination by asking:
"How old are your
''Thirty-two."
"Thirty-two Didn't you tell me
this morning that you were fifty
five? p
mo, sir"
sYou didn't eh?"
sNo, SIR
Remember, sir you are on your
oath Be careful. sir Now answer
me, aren't you forty years old?'
mo, SIR
He noted the answer down and
then asked:
s.Haven't you been arrested for
man-slaughterF r
Never"
'What? Remember, sir you are
on oath /"
q nevor was
''Were you ever engaged in 9
riotT'
"Yes, sir.''
oAh you were. Ell? Let the jury
make a note of that | This case is be-
coming interesting and before we
get through with it we'll make the
prosecution open their eyes! Now
then when was the riot
In 1870"
s'And wheFe?'
''In La Crosse.
'''rell the jury what started It,
what part you took and the sentence
Of the Court in your case. "
eve hung a lawyer to a lamp
post for-for-''
what ? he yelled shaking his
fist, ssam l to be insulted by this
witness, your Honors
rpbo ~, affornave then br0uUht