Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1883-01-17
Winning BY Pantomime.
How Young Lawyer vanqushsd Famous A
-siS Sa5sra- fagoniSt

-As N11~@- fagonist
The attorney, at the date of the story,
was serving the commonwealth of Ohio
and the county of Vinton in the capaci.
ty Of prosecuting attorney at the little
town of Macarthur. He then bore rath-
er youthful and somewhat verdant APP
pearance for man holding so respecta-
bic a position. The most conspicuous
parsonage known to the Vinton bar at
that time was grave and pompous
barrister from neighboring town.
man who had reached the middle age
of life, and with it an extensive prac-
ticc. profitable alike in fame and pecu-
mary gain; man whose eloquence
bent juries to his will. and whose logic
pinned them fast; whose invective and
pointed sarcasm blanched the cheek Of
the witness or the prisoner, as might be
necessary to gain the case. aud was
alike dreaded and hated by his fellow
practitioners. The attorney referred
to is living yet, one of the most ;.romi-
nent jurists in southern Ohio. His apil-
ity has not diminished nor has his
knowledge that he possesses ability.
One day the young prosecutor had RI
ct 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 up somewhat, f,wever, by the
sneering illusions made to him during
the examination. by the imported coun-
sci, and SO when he came to make his
opening speech. he INDUCED a little in
bombast himself. He expected to be
torn up somewhat by the imported
counsel, but was utterly unprepared for
the simeon that swept through the
courtroom 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 shivercd in imaginary
horror at the thought of so youthful a
youth undertaking to measure swords
with him. The voice was loud and Bit
ter in its denunciation; the gesticula-
tions were violent and demonstrative;
the manner threatening and awe-inspir-
ing, and with face of scorn he sat
down with folded arms and awaited the
verdict which he supposed they dare
not refuse to render. The young pros
ecutor was mad. He felt he would like
to thrash the imported counsel out of
his boots. He arose to his feet, uncer-
tain for a moment what to do. A hap
py thought struck him, and throwing
his head back. he cast his left arm be.
hind him and thrust his right hand in
a. L.;
arching eyebrows he scowled 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, perfect in its
imitation. Then the young prosecutor
began, and, without opening his lips,
proceeded to copy the gesticulations
and movements Of the eminent attorney
who had preceded him. He snorted
and cavorted and stamped and rolled
his eyes. He strobe up and down in
front of the Judge and jury, following
in his gesticulations precisely those OF
which they had just seen the copy.
He shook his finger menacingly under
the nose of the eminent gentleman, and
then, assuming the statesman-like pose,
uO ioohCu uo"u uPOH hiAu uISuaIHluuy.
Then he would stop and twirl on his
finger martingale ring, which he had
drawn from his pocket, and which was
intended to represcntthe large seal ring
on the small finger of the left hand Of
the opposing counsel. 1t was too much.
The eminent attorney appealed to the
court for protection, while the Judge
laughed until the tears rolled down his
checks. and the jury and spectators
chnckled audibly. The judge replied
that the young man had done nothing,
and said nothing to him. and he did
not feel called upon to interfere with
the argument. That settled ii. The
imported counsel broke for the door,
and the jury, after fifteen minutes alb
sence brought in verdict of guilty.
!oi.f.nn..x g.. .w..