Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-06-22
UNION AND AMERICAN.
LAWYER LACHAUD.
A sketch Of the Great French CrImI-
nal Pieader-

nal Pieader-
Paris Correspondence OF the Graphic.
In personal appearance he is of me-
dunn height, quite stout, but with an
air young, lively, and Glert. His face
is big and fresh, smoothly shaver, with
a keen, clear expression, and so frank
and sincere as to win confidence at
once. He wears his lustrous hat stuck
well On the back Of bis head, and be
leans his robust body noticeably to the
back. His almost unparalleled success
as a lawyer depends upon various
causes. He has remarkable talent for
spontaniety and GOODNESS. He has an
unequalled experience in the impress
sions being made upon an audiaRce
and Jury. His voice Is good, but not
exceptionally 50. His gestures are
monOtOnous, ezceptin certain moments,
when they are superb. He docs
not always dispose of his bands
elegantly, for . he not infrequent.
" .stuffs them into the pockets Of
his robe He plays tricks with his
voice, lifting it suddenly and then let
ting it quickly fall; at times 1t Is caress-
ing like woman's, again feline Ike a
cats, then snaps Ike a torpedo or
breaks out IN sobs and passion. His
behavior IN court violates all rules, and
he not infrequently turns his back
upon the Judge, and, walking to the
very railing that enclOses the court
proper, brings his fists down upon the
bar with a bang. In his pleading he
appeals more to the heart and passions
Of the Jury than to their reason. He
seems to possess an intuitiye sense
that enables him to tell exactly the
mental condition of each juror. He
feels the emotions dominating their
feelings as one feels the beating Of ne
heart of a bird held under his fingers.
The moment he feels assured Of nav
ing won every man not q word more or
less than Is necessary escapes him.
He has wonderful power over his
facial expression, changing from
look of terror to one Of sweetness as
quickly as he lances a charming phrase
between one Of scoTn and one Of hor-
TOr.
At one time be was pleading for q
clients life IN Normandy, and after
making use Of all his tools OF OratOry,
he looked each juryman IN the eye and
discovered that two were not yet Won
over. He then broke out into most
ardent iuvective against the English,
which had nothing whatever to do with
the case. But the jury gave the de-
sired verdict; and when friend asked
Lachaud why he delivered such an on
slaught on the English he laughingly
replied. "Wby, ] saw two Of those pig
headed Normaus inclined to hold out,
and 1t occurred to me that L could win
them by attacking the British, whom
every Norman hates
One time IN conducting an examiE2-
ton Of his client the latter gave an an
swer destructive to the suit. It fell
like a thunderbolt in the courtroom,
and one Of the lawyers at Lachaud 3
side excIaimedin hissuTprise. Lachaud,
with the most complete Compesure,
said: "Ah, that is Just the answer /
have been trying to get; the Jdry VIII
Ulease take note of it.. BE Is appar-
emily not a watchful lawyer, for he
writes, reads, aTTanges papers, etc,
during the taking. Of very important
testimony: but when he rises TO his 1eet
one sees that be has seen and heard
everything.
Upon one occasion hc defended
Young girl Of siXteen-a pretty, Inno-
cent Looking creature, who had been
seduced. and after embracing and hap
tizing her chila threw it in the river.
She had been abandoned by the man
she had loved and who had ruined her,
and turned out Of doors by her family.
Her seducer was brought into court,
and NJ. Lachaud crushed him between
two sentences as a man does a fly be-
tween his two finger nails. He con-
Guided his plea in her behalf with,
s'Let her marry and again become a
mother One day her child viii say to
her. in a low voice, Do not cry; 1t is
me- The girl was acquitted, and
everybody IN tears.