The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-07-25
LAWYER ROSCOE CONKLING
His Gain Of Beauty, His Modest At
tire, His Picturesque Exressions,
and His Maunerisms When Speak
ing-How He Uses Cigars.

tire, His Picturesque Exressrons,
and His Mannerisms When Speak
ing-How He Uses Cigars.
From the N. T. Sun.
Prof Theodore ". Dwight, as ref
cree heard further testimony on the
18th inst. in the suit of Peter Marie
and others against Commodore Gar
rison to recover Missouri-Pacific
Railroad bonds of the face value OF
four million dollars. Mr.. n. A. Cow
drey, one of the plaintiffs, was the
witness, and ex-senator Roscoe
Conkling was the questioner during
the morning session.
When it is generally known that
Mr., Conkling is to appear in law
suit in this city, many persons not
interested in the suit usually attend
the suit. Those who have never
seen him before do not ak to have
him pointed out to them. His
striking features have been Cor many
years conspicuous mark for carica-
turists, and there is so much in them
that is distinctive and easily caught
by the cartoonist's crayon that a
stranger who had seen only the most
extravagant of these burlesques in
portraiture would easily recognize
him. Still, while he has been grow
ing older and handsomer, Mr.. Conk-
ling has almost lost some of the
features which were the most dis
tinctive, which the makers of carl
catures most delighted in, and which
they are reluctant to omit from .heir
later efforts.
As youth and beauty sometimes
abide in the Autographs of actresses
long after the originals have ripened
and entered upon that half of their
life which they devote to farewell
appearances, so do the curled lock
upon his forehead, and the snowy
Venltian beard still remain in the
caricatures of the ex-senator. But
the lock has so far disappeared that
it is no longer 4 noticeable feature,
and his beard, though extremely
becoming has whitened and thinned.
His hair is thin and fluffy on top,
heavy and wavy at the back, and
whittier all over than the powdered
wigs worn on the English bench.
Mr.. Conkling's high forehead is very
pale The lower part of his face is a
little Drowned by the sun. His
voice is mellowed somewhat, but its
quality in other respects is the same
as when he first entered the Senate,
and his manner when speaking has
not changed. He seems to have
grown less fastidious than he used
to be in the matter of dress, the diff
ference appearing most noticeably
in the set of his trousers, which is
not always faultless.
On this occasion Mr.. Conkling
wore coat and vest of thin brown
material and business cut, light
trousers and white gaiter tops. There
was red silk handkerchief in his
outside coat pocket. A light-colored
necktie was knotted in a square bow
under the ends of a cool turn-down
collar. He wore small white stud
on his shirt bosom. His watch fob
was of medium size and plain in
style. As he sat in a revolving
chair, facing Prof. Dwight, he SEEM
ed almost as cool in temperature as
in manner. He held a white linen
handkerchief in his hand part of the
time, using it only TO remove the
moisture from his hands after hand
ling documents and books. His
hands are small for man of his
size and as white and handsome as
young girls.
! To report Mr.. Conkling is one of
the compensating features in the life
of a stenographer, whether he is
making speech or putting a five
folio question to witness in rail
road case. He speaks deliberately.
distinctly, and always grammatic-
ally. When returning to the exam
ination OF a witness after debating
contested point, he very often begins
with the word Question" pro-
nouncing it with a marked rising in
Election on the first syllable, mark
ed falling infection on the second,
and with the syllables distinctly
separated. When it is necessary for
him 10 preface his question with an
explanation of considerable length,
he separates the explanation from
the interrogatory with the words,
My question is this"
Sometimes he punctuates for the
stenographer, as, when repeating a
question in this case, he turned to
the stenographer and said The
question is, Did you dissent to the
| fact that a decree'-dash-'a an ordi-
nary Decree etc. While asking a
question which he considers of great
/ importance he leans forward toward
the witness, beats off the words with
the forefnger of his outstfetched
hand, mods with each word, and
then raises his chin at the end ofthe
question and leaves his finger point
ing at the face of the thoroughly in
terrogated man. Mr.. Conkling's
conduct of suit while taking testi-
mony is noticeable for his quiet de-
/ liberation, his courtesy to witnesses
and opposing counsel, his marked
difference to the Court, and the char
acteristic expressions with which he
garnishes his remarks on the minor
differences that come up. He spoke
in this case of the opposing coun-
sells breezy affluence of dash as
mild criticism of their methods, and
once when the opposition seemed to
be in an obiecting mood, and when
one of his disputed questions had
been allowed by the Court, Mr..
Conkling said to the witness 'Now
Mr.. Cowdrey, get it in as soon as
YOU can" This was spoken in a
way to convey the idea that the wit
ness must make the most of the
time between objections. His ex-