The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1883-01-20
WINNING BY A pANToMIME.
How A YouNG LAWYER yANoUIsnED a FAMOUS
ANTAGONIST.
From Tie Columbus. Ohio. Times.)

(Froa tie Columbus, Ohio, T5aeS.)
The attorney. at the date OF the story, was
serving the Commonwealth of Ohio and the county
of vinton in the capacity Of prosecuting attorney
at the little town of NJ Arthur. lie then bore
rather a youthful and possibly somewhat verdant
appearance for a man holding so responsible a
position. The most conspicuous parsonage known
to the Yinton Bar at that time was a grave and
pompous barrister from n neighboring town.
man who had reached the middle age OF life, and
with it an extensive practice, profitable alike in
fame and pecGniary gain a man whose cloquence
bent juries to his will, and whose logic pinned
them fast whose ~invecliye and pointed sarcasm
blanched the cheek of the witness or the prisoner,
as might be necessary to gain the case, and was
alike dreaded and hated by his fellow practl-
TONERS. The attorney referred to is living yet,
one OF the most prominent Jurists IN southern
Ohio. His ability has not yet diminished, nor
has his knowledge that he possesses ability. One
day the young prosecutor had n riot case to try,
and, TO his CONSERVATION, he learned that the
gentleman referred to had been retained by the
defense. The prosecutor handled hs case with
great care, but from the first did not hope TO
convict the prisoner. He was stirred up some
what, however, by the sneering illusions made
To him during the examination by the imported
counsel, and so, when he came to make his open
ing speech, he INDUCED n little in bombast him
self. lie expected to be torn up somewhat by
the imported counsel, but was utterly unpreparcd
for the simeon that swept the Courtroom when
the imported counsel got fairly under way. lie
paced up and down in front of the judge
he sawed the air in front OF the jurors
he shook his fingers in the face OF the
young prosecutor and shivered in imaginary
horror at the thought of such a youth under
taking To measure swords with him. The voice
was loud and bitter in it's denunciatIon; the ges-
ticuiations were violent ard demonstrative; the
manner threatening and awe-inspirlng, and with
q face OF scsrn he sat down with folded arms and
awaited the verdict which he supposed they dare
not refuse to render. The young prosecutor was
mad. He felt he would like to thrash the i'm
ported counsel out Of his boots. lie arose to his
feet, uncertain for a moment what = do. A
happy thought struck him, and throwing Es
head back, he cast his left arm behind him and
thrust his right hand in the breast of his vest,
while under overarching eyebrows he scowied out
at the jury. The jury dropped on it, in an in
slant. So did the Judge, SO did the spectators.
There was the familiar pose of the imported coun-
sci, perfect in it's imitation. Then tho young
prosecutor began, and, without opening his lips,
proceeded to copy the gestIculations and move
ments of the eminent attorney who had preceded
him. He snorted, and cavorted, and stamped.
and rolled his eyes. lie strobe up and down in
front of the Judge and jury, following. in his ges-
ticulations, precisely those of which they had just
seen the copy He shook his finger menaclngly
under the nose of the eminent gentleman. and
then, assuming the ~statesman-like pose, he looked
down upon him disdainfully. Then he would
stop and twirl on his finger n martinsale ring
which he had drawn from his pocket, and which
was intended to represent the large seal ring on
the small finger of the left hand OF the opposing
counsel. Ii was too much. The eminent at
torney appealed to the court for protection, while
the judge laughed until the tears rolled down he
cheeks, and the jury and spectators chuckled
audibly. The judge replied that the young mar
had done nothing, had said nothing to him, and
he did not feel called upon to interfere with the
argument. That settled it. The imported cOun-
sci broke for the door. and the jury, after &
T. :reen minutes absence, brought in Il verdict o
guilty.