Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1883-07-14
Conkllng In Court.
New York sur,

70 report Mr.. Conkling Is one of the
compensaiing features In the life OF n
stcnographcr, whether he Is making n
speech OF putting u iive-folio question
,oa witness Ia u railroad case. He
speaks deliberately, distinctly aud
always dramatically. When return.
Ing 10 the examination OF a witness
after debating n contested point, he
very often begins with the word
Question pronouncing II with n
marked rising infection OH the first
syllable. II marked falling Infection on
the second, and with the syllable dis.
tinctly separated When II Is necessary
forhim to prcface his question with an
explanation of considerable length, he
separates the explanation FROM the in
tcirogat0ry with the words, MY qucs-
ton IL this"
Sometimes he punctuates for the
stenographer az, when repeating q
question yesterday, he turned To The
stcncgruphcr and said; "rhc questi n
II, "did you dissent to that decree =
dnsh-an ordinary decrce@ etc.
While asking Il question which he
considers OF great Importance, he
leans forward toward the witness,
beats oil the words with the forctlnger
of his outstretched hand, mods with
cacll word aud then raises his chin
ut the end of the question and
leaves his niger pointing AT
! the ftce of the thoroughly IN
ierested man. Mr. Conkling's CON
/ duct of IA suit while taking testimony
\ Is noticeable for his quiet deliberation
/ his courtesy TO witnesses and opposing
! counsel and his marked Difference "a
/ a, a. nh il... al.
/ pressIons with which he gari,ishus his
! remarks on the minor differences that
( cOmeup. Yesterday he spoke of the
/ opposing counsels breezy aiiluence
OF ,iaShH rs mild criticism OF their
! methods, and once when The opposi.
] ton seemed 10 loo In nn oiiectlng
mood, aud when one OF his disputed
! questions had been allowed blythe court
/ Mr. Conkling said to the witness
"Now, Mr.. towdrey, got 1t in rs soon
as YOU cam This was spoken in Il
way 10 convey the idea that the wit.
ness must make the most OF the Time
4 between objections. His expressly,
nodulntion adds greatly 10 the point
of much that he says aud Il n source
of entertainment to those who come III
ns listeners.
Ia the beginning OF tho hearing yts
torday Mr., Conkling turned 70 MIR
] William a. Beach, who sat at his side
and asked that gentleman whether IA,
Ind a cigar. Mr.. Beach was able {,
accommodate him. Taking tho cigar
Mr. Conkllrg cut off with hi
penlsnife half nm inch of the enc
intended 10 he lighted, pat the smaller
piece In his mouth. aud said % Mr.
beach, "Now that | have what
Z wanted Of this cigar, | suppose
ought 10 give the rest back :,
YOU. Mr. Beach shook his hea,
and the ex-senator pocketed the mu
tilated cigar.
Mr., Conkling's preference for IA,
tin of cigar when he feels the need o
stimulus of tobacco, doubtless grew
out of a habit which he hts had 70
! many years. The tables, window stills
an edges Of book shelves Ia his law OF
. flee In Utica. used 10 be decorated will
eil,trs strangely mutilated. He woni'
! pun Il cigar in liis mouth wrong end Il
carry il till la his abstraction he hap
penod 10 remove u, aud when Ia
missed IL, would take another frou M
. vest pocket aud proeeed 20 enjoy Il i
the same manner II used 10 be SAT-
In hls oiilee that no one ever saw hin
Hight cigar there or take cigar ia 81
mouth except by Tie wrong end