The Irish standard., 1886-06-12
JUNIORS OF TIE BAR.
Nautical Talk on the witness stand
Winning Over the COlored
vRrnt1,nr Rrn 4

NAUTICAL talk on the W1tneSe stand
Winning Over the COlored
Brother, Etc.
Mr.. Charles Dudley Warner, who con
ducts the Editors Drawer department. o1
Harper's Magazine. includes in his latest
anecdotes the following:
There is a lawyer in Boston who is II
the habit at times of addressing individual
jurymen when inattentive or restless, anG
som etimes his argumentum ad hominem is
effective. Some time ago he was trying
case against a street railway company
and there was an old sailor on the jury
who seemed to give no heed to what either
counsel said. The lawyer made his mos,
eloquent appeals, but all in vain. Finally
he stopped in front of the sailor and said
..Mr. Juryman, will tell you just how
this happened. The plaintiff was in com.
mand of the outward bound open car, and
stood in her starboard channels. Along
came the inward bound close car, and just
as their bows met she jumped the track
sheered to port, and knocked the plaintiff
off and ran over him." The sailor was all
attention after this version of the affair
and joined in $4,000 verdict for the in,
jured man.
Another time he was trying case
against the city of Lawrence for a stout
woman of rather unprepossessing appear.
ance. Right behind the foreman sat 8
colored juryman who would weigh nearly
three hundred pounds. The defect in the
street was very slight, and the colored
man evidently took no stock in the claim.
Argument, persuasion, and pathos were
alike lost on him. Then the lawyer, who
is rather small-sized man, said: ssMr.
Foreman, the effect was very slight, but
the streets Of the city should be safe fol
all classes of people, the rich and the poor,
the old and the young, the slight and the
stout. You are slender, and il you had
been there you would not have fallen, but
you see that the gentleman behind you
and I are just about of /. build. Now we
and this poor woman have just as good a
right in the street. as You have" The
negro's face frightened Up, and when the
jury retired he persistently voted for d
million dollars damages until at last he
Was induced to agree with the others on a
moderate verdict
Many years ago there was judge in
Boston who was more noted for his sound
judgment and great knowledge of law
than for his courtesy to counsel or suitor.
One day at the opening of term of his
court Il large number of gentlemen drawn
as jurors begged to be excused from serv-
ing. AS one after another gave his reasons,
q frown began to grow ON the Judges face.
Another man asked to be let off.
"What for!"
81 can not hear readily, and am afraid (
may not get all the evidence"
'How long have you been deaf?" asked
the Judge, in q low tone.
"About ten years.
''Can you hear an ordinary converse
tior?-can you hear me now?' said the
judge, dropping his voice almost to q
whisper.
ssOh yes sir can hear you"
The judge looked sternly at him a full
minute. Then he said: "Mr. Clerk, ex-
cuse this man. If he is deaf we don't
want him, and if he is q liar we don't want
him."
No more excuses were made that day.
AT another time All eminent lnwyer was
arguing case before the Judge, who grew
impatient and said:
.tYour point is perfectly understood by
the Court; please make your argument as
short as possible"
81 am making it as short as possible"
said the lawyer as he proceeded.
After few minutes the Judge inter-
rupted him again, saying, ''You IRE taking
too much time; we have many cases to
hear; and want you to understand that
am sitting here for the dispatch OF
business
II beg your pardon" said the old law
yer, bowling low. II thought your honor
was sitting here to administer Justice"
He was suffered to proceed.