The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1882-08-25


his legal arguments charmed alike bench
and bar and crowd. There were present
at that court many other lawyers
then eminent, or destined to become
eminent, IN the profession. There was
Elicit, with his pale, classic, close
shaven face, aud distinct clear-cnt /
utterance; Peyton, with his loud laugh |
that made the welkin ring, dressed |
throughout in immaculate white, with
rosebud in his button-hole, a rivulet
of gold chain across his breast, and high
standing shirt collar, giving evidence
even then OF the vast stores OF legal
learning he was accumulating, and which
in after years, was tc give him reputa-
tion on the Supreme Bench equal with
that of Simrall aud second only TO that
Of Sharkey; Cassedy, with his grand head
and face, dark eye and limping step;
Swift, in appearance Falstatf. with
much law, aud oil Of Shakespeare, at his
tongues end, coming from the
Green Mountains in youth, and
bringing with him all the
shrewdness and industry but more of tho
atsteminousnes of his native State;
Goode, young aud handsome, with the
unfaiiing courtesy Of the Virginia gentle.
man, just then beginning professional
career Of remarkable success and which,
am glad 10 say, is continued in a dis
tant State; Vannerson, young, old
man, with his wellknown crown OF snow
the orihamme of many legal fight,
dressed in fashionable black, with ruffled
shirt and diamond PIN, with huge
watch fob of gold and red dangling in
his front; McNnir, plain in dress and
manners as any farmer, having laid down
TIE sceptre Of the pedagogu, and quit the
old field school house TO compete sue.
cessfully for the high honors of bar and
bench; King, poor young man just
admitted to practice, unconth in dress,
modest and awkward giving no lDdica-
tion OF the fame and fortune he after.
wards acquired; Stone. stout and stall
wart; Buckley, just returned from the
Mexican war; Stafford. from Marion,
inimitable in song and story; Lamkin
from Pike, and Freeman aud Col. Fonte
from Jackson; aud over all this crowd
Of kindred spirits, assembled when the
day was done beueath the roof of Bowen's
tavern, Hurst presided. the jolly genius
OF reyelry and mirtb, while Goode cried
ont with Prince HAL, Lets daft the
world and bid il passl" aud the melody
Of his voice rang with
20 carry me back, o carry me back.
To old Viiginia's shore.
followed by Safford's, ION old Long
Islands sea girt Shore"
OF all those named, but five remain
among the living Elicit, Freeman, Saf-
ford, Goode and King For the nexi
ten years did not see much Of Hurst
though heard him occasionally at the
bar and on the stump, and always witt
iucreasinR delight; but during my Mint
years service aa District Attorney, com
mencing in 1858, ] saw much of him Al
the bar, M he then attended the conrtl
regularly in Pike and Lawrence aud wal
employed for the defence in every impor
tant criminal case, and on one side OF
the other of many civil cases; and, Il
say the truth, sometimes in moments
of defeat wished that could see less o.
him.
He was very able and successful il
criminal cases, but he was equally a
home in the more difficult intricacies o
the civil practice, and think he prefer
red the latter, though he seemed TO taxi
( delight in defending in capital cases Ii
such cases he wasted no time in trivial
ties but went straight to the marrow o
the business. He took up but littl,
+ time in selecting the jury. All h,
wanted was intelligent aud impartia
, men. He never sought to pack juf,
box with ignorance, and he wanted nj
verdict obtained by corruption, he wan
ted his client acquitted, but he wantet
him acquitted respectfully. He depended
| kl,s.. - a.
, OF the law, his own great weight O
. character, and above all his powerful an,
4 fascinating eloquence. He seldom bad
+ gered a witress, asked no unmeaninl
: questions and but few Of any kind, an,
they were pertinent, generally legal, an
: intended 10 bring out an answer tho
! would go to the substance OF the case
a He did not believe as mnch as som
!. lawyers in the efficacy Of cross-examina
i. ton, and generally dismissed the State
d witness With polite 'stand aside
: asked him one day how he came TO Il
a the States witnesses off so easily. II
4 said, when young man he lost his frs
: case by too much questioning, and tbs
o there was danger Of being little 10
q smart in that line. Sometimes, boweve
d he would take up witness whom Ii
|. Thought was not telling the truth an
I. wind him up as spider winds up
!. fly,
IL He never injured case by doing to
= much. He let we'll enough alone; kne
d exactly when TO stop, both In the exam
ia ination and in his address to the jur,
ie He never wearied jury; but when b
= last impassioned words fell like an orgaI
'. peal upon their ears. L have geen the
Is enraptured-gazing, as il magnetize
IN upon the speaker, unwilling to break II
it charm he had woven around them. Y
he had little of the artificial graces
H. oratory, but was plain, candid al
as strong, and every word meant somethin
ly AS have said, bis voice at this time W
en- mellow and sonorous, but never hsrs
v. His lowest tone was never indistinct, al