The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1882-09-09
0'OONNELL's READY WIT.
How It Won Him Two Striking
Victories.

At the Glare !A.sizes in Ennis. two
brothers named HOuriyan, were ar
rested for setting fire tO police iar-
rack, the property OF Darby Ot;r:'dy,
Esll., and 1t was stated the larras'k
had been ignitetl ~ means Of u jar ":'
pitch. found half consumed near the
burned barrack.
O'(:Ounell was employed for the
defense. and by his desire u skillet Of
pitch was secretly placed near the
witnesses chair and over this O( on
nell placed his Gro:,,l-brinInlc.l hat.
50 a. to etiectually conceal it. The
principal wit,,ess for the prosecution
swore THAT lie discovered the lar
rack on fire. ami knew that il was
smell Of it,"
"YOu know tl.c smell III pitch.
then::' said O'Cunnell.
IL do, weil," replied the witness.
"Iou seem q man allc I" smell
Pitch anyw here - said OI'"nnslI.
"Anywl,ere l found t."
Even here in this court h','se ii
It were here"
''NO doubt would" 4"
And do you swear YOU don't get
the s'.,cll III pitch herr:"' asked
O'COnnell.
II do, solenlnly," replied the Wit
ness. '.Ifit were here Id smell it,"
Then O'('onnell, taking his hit oil
the skillet Of !'ich whic', was placed
lm.i.le the witness chair. cried:
Now you may 20 down. you lc:-
jure,l rascal: Go down.
This saved his clients. The jury
discreslitetl the witne>s.
At Limerick O'l'Onncll hal Il case
to defend which presented slight
hope. Of his 'x.ing able I" obtain an
acsluittal. His two clients were in
dicteti for robbery. and the cas-" was
substantially prUvcd agains, them.
They called y young priest isr tc>ii-
nlOny as to their character t"r hon
es,y. lie thought to make II parade
Of his learning ~ the lisa. vi lily
words, aud his replies to the usual in
quiries were in the most lOllv>ylla-
6!e tcrnls he could devise. Having
stated ''tl,eir reputation tUr rsr'titi-
cation Of hal'itu:al propyicty was ex-
cm,l'lary and cO'lIliei'lal,ie.' Judge
TOrrens, who cllaiesi with irritation
~ the young priest rolled out each
iaw.lr.'aker, nj last cut him short
with:
"COllle, sir. liU more Oi this. say
shortly what you know "i these men.
Are they hone~i::"
''.\s far ~ my experience of their
department. ! am under that int
prexsi0n."
"Iou think they are. Tha, c"',.-
prel,en.is u great deal" sa"' the
Judge, still displaying tc'nlsr. Turn
ing t. the priest, l,e sud: THAT will
dO-gO down. sir"
O('OnnelI. a>s,l,l,in. All air III great
Indignation, ~ til. priest slIutllcl oil
the table, addressing the prisoners in
\ tone Of deep coIi,miis~crati"n. said:
My poor fellows. biS"try is "n the
lenc'i, and when your cxrrilen:
young priest has lrcn so ig:lO inc
O,lslS turned cut y: court. | am in 'lc
simir of l,eing able to serve YOU.
Here. your brief and fte."
lie flung the hriei and thu notes 4"
the agent for the prisoners, aNsl ."',,l-
lnen.'ed putting On his cis.,:s. Imu,'rr-
ing: My inm,s.cnt clients, ! despair
altogether now Of yM:r act,uittal.
You'll liz hanged, and never were
men hanged m,Ors. unjustly. The om-
ly hope can l.s'k I" j. that, il your
sentence |. not carried into execution
l,ei;,rc the twelve Judge. meet. ! will
bring this outrageous case before
Them"
This had the .'ii;"j intended.
Judge TOrreis invited O("mmcll L"
c.,ntinu. the defense Of his clients,
and t0 this. after sO':W. pretended re-
lurlai,ce, Ot Umncll a.>emted. The
case went on, ami the judge, I" show
he was n" biS.t. put the character
fo, honesty given the prisoner. hy
the priest 80 >trDn"Iy that the jury
almost instantly brs'uyiAt in their vtr-
diet. not guilty.