News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-09-28
READY WIT.
FERTILE BRAIN OF DANIEL
O'CONNELL.
How it won Him two Striking
Victories.

At the Glare Assizes in Ennis, two
brothers, named Hourigan, were ar
rested for setting fire to a police bar
rack, the property of Darby O'Grady,
Esq and it was stated the barrack had
been ignited by means of jar of pitch
found half consumed near the burned
barrack.
O'Connell was employed for the de-
fense, and by his desire o skillet con-
tanning pitch was secretly placed near
the witnesses chair, and over this
O'Connell placed his broad-brimmed
hat, so as to effectually conceal it. The
principal witness for the prosecution
swore "that he discovered the barrack
on fire, and knew it was set on fire by
pitch, for he got the smell of it,"
"You know the smell OF pitch, then p
said O'ConneD.
81 do, well" replied the witness.
"You seem a man able to smell pitch
anywhere ?" said O'Connell.
"Anywhere I found it.
"Eyen here in this courthouse, if it
were here ?"
"No doubt I would"
"Aud do you swear you don't get the
smell of pitch here ?" asked O'Connell.
"I do solemnly," replied the witness.
eff it were here I'd smell it,
Then O'Connell, taking his hat off
the skillet Of pitch which was placed
beside the witnesses chair, cried:
"Now you may go down, you per-
iured rascal !"
This saved the clients. The jury dis
credited the witness.
At Limerick O'Connell had case to
defend which presented slight hopes of
his being able to obtain an acquittal.
His two clients were indicted for rob-
berry, and the case was substantially
proved against them. They called
young priest for testimony as to their
character for honesty. He thought to
make parade of his learning by the
use of big words, and his replies to the
usual inquiries were in the most poly
syllable terms he could devise. Having
stated that "their reputation for rectif-
cation Of habitual propriety was ex-
emplary and oommendable, Judge
Torrens, who chafed with irritation as
the young priest rolled out each jaw
breaker, at last cut him short with /:
"Come, sir, no more of this. Say
shortly what you know Of these men.
Are they honest ?"
"As far as my experience of their de-
pertinent, am under that impression.
"You think they are. That compre-
hends good DEAL" said the Judge, still
displaying temper. Turning to the
priest, he said: "That will do-go down,
sir"
O'ConnelI, assuming an air of great
indignation, the priest shuffied off the
table, addressing the prisoners in tone
of deep commiseration, said: "My poor
fellows, bjgotry is on the bench, and
when your excellent young priest has
been so ignominiously turned out of
court, am in despair of being able to
serve. Here's your brief and fee."
He flung the brief and tho notes to
the agent for the prisoners, and com.
menced putting on his cloak, muttering
"My innocent clients, I despair
altogether of your acquittal. You'll be
hanged, and never were men hanged
more unlustly. The only hope I can
look to is that, if your sentence is not
carried into execution before the twelve
judges meet, will bring this outrageous
case before them."
This had the effect intended. Judge
Torrens invited O'Connell to continue
the defense of his clients, and to this,
after some pretended reluctance,
O'Connell assented. The case went on,
and the judge, to show he was no bigot,
put the character for honesty given the
prisoners by the priest SO strongly that
the jury almost instantly brought in
their verdict, not guilty.