The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-02-21
A Doctor in Court.


from publication story that is going
the rounds of the press, concerning the
experience of Georgia doctor in a
court of justice demanding payment
for his professional services. The case
is stated about as follows:
A doctor named Royston had sued
Peter Bennett for his bill, long overdue,
for attending the wife of the latter.
Alexander Ii. Stephens was on the Ben
nett side, and Robert Toombs, then SEN
ator of the United States, was for DR..
Royston. The doctor proved his num-
Der of visits, their value according to
local custom, and his own authority to
do medical practice. Mr.. Stephens told
his client that the physician had made
out his case, and as there was nothing
wherewith to rebut or offsett the claim,
the only thing left to do was to pay it.
"No," said Peter,"I hired you to speak
to my case, and now speak"
Mr.. Stephens told him there was moth
ing to say; he had looked 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 HIM
self, if he thought one could be made.
~ will" said Peter Bennett, "if Bobby
Toombs won't be too hard on me-"
Senator Toombs promised, and Peter
began
"Gentlemen of the jury-You and l is
ain farmers, and if we don't stick to-
gether these ere lawyers and doctors will
git the advantage of lis. amt no lawyer
nor doctor, and l amt no objections to
them in the proper place; but they amt
honest farmers, gentlemen of the jury.
"Now, this man Royston was new
doctor, and l went for him to come an
doctor my wife's sore leg, and he came
an put some salve truck onto it and some
rags, but never did it one bit of good,
gentlemen of the jury. l don't believe
he is no doctor, no way. There is doc
tors as is doctors, sure enough, but this
mau don't earn his money, and if you
send for him as Mrs. Sarah Atkinson did,
for negro boy as was worth $1,000, he
just kills him and want pay for it,
81 DON'T" Numbered the doctor.
"Did you cure him2" asked Peter, with
the slow accents of a judge with the black
cap on.
The doctor was silent, and Peter pro-
ceeded
"As was a sayin', gentlemen of the
jury, We farmers when we sell our cotton
has got to give vally for the money We
ask, and doctors amt none too good to
be put to the same rule And | don t
believe this Sam. Royston is no doctor,
nohow"
The physician again put in his oar,
with, Look at my diploma if you think
l am no DOCTOR
His diploma" exclaimed the new
fledged orator, with great contempt.
"His diploma. Gentlemen, that is big
word for printed sheepskn, and it didn't
make no doctor out of the sheep as first
wore it, nor does it of the man as now
carries it. A good newspaper has more
in it, and pint out to you that he ain t
no doctor at all"
The man of medicine was now in a
fury, and screamed out, ASK my patients
if amt a doctor"
81 asked my WIFE" retorted Peter, "an
she said as how she thought you WASH t. "
ASK my other PATIENTS" said Dr.
Royston.
the camel's back, for Peter replied with
look and tone of un utterable sadness:
"That is a hard sayin', gentlemen OF
the jury, and one that requires me to die
or to have powers as I've hearn tell
ceased to DC 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, We dead,
and tell this court and jury your opinion
of Royston's practicef Am l to 20 to
the silent tomb and say to um as is at
last at rest from physic and doctors bills,
Get up here, you, and state if you died a
natural death, or was hurried up some by
doctorsi' He says ask his patients, and,
gentlemen of the jury, they are all dead.
Where is Mrs. Beazley's man Sam2 Go
ask the worms in the graveyard where he
lies. Mr.. Peaks woman Sarah was at
tended by him and her funeral was ap.
pointed and he had the corpse ready.
Where is that likely Bill as belonged to
Mr.. Mitchell2 Now in glory a ex-
pressin' his opinion on Roystons doc
torin'. Where is that baby gal of Harry
Stephensf She are where doctors cease
from troublin' and the infants are at rest
"Gentlemen of the jury, he has ct
chicken enough at my house to pay for
his salve, and furnished the rags, and l
don't suppose he charges for maxim of
her worse, and even he don't pretend to
charge for curin' Of her, and am hum
bly, thankful that he never give her
nothin' for her inwards, as he did his
other patients, for somethin' made them
all die mighty sudden"
Here the applause made the sneaker