Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1876-01-27
A scAHDALous PRACTICE.

| A scAEDALous PRACTICE.
Suppose" said An Iowa attorney b
. witness whom he was cross-examin
ing. Suppose. sir, / should tell 20,
that / could bring 9 dosen Of your ow,
ueighbors who would swear they woult
not believe you under oath! wha
would you say to that 2" And th,
witness replied very pleasantly, "l
kou6 cay you LIED"
thrs turned on q brow. beating and in
solent attorney, for unfortunately tn,
latter always has the advantage. and
too often is disposed to press it unfair;
ly. There are instances of this almost
every day in our courts. A modest
quiet business man unused to standing
before great audience, 10 placed in the
witness.box. He unluckily knows some
important facts about . case on trial
before an intelligent jury. He states
these facts truthfully and without NAL.
ice. They are, though not with any
counivance ON his part, fatal to the
other side. The only remedy, there
fore, is to destroy his evidence. Con-
sequently an important little fellow,
with bristling hair and pompous tone.
prepares to extinguish him. Leaning
back in his chair and glaring at the
modest man, the attorney opens =
"Now sir, what is your name ?" Of
course he knows it, the jury knows it.
the court knows it, but the attorney
asks it again, a. il it were of the great
est importance, and the witness might
deny his name on second thought. So
he says, "Now, sir, what is your name p
"Thomas Brown" responds the mod.
est man.
"What ?" screams the lawyer
"Speak up, can't you? You are not
ashamed Of your name, are yoa?
"No, SIR" replies Brown.
every well! Then speak up, 20 the
jury can hear you. Now. sir, what is
your interest in this case p with a
significant look at the Jury.
81 have no interest in it," replies the
witness.
The attorney looks horriied at the
total depravity of the witness. He
elances at the jury again; as much as
to say: Gentlemen, did you ever be-
hold such turpitude ?" and then goes
on speaking Deliberately, and empha.
sizing every word with beck of his
fore-fuger, ''Do you swear, sir before
this Jury, and in presence of this court,
and on your solemn oath, that you have
no interest in this case 2"
eyes, sir" says Brown, blusLing.
eyes, you have, or yes, you have
not ?"
81 have not"
"Haven't you confessed within the
past week to three different parties
that YOU have an interest ?"
"No, SIR" replies Brown, trembling,
and trying to think if he has ever ut
tered q word that could be tortured
into such an admission.
"You swear before this jury" says
the attorney, "that you never talked
about this matter 2"
II did not say had not talked" re-
piled the witness.
"Ah, ha! Then you have talked ="
exclaims the attorney. 81 thought l
could refresh your recollection"
Il only said"-continues the witness,
desiring to explain; but he is stopped
abruptly.
Never mind what you say, sir
When l want to know what you said
1 will inquire of you. l understand
YOU now to admit that you have talked
about the matter. Is that right ?"
II simply talked
"Will you please answer my gues.
tion z" thuuders the attorney. Have
you talked, or have you not? Yes or
MOP"
eyes, but
"That will DO; you need not 60 on,
sir. That is ample. At last you ad-
init that you, q witness, an important
witness, in this case, have been around
the town discussing the matter! Do
you think that is the proper thing, sir.
for witness to do I"
The witness, abashed and humiliated,
remains silent.
"Will you answer, sir" continues the
lawyer, threateningly. ''Do you come
before this jury, expecting to be be-
lieved, while admitting that you have
made this case the subject Of hope
and fear, and discussed it on the
street Z"
The witness tries to explain, but is
told to "stand down." and leaves the
box, feeling that in some way he has
been made to appear like . rasc,lly
perjurer, when he is as absolutely free
from bias or prejudice as the most dis
interested spectator in the room. ANY
one Who is at all familiar with our
courts will zee that the above il . very
faint picture Of the "badgeriny" which
witnesses are subjected. Indeed, q
man giving bis testimony might think
be has escaped very easily if be met
with nothing worse than this, and vet
the imputations contained in tine above
would be resented with blow in any
other place than the courts. Such at
taeks are cowardly and disgraceful, and
still they are permitted and winked at
by our iudges. We call upon the lat
ter to begin the correction Of this scan.
dalous imposition. II 10 A. much their
duty TO protect witnesses from gyatui-
tous insult - il ID 10 protect innocent
men from unmerited puuishmsnt. The
law 10 IN honorable profession, . pro-
fessiou which should be exalted, not
degraded. But 10 degraded sadly by
such, exhibitions. We have good rea-
son 70 know that the best Of its mem.
bers despise snch vulgar srirks and the
men Who resort to them, but there are