The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1878-05-25
Capturing a. Jury.
Peter Benefits Great Speech. !

'e''"Oo AOStIy wrong,
and will try to come nearer Mr..
Stephens own relation.
A doctor named Royston had
sued Peter Bennett for his bill
long overdue for attending the
wife of the latter. Alex Fl. Steph
ems was on the Bennett side. and
Robert Toombs, then Senator of
the United States, was for DR..
Royston. The Doctor proved bis
number of visits, their value ac>
cording to local custom and his
own authority to do medical prac
tice. Mr.. Stephens told his client
that the physician had made out
his case, and as there was moth
ing whcrewith to rebut or Offset
the claim, the only thing left was
to pay ir. mo-" said Peter, III
hired you to speak to my case
and now speak,"
Mr.. Stephens told him there
was nothing to say he had look
ed on to see that it was made out,
and it was.
Peter was obstinate, and at last
Mr.. Stephens told him to make a
speech himself, if be thonght one
could be made.
IL will" said Peter Bennett" if
Bobby Toombs won't be too hard
on me.n
Senator Toombs promised, and
Peter began;
s'Gentlemen of the jury. You
and | is plain farmers, and if we
don't stick together, these tere
lawyers and doctors will git the
advantage of us. 1 aint no law
yer nor doctor and amt no OBJ
lection to them in their proper
place (; but they aint farmers,
gentlemen of the jury"
"Now this man Royst0n was a
new doctor and l went for him
for to come an to doctor my wifess
sore leg. An he come am put
some salve truck onto it and
some rags, but never done it one
bit of good, gentlemen of the jury.
! don't believe he is no doctor,
no way. Thare is doctors as is
doctors sure enough, but this
man don't earn his money, and
if you send for him, as Mrs. Sa-
rah Atkinson did, for a negro
boy as was worth one thousand
dollars, he just kills him and
wants pay for it. 81 don't +" thun
dered the doctor. "Did you cure
him :" asked Peter with the slow
accents Of judge with the black
cap on.
The doctor was silent, and Pc
ter proceeded
"As | was sayin', gentlemen of
the jury, we farmers when we
sell our cotton has got to
give valley for the money we ask,
and doctors amt none too good to
be put to the same rule. And 1
don't believe this Sam Roystou is
no doctor nohOw.n
The physician again put in his
oar, with, "Look at my diploma,
if You think l am no doctor.'
"His diploma :" exclaimed the
new tiedged orator, with great
contempt. ellis diploma +! Gentle
men, that's a big word for print
ed sheep skin, and it didn't make
no doctor of the sheep as first
wore it nor does it of the man as
carries it. A good newspaper has
more in it, and l pint out to You
that he aint no doctor at all.n
The man of medicine was now
in fury, and screamed out, "Ask
my patients if l am no doctor !"
81 asked my wife, retorted Pc
ter, ''an' she said as how she
thought you wasn't"
"Ask my other PATIENTS" SAID
DR.. Royston.
This seemed to be the straw
that broke the camels back, for
Peter replied with look and tone
Of unutterable sadness "Tbat is
a hard sayii, gentlemen of the
jury, and one as requires me to
die or to have power, as I've hearn
tell ceased to be exercised since
the Apostles"
''Does he expect me to bring the
Angel Gabriel down to tOot his
horn before his time and cry
aloud, awake, ye dead, and tell
this court and jury your opinion
Of Roystonss practice 2 Am l to
go to the lonely church yard and
rap on the silent tomb, and say
to one as is at rest from physic