Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-07-21

: Which he used not so much for tn,
5 fun of the thing as for illustration il
e place of argument, as weapons h
! would use upon his assailants, or a,
: whips with which he would lasl
them, or as ridicule with which hC
} would oyerwhelm them. / have
2 often heard him answer an argu.
, ment with an anecdote which YOU
t would think at first had no bearing
on, the case, and that he was merely
firing blank cartridges, but which
. would by and by burst upon the
court and jury in such a food OF
ridicule as would quite overwhelm
his opponent. All this ammunition
he had carefully packed away in
the storehouse of his memory, on
which he would draw for an apt
illustration that was more potent
than logic and convincing than
argument. These things he would
use not merely to point moral or
adorn tale, but they We're his
shield and armor, his weapons both
offensive and defensive against
the world, and no man could use
them with greater effect for as
sault and defence. His anecdote
of Andrew Haynes, who saw for
the first time a steamboat on the
Cumberland river, is remembered
by thousands who heard his dra-
matte history and representation of
the affair, and by thousands who
have had a glimpse merely of its
extraordinary richness from tradi-
ton. All imitatOrs of the grand old
| original will be remarkable only for
their failure to equal him who caught
| from personal observation the incl
dents of the scene, and whose genius
| threw a charm over them that will
not fade from the memory. Those
who attempt to repeat this anecdote
will find themselves in the condition
of him who would essay to copy
one of Michael Angeles best pic
lures. The canvass may be there,
and the paint may be applied with
skill, but the soul which lent its
sublime inspiration to the picture is
gone forever. / will not, therefore,
attempt to recite any anecdote told
by Nathaniel III. Allen. but would
rather impress his example asa good
citizen, as a devotee to the principle
of truth, from which he never
swerved, on the members of the bar,
and pray that they would treasure
his example as jewels of inestimable
value.
must mention the case of Fre-
dOnia Williams VS.. J. j. Williams
for a divorce, in which Allen figured.
He was for the plaintiff and / for the
defendant. She alleged that she
was sent to school to Williams when
she was very young, and that by one
device and another he gained her af-
fectiOn and married her before she
was 16 years old, against the will of
her parents, and after a year or two
treated her with such cruelty that
she was forced to fly from his house
and take shelter under the parental
roof. The case'elicited deep feeling
between the parties, and the neigh |
bOrs of her father took sides warmly |
for her. The case was called, the |
papers read and testimony heard one |
evening and the court adjourned to |
meet next morning when the argu-
ment would be heard in the case. |
Allen rode home that evening and |
the old man Britt (the father of the |
plaintifD rode home with him. On |
the way Allen said "Britt, ask me
if Judge Martin has a daughter"
The question was put and answered |
in the affirmative. "Now ask me if |
he loves his daughter" 1t was
done, and Allen answered: eyes,
yes, Britt, he loves her as well as you |
do your own poor unfortunated daugh-
ter" Before they had gotten through |
with their little conversation Britt |
Wept tear or so, drew red pocket |
handkerchief from his pocket, blew
his nose, which resounded like a
trumpet, and wiped his eyes dry of
the tears he had shed. Allen was
happy; he had laid the ground work
now in truth for the grand display
he would make the following morn
ing. He came into court and after
he had warmed up in the discussion
of the real or imaginary wrongs of
his client, and saw he had the SYM
pathy and close attention of the
court, he said: "May it please your
honor, as l rode home last night
Britt, the unfortunate father of this
brOken-hearted woman, asked me if
your honor had a daughter. / said
''yes, Britt, he has - "and does he
love his daughter ?' eyes, yes,
Britt; he loves her with all the ten
born child; yes, old man, he loves
her as tenderly as you love your
dOwntrOdden, insulted but lovely
daughter-lOvelier in her tears than
even in her smiles. And the tears
of the father, may it please your
honor, gushed down his rude and
rugged face as the water flowed from
the rock on HOreb's mountain when
struck by the rod of Moses" "Boo,
hoo, hOO," cried Martin, and the
tears were rushing down, which at
the time was as rugged as Britt's or
therock on Horeb's mountain either.
Wiley B. Johnson, who was stand
ing by, whose heart was as tender
as 4 girls, and who was deeply
moved, cried out, "Henry Martin is
crying and be hanged ifyou haven't
lost your cause;" and so indeed /
had. The Judge cried, "Sheriff,
keep silence in the court" and Al
len proceeded in the tone of a man
who was conscious he had gained
his cause.
Wiley B. Johnson, for many years
IlIC VI lCt3
was man of extraordinary personal
attractions. Had he lived he would
have made his mark in the civil war,
which has swept his native South as
with the bosom of destruction. His
lion-hearted courage would have
placed him in the front rank and
alongside of Hampton as a cavalry
officer. He was not very profound
lawyer never was fond enough of
his profession to be so, though he
had talents enough. He was, how
ever, a very effective public speaker,
and had the sweetest and richest
voice ever bestowed upon man.
Many a time has he made me cry
like a child under the witchery of
some little sentimental song he
would sing on our way to court on
horseback under the grand old for
ests that OvershadOwed the road
and if by chance he should detect a
tear in my eye, he would break out
in a reSounding laugh that could be
heard a mile off. Ihave rarely seen
a more manly person than Wiley b.
johnson. He had decided military
talents. / have often imagined how
grandly he would have swept the
field at the head of his cavalry. The
roll of the drum and the spirit-stir-
ring fife set him all an fire. He, too,
has sunk to his rest and no sound