The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1878-07-03
How Peter Bennett won his Case
in Court.

A correspondent Of the New YORK
World has the following respecting
one of 4. ii. Stephens experiences as
a lawyer in Georgia in the anti-bellunl
days:
A doctor named Royston had sued
Peter Bennett for his bill, long over
due, for attending the wife of the lat.
ter. Alex. III. Stephens was on the
Bennett side, Robert Toombs, then Sen,
ator of the United States, was for Roy
ston. The doctor proved his numher
of visits, their value according TO local
custom, and his own authority 10 do
medical practice. Mr.. Stephens told
MS client that the physician had made
out his case, and rs there was nothing
wherewith to rebut or offset the claim
the only thing TO do was to pay it.
mo, said Peter, 81 hired you TO speak
in my case and now speak"
Mr. Stephens told him there was
nothing to say; he had looked to see
if it WAS made out, and it was.
Peter was obstinate, and at last Mr.
Stephens told him to make a speech
himself, if he thought one could be
made.
Il WILL" said Peter Bennett, iii
Bobby TOOmbs won't be too hard on
me-"
Senator Toombs promised, and Peter
began.
"Gentemen Of the Juy-You ard
is plain farmers, and if We don't stick
together these ere lawyers and doctors
will get the advantage of us. / amt
no lawyer nor doctor, and | amt no
objections to them in their proper
place hut they amt farmers, gentle
men Of the jury.
Now this man Royston was a new
doctor, and went for him to doctor
my wife's leg. And he come and put
some salve truck on it and some rags,
but never done it one bit of good gen.
tlemen of the jury. IdOn't believe he
is doctor, no way. There is doctors
as is doctors sure enough, but this man
don't earn his money and If you send
for him, as Mrs. Atkinson did, for a
negro boy as was worth $1,000, he
just killed him and wants pay for it. F"
II DON'T" Numbered the doctor.
"Did you cure him 2" asked Peter,
with the slow accents of a judge with
a black cap on.
The doctor was silent, and Peter
proceeded.
LAS / was sayin', gentlemen of the
jury, we farmers when we sell our cot
ton. has to give value for the money
we ask, and doctors amt none too
good to be put to the same rule. And
/ don't believe this Sam. Roystou is
no doctor, no how"
The physician again put in his oar,
with, Look at my diploma, if you
think am no doctor"
"HIs diploma y exclaimed the hedg.
ed orator, with great contempt. His
diploma! Gentl.men, that is a big
word for printed sheepskins, and il
didn't make no doctor of the sheep as
first wore it, does it out of the man
that now carries it? A good newspa
per has more in 1t, and / pint out to
you that he amt no doctor at all.
The man of medicine was now in q
fury, aud screamed out: ask my
patients If am not a doctor"
~ asked my wife," retorted Peter,
"and she said as how she thought YOU
wasn't"
ASK my other patients" said DR.
RoystOn.
This seemed TO be the straw tina
broke the camers back, for Peter re
piled with a look and tone of unutter
able sadness THAT is hard sayin'
gentlemen of the jury, and one as re
quires me to die or to have power as
have hearn tell ceased to be exercised
since the Apostles. Does he expec
me to bring the angel Gabriel down Il
toot his horn and cry aloud, 'Awak,
We dead and tell this court and jury
your opinion of Roystons practiceY
Am to go to the lonely churchyard
and rap on the silent tomb, and say Il
'em as is at last at rest from physi'
and doctors bills, Get up here anC
state if you died a natural death, o
was hurried away by some doctor !
He saws ask his Datients. and. gentle