American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-08-07
Law and Lawyers.


HAPPENED to pass a corner the other
day just as MIR. Kennedy struck Mr..
| Thomas left-hander on the nose. / saw
the blow struck; saw Mr.. Thomas fall :;
l saw blood; even halted and explained
to Mr.. Kennedy how man could get
along in this world without either fighting
I or running.
MIR. Kennedy was arrested. 1t was right
enough to arrest him. If man argues
with another man, knocks him down to
enforce his particular views, and doesn't
exhibit meek and lowly spirit after his
fit of anger has passed away it is but right
that he should be arrested.
His Honor, the Judge, made me take a
solemn oath to tell the truth. He might
have judged from my looks that l would
tell a deliberate lie about a One-horse
knock down, or perhaps he hoped l would
perjure myself and give him a chance to
send me to State Prison for five or ten
years.
The counsel for the prosecution then
wanted to know what my name was. /
had lived next door to him for eleven
years, but yet he suddenly suspected that
might be John Smith or William Patter-
son. After l had satisfied him that my
name was my name he wanted to know if
lived in Detroit He could have walked
| from the court to my house blindfOlded,
but he persisted in his question. Then he
wanted to know if lived in detroit,
County of Wayne State of Michigan"
He seemed to suspect that the name of the
county had been changed and that 1 didn't
know whether l lived in Michigan or
Ohio, but satisfied him.
All this didn't use up but half an hours
time, and then he wanted to know if 1 saw
the difficulty between Kennedy and
Thomas. 1 was quite sure I saw it, but
he didn't seem to be. He wanted to
know if saw the blow struck; if l was
certain saw it; if there was more than
one blow; if there were three blows; if
there was any kicking; and after another
half hour he seemed to believe that 1 had
seen some part of the difficulty, if not all
of it.
The counsel for the defense had been
impatiently waiting, and as soon as l was
turned over to him he began:
You say your name is Quad ~
Yes, sir.''
II want the jury to remember that!
And you say you live in Detroits"
Eyes, sir"
LET the jury remember that this wit
ness says he lives in Detroit" exclaimed
the attorney as he gave me a fierce look.
He made note of the fact himself, and
then continued:
Now, sir, do you own the house you
live ins"
''Yes, SIR"
''You hear that, gentlemen!' he said,
turning to the jury. !" Now, sir, is there
a mortgage on that hOuse?"
81 objectr' said the counsel for the
prosecution, suddenly springing up.
@ You do, chg"
Eyes, do can't see what bearing
this question has on the case.''
Well, your Honor" replied the other
lawyer, facing the desk, :. the question is
a vital one-a hinge question. We expect
that the answer to that question will de-
eide the innocence of my client"
His Honor leaned back as if the fate of
kingdoms depended on his decision, and
the lawyers read from the Twelfth Michi-
gan report. the Seventeenth Massachusetts,
the Ninth New York, the Eleventh Yer
mont, and one or two others, and for an
hour and a half the case was put aside.
They finally got through, and the Court
decided that need not answer the ques-
ton. 1t was then noon, and the court ad-
journed until two O'Clock.
When the court opened in the afternoon
the lawyer resumed the cross-examinatiOn
by asking:
"Thirty-two."
morning that you were fifty-fve?"
"You didn't, ehe"
"No, SIR"
Remember, sir, you are on your oath!
Be careful, sir! Now answer me- aren't
you forty years Old?"
mo, sir.n
He noted the answer down and then
asked:
Haven't you been arrested for man
slaughter?'
"Never."
"Whats Remember, sir, you are on
oath!''
q never was.'
"Were you ever engaged in a riot?'
"Yes, sir.''
"Ah! you WERE Ell? Let the jury make
a note of that! This case is becoming in
teresting, and before we get through with
1t we'll make the prosecution open their
In 1907
And wheres'
I'm La Crosse
Tell the jury what started it, what part
you took, and the sentence of the court in
your case"
I'VE hung lawyer to a lamp-post for
WHAT" he yelled, shaking his fist,
lam l to be insulted by this witness, your
HOnOrg'
The two attorneys then brought in an
other pile of law books, and after arguing
for an hour the Court decided that the
defense had no right to ask me the question.
The cross-examination was then resumed
by his asking:
You say you saw this difficulty:"
Yes, sir.''
You swear to that?''
Yes, sir"
And you say that the plaintiff struck
the defendant first?"
mo, sir; it was the other way"
Now, sir, look me in the eye and tell
me which man struck first"
1.-THE defendant"
HE did ?''
g Yes, SIR
Look out, Mr.. Quad, you are under
oath, and if you swear to a lie the punish
ment will not be less than one year in
State Prison. Do you say that my client
here kicked the defendant in the stom-
achs"
No, sir"
"Ah, Thought my warning would touch
you. So my client didn't kick the plain
tiff.''
No, sir"
g Nor bite him ~
NO sir"
Nor hit him with club?''
No, SIR
Nor draw IA revolver on himg''
No, sir"
"Well, that's all, Mr.. Quad-that's all
Oh. by the way, did you ever have fight
with my client?"
No, sir''
Didn't you threaten TO shoot him about
a year ago.