Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-08
ALAWYER,S START.
A Dead Cat that Brought lin Fame
and Fortune.
FROM The Ana Oalifornid.

From the Alta California.
The narrator is prominent in his profession
here, and had attained high position IN the
East before seeking the West, as far back as
1852. His grayhairs and long contact with dusty
propositions have not quenched his love Tor d
joke, and bis keen eyes twinkled as merrhy
as those Of his auditors while he was unreel-
ing his yarn.
Il learned my trade" he began. ''in a little
New YORK village, bur manifested no partic-
ular aptness T the law, and barely scratch
eo through my examination. Ny shlngle
was not honOred with a call for many long
WeeAs' ana Wheh did get one II was from
member of my own family. one of my broth
ers. Frank, mad q craze for poultry.
and raised fancy breeds with, great
ed into the adjoining house and her pred
atOry cat began TO decimate his costly
chicks at fearful rate. Frank remon-
strated, but IN vain. and finally made
desperate by the loss of nearly an entire
hatch ng, he poisoned the cat. The old vine
gar-faced female that owned the Thomas te-
line raj ed n fearful row over her pets death,
and as Frank was rather loud in congratulate
ing himself on getting rid of the chicken ue-
strOyer. she had little trouble in tracing the
source of the cats fatal Illness. There was
only one way to reach Frank in law to her
MUD. and that was by criminal prosecution,
and she accordingly caused his arrest, on a
charge of indctable mlsdemeanor, brought
under section OF the penal code similar TO
the one in this State that provides that per-
son found guilty of administering poison to
an animal, the property Of another, shall be
punished by hRe up to $500, or imprisonment
up to six months, or both. Wen, the case
looked black. The cat was certainly an AMI
NAL, and Frank had freely admitted admins
tering the fatal dose.
Nobody disputed the right of the cats
owner to prosecute, and cOnned the pages OF
every statute book in the town, hardly know
ing what sought. Finally paragraph was
found. setting forth that an animal to be
property must have a valuation fixed by law.
Turning to the ratings of animal in the sec
sion on the larceny of live stock, found that
dogs ere worth q dollar in law, sheep and
pigs lit c more, and horses. cows, etc. suf-
hcieRt to 10 axe theft of them grand larceny,
but not a word was said about cats. An idea
struck me, and l braced up my miserable
brother by telling him that could easily
wipe out the foul accusation that be-
smeared his fair fame, and went into court.
The old girl didn't shed a tear, but she
swore very stoutlY against Frank, and then
introduced ali the people who had heard
Franks confession as witnesses. Then in
troduced my demurrer. Your honor said,
this complaint charges the defendant with
pOlsonI an animal, the property of another
aud quoted the section on " hich the accusa-
no value in law, and, therefore, cannot be
property. l move for a dismissal on this
ground
Frank was acquitted on the spot. and one
of the best lawyers in New York CITY, who
was present, was so struck by the plea that he
offered me a place in his office. Under his
tuition soon began 10 apr eriate my profess
sion, and his help started me TO the front at q
rapid rate.'