Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-09-11
ONE OF wEBsTER's STORIES.
How Lawsuit Was Won r New Hamp'


Daniel Webster was fond of a good
story, and told a few illustrating his
early life in New Hampshire. One
evening at a convivial party, where he
and several distinguished lawyers were
present, the conversation happened to
turn on the legal profession. When /
was young practitioner, said Mr..
Webster, there was but one man at
the New Hampshire bar of whom /
was afraid, and that was old Barnaby.
There were but few men who dared to
enter the lists with him. On one occa-
sion Barnahy was employed to defend
q suit for piece of land, brought by
little, grabbed, cunning lawyer called
Bruce. Bruces case was looked upon
as good as lost when it was ascertained
that Barnaby was retained against him.
The suit came on for trial, and Barnaby
found that Bruce had worked hard, and
left no stone unturned to gain the vic
tory. Theftestimony for the plaintiff
was very strong, and, unless it could
be impeaehed, the case of the defend
ant was lost. The principal witness
introduced by the plaintiff wore red
coat. In summing up for the defense,
old Barnaby commenced a furious az
tack on this witness, pulling his testi-
mony all to pieces, and appealing to
the jury if man who wore a red coat
was, under any circumstances, to be
believed. AMI who is this relocated
witnessy exclaimed Barnaby, 'but a
descendant of our common enemy,
who has striven to take from us our
liberty, and would not hesitate now to
deprive my poor client of his land, by
making any sort of relocated state
mentP During this speech, Bruce was
walking up and down the bar, greatly
excited, and convinced that his case
was gone, knowing, as he did, the
prejudice of the jury against anything
British While, however, Barnaby was
gesticulating and leaning forward to
the jury in his appeal, his shirt bosom
opened slightly, and Bruce accidentally
discovered that Barnaby wore q red
undershirt Bruce's countenance bright
ened up Putting both hands in his
coat-pockets, he walked to the bar
with great confidence, to the astonish-
ment of his client and all lookers-on.
Just as Barnaby concluded, Bruce
whispered in the ear of his client, I've
got him-your case is safe;' and, APP
preaching the jury, he commenced his
reply to the slaughtering argument of
his adversary. Bruce gave a regular
history of the ancestry of his relocated
witness, proving his patriotism and de-
votion to the country, and his character
for truth and veracity. But what,
gentlemen of the Jury broke forth
Bruce in q loud strain of eloquence,
while his eye flashed fire, what are
you to expect of man who stands
here to defend cause based on no
foundation of right or justice whatever;
of man whe undertakes to destroy
our testimony on the ground that my
witness wears a red coat, when, gentle
men of the jury-when, when, when,
gentlemen of the jury (here Bruce made
spring, and, catching Barnaby by the
bosom of the shirt tore it open, dis
playing his red fanneD, when Mr..
Barnaby himself wears red flannel
coat concealed under blue one?' The
effect was electrical; Barnaby was beat
en- at his own game, and Bruce gained
the cause.