The Portland daily press., 1882-11-28
Pantomime In a Court Room.
How a Youthful Lawyer Won Suit over
an Experienced Adversary.
ncolumbus. Ohio. Times ]

HColumous, Ohlo lines
The attorney, at the date of the story, was
serving the commonwealth of Ohio and the
county OF Vinton in the capacity OF prosecut-
ing attorney at the little town of Macarthur.
He then bore rather youthful and possibly
somewhat verdant appearance for a man hold
ing so responsible position. The most con-
spicuous parsonage known to the Vinton bar at
that time was grave and pompous barrister
from neighboring town a man who had
reached the middle age of life, and with an ex-
tensve practice, profitable alike in fame and
pecuniary gain; man whose eloquence bent
juries to his will, and whose logicspinned them
fast; whose invective and pointed sarcasm
blanched the cheek of the witness or the pris-
oner, as might be necessary to gain the case,
and was alike dreaded and hated by his fellow
practitioners. The attorney referred to is liv-
ing yet, one Of the most prominent jurists in
Southern Ohio. His ability has not dimin-
ished nor has his knowledge that he possesses
ability. One day the young prosecutor had
riot case TO try, and TO his CONSERVATION he
learned that the gentleman referred to had
been retained by the defense. The prosecutor
handled his case with great care but from the
first did not hope to convict the prisoner He
was stirred mp somewhat, however by the
sneering illusions made to him during the ex-
animation, by the imported counsel, and so
when he came to make his opening speech he
-indulged little in bombast himself. He ex-
pected to be torn up little by the imported
counsel, but was utterly unprepared for the ST.
moon that swept through the court room when
the imported counsel got fairly under way. He
paced up and down in front of the Judge; he
sawed the air in front of the jurors; he shook
his finger in the face of the young prosecutor
and shivered in imaginary horror at the
thought OF so youthful youth undertaking TO
measure swords with him. The voice was loud
and bitter in its denunciation; the gesticula-
tions were violent and demonstrative the
manner threatening and awe-inspirng, and
with face OF scorn he sat down with folded
arms and awaited the verdict which he did not
suppose they dared TO refuse to render The
young prosecutor was mad. He felt he would
like TO thrash the imported counsel out of his
boots. He rose to his feet, uncertain for mo-
ment what to do. A happy thought struck
him, and, throwing his head back, he cast his
left arm behind him and thrust his right hand
In the breast OF his vest, while under over-arch-
ing eyebrows he -crowled out at the jury. The
jury dropped on it, in an instant. So did
the Judge, SO did the spectators There was
the familiar pose of the imported counsel per-
feet In lts Imitation. Tlen the young prosecu-
tor began, and, without opening his lips, pro-
ceeded to copy the gesticals stions and move
ments OF the eminent attorney who had pre-
ceded him. He snorted and cavorted and
stamped and rolled his eyes. He strobe up
and down in front of the judge and jury, fol-
lowing in his gesticulations precisely those of
which they had just seen the copy. He shook
his finger menscingly under the nose of the
eminent gentleman, and then assuming the
statesmanlike pose, he looked down upon him
disdainfully. Then he would stop and twirl
on his finger a martingale ring, which he had
drawn from his pocket, and which was intend
ed to REPRESENT the large seal ring on the small
finger of the left hand of the opposing counsel
1t was too much. The eminent attorney ap-
pealed to the court for protection, while the
judge laughed until the tears rolled down his
cheeks, and the jury and spectators chuckled
audibly. The judge replied that the young
man had done nothing, had said nothing to
him, and he did not feel called upon to inter-
fere with the argument. That settled itL The
imported counsel broke for the door, and the
jury, after 15 minutes absence, brought in
verdict of guilty.