The Ottawa free trader., 1878-01-19
WIT IN COURT.
Sharp Passages Between Judge ard Counsel.

Keen and cutting words, or even tritling
incivilines, INDUCED in at the expense of
counsel, have sometimes met with swift ret
ributian. Plunket was once engaged in
case, when towards the end of the afternoon,
it became question whether the court should
proceed or adjourn till the next day Plunket
expressed his willingness to go on if the Jury
would set" "Sit sir, sit" said the presiding
Judge, mot sit hens set" Il thank you,
my lord" said Plunkct The case proceeded,
and presently the Judge had occasion to observe
that if that were the case he feared the action
would not clay" Lie my lord, lie" cxcaim-
ed the barriser, mot lay; hens lay" III you
don't stop your coughing, sir" said IA tcsty
and irritale Judge I'll fine youa hundred
pounds" all give your lordship two hun
drcd ifyou can stop it for me-" was the ready
reply. Curran was once addressing a jury,
when the Judge, who was thought to be anita
gonistic to his client, intimatcd his dissent
from the arguments advanced bya shake Of
his head. IL see, gentlemen said Curran,
IL see the motion of his loriship's head. Per
sons unacquaintcd with his lordship would be
apt 10 think this implied a difference of opin-
ion, but be assured, gentlemen, this is not the
case When you know his lordShip as well as
| do, il will be unnecessary TO tell YOU that
when he shakes his head there really is moth
ing in it," On another occation Curran was
pleading before Fitzgibbon, the Irish chan
cclor, with whom he was on terms of any
thing but friendship. The chancellor, with
the distinct purpose, aS il would seem, of
/ insulting the advocate, brought with hIm on
the bench large Newfoundland dog to which
| he devoted great deal of his attention while
Curran was addressing very elaborate ar
gumcnt TO him. Al II very material point in
the speech the judge turned quite away and
seemed to be wholly engrosscd with his dog.
/ Curran ceased TO speak go on, 90 on, Mr..
Curran," said the chancellor "Oh, beg Il
thousand pardons, my lord said the witty
4 barrister II really was under the impression
that your lordshipS were in consultation"
But perhaps the most crushing rcioinder ever
Il flung bach in return for an insult from the
bench was that which this same advocate
hurled at Judge Robinson. Judge Robinson
is described rs Il man of sour and cynical dis
position, who had been rais.d Ia the bench
so, at least, il was commonly heliCvcd-simply
because he had written in favor ul the govern
Imcnt of his day number of pamphlets re-
markablc for nothing hut their Scrvilc and
mncorous scurrility. At Il time when Curran
was only just rising into notice, ami while he
was yet a poor and struggling man, this Judge
4 vcnturcd upon = snconu- Joke, which, small
4 though it was, but tor turrinS ready Wit and
+ Scathing eloqucncc. might have done mm
irrcparable injury. Speaking ofsOmc opin
ion of counsel ON the opposite side, Curan
said hc had consulted all his books and could
ont find single case in which the principle
4 i'm dispute was thus established. That may
+, be, Mr.. Curran," Saeered the Judge, but
suspect your law lihary is rather limited.
Il Curran eyed the EcartlcSS ioady for moment
and then broke forth with this noble rctaliat
ION: 1t is very true, my lord, thai am poor
and this circumstance has certainly rather
cu-tailed my hilary. My books are not mum
erous, but they are seclect, and | hope have
been pcrused with proper dispositions have
prepared myselffor this high profession rathei
4 by the stuty Of few good books than by the
! 'composificn of great many bad ones am