Wilmington journal., 1876-02-18
q LAWYERS Plea


following extract:
The suits brought by Virqi inia G..
Burke agaisnt Ira g Garduel and 9th
ers, which will go down to posterity
among the list Of causes cctcbres III our
legal records, Was, after ~ ariy three
weeks continuance before Judge Van
HOesen, Of the Court of Common
Pleas, was brought yesterd ~ to c0u-
ctuSIOn. Mrs. Burke, the sole surviv-
ing cn Id and executrix Of Captain
John Alexander, brought the suit TO
re cover 800, 900. which she claimed
was III her fathers possession at the
time of his death, which occurred in
March, 1869, at the residerce of the
Garduers, in Harlem. Mrs. Burke
had only one counsel, ex-Congress man
Andrew III. FL. Dawson, while the de-
PENDANTS had six, including ex-Judge
Brebr. Mr.. Dawson rnade an able
and eloquent summing up ct the case.
IN his remarks he told a rather
singular story explanatory of his zeal
for his client. A good many years ago,
in 81 lower saloon of Mississippi
steam boat, a party of men eng aged IN
playing draw poker. Among he par
ticipouts III the game was a cripple,
who bet boldly and showed that he
had Il large sum of money. A young
man stood OutSide the circle of the
table Watching with interest the pro
gress of the game. He saw that thA
cripple WAS "A mOvince and his conpan-
Ions were evidently professional gam
blers ) .eing that the cripple vas
losing heavily this young man watched
the game With Increase Il intcre5t and
with the closest scrutiny. be shortly
disc pvered the gamsters were dealing
to themselves six cards each, and their
un-uspe ting companion only five
ctrds. The betting became h"avy
The cripple kept raising and going bel
ter and Ills opponents did 'ho same
The table We're covered with bills
and piles Of gold. The cripple lost,
and rs one of the gamesters was about
raking IN the Pile that young man who
had been so intentlv watching the
game suddenly thrust the blade of a
sharp-poiIted bowie knife through the
bills, snying, "Not of you gamblers
shall have this money. It belongs TO
him (poin'ing TO the cipple), your
wouid-be victim" "Wnat right have
yogz to interfere with this game?"
asked the infuriated gamblers. by
this right" answered d the young man,
pulling out Il revolver, land because
you have been cheating this man. The
first man who attempts to touch dol
lar of that money [ will blow his brains
put" Ihe cripple took the money.
and that brief experience was life
long less III 10 him. That young man.
gentIc en- of the iury, vas myself L
vas congratulated for my courage.
One gentlemen, noble speci nen Of
t1uc Southern chivairy, shook me
ny the hand warmly. L like you
for your courage" said this gen
tiemeu. Il have beautiful and ac-
complshed daughter, and You may
marry her if you will" That gentle
man was Captain Alexander, and l
s'ond by herin her rseven years lncessent
warefare to help her nearer what
rightfuiIy belongs to her, and l shall
fight the battle until [ get q verdict for
her. He occupied several hours III
his summing up -peech. The opposing
counsel occupied nearly as much time
combating in seratim eacn point
raised for the plaintiff aud presenting
the case IN the strongest possible hight
for the defendant. n clear and lucid
charge was made by Judge Van
Hoeson, leaving it entirely to the jury
to give their verdict according to the
testimony, aud on'y explaining to them
the various points of law applicable to
the case. The jury, after about an
hours absence, brought III a verdict for
Mrs. Burke far he full amount claimed,
being $50, 900. with interest. The op-
posing counsel moved to set aside the
verdict on the ground that it was not
in accordanca with the evidence. 1t
being late judge Van lloesen said be
would hear the argument on this mo-
ton next Friday morning.
The Khedive of Egypt has legislated
th MohammeG. calendar out of his
,iominiona, and adopted instead the
GrrgOrian time, III common with the
larger portion of Christendom The
Egvpt.ans changed all their dates on
tfe. first of ,Tanu ry last.