Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-08-16
HIS MAIDEN EFFORT.
General HarrisOn's First Appearance
Berore Court and a Jury.

heEore a Court ana u uTy,
Gen. Lew Wallace's description OF
Harrison trying his first case in court |
is SO graphic that 1t is worth quoting al |
most entire. 1t serves, moreover to illus |
trete the fact that the candidates |
marvellous gift of extemporaneous elo- |
quence-the versatility OF material and |
felicity of expression, which during the !
past month have astonlshed the scores
of big delegations" to whom he has
talked day after day without repeating |
himself, was gift already possessed
in no small degree by the
stripping 'tow-head" barristeE of
1854. a man who pumps his speeches
from encycloE @tia pages would have
been absolutely incapable of extricatiug
himself gracefully from the dilemma
| which Gen, Harrison's biographer de-
scribes as.follow:
Amongst others, Jonathan W. Gordon,
IN the fell OF 1854. was regarded with
great popular favor. OF unquestioned
| ability, an enthusiast, but eccentric, he
| was serving the people as prosecuting
attorney, and, having made the acqusin-
| tanos OF Harrison, he formed q high
opinion of him and led him to his first
|
an indictment against an individual for
burglary. The case came up for hear
ing in the afternoon, and by chance
! Horace Mann wss announced for leo
ture in the evening. Maj Gordon ives
an1ious to hear that distinguished per-
son and, fearful that the trial would be
continued into the night. To accom-
modate himself be requested his new
friend TO assist him, The invitation was
accepted. Judge Majors was presiding.
The defense was conducted by Gov.
Wallace and Sims ColIey. AS anticipated,
the evidence was heard, and Maj Gordon
for the state aud Mr.. Colley for the
defendant finished their speeches in the
afternoon, whereupon an adjournment
was had.
The interior OF the old court house
was dingy, gloomy and forbidding IN
the daytime; at night ii was a funeral,
When young Harrison came in to make
the concluding argument he found d
large Rssembage waiting to hear the
debut. On the fixed desk before the
Judge there were two taliow candlet
lighted. The clerk in his place before
the Judge, protected by stout railing
sat with his book open to q light SINH
larly derived. On the pillars in the cen
ter OF the room, and here and there npop
the wells were old fashioned tin sconces
casting a glow red and murky with
smoke, partly from cigars. partly from a
leaking stove. At the judges left sat the
sheriff, and ct his feet aRaIn the panel
AT the feet of each juror was the inevita'
BILE spittoon, and in pauses the plug ol
tobacco was passed from man TO man.
In crises of the evidence and tt speech.
er, the expeetoration was lncessant
sometimes the amber fluid missed the
target at which it was projected. AL
though the scene was not such as to i'm.
part inspiration to the debutspt upon
his entry. On the other hand, the won
der grew when he rose to begin, go boy
ish looking was he.
He had taken full notes of the evil
dence end, like all beginners, fearinl oi
mistakes in statement, was resolved tt
. read from them copiously. A table ha
, been drawn between him and jury, and
when he began, to his Consideration, he
discovered the light was wholly insult:
cient. The sheriff had provided but ont
s candle! What should he do?
! There was dead silence throughout tht
: dusky room. His voice, sharp, clear
penetrating, was beng heard TO the
farthest corner. The audience was al
ready in sympathy with him. The stu
< atien wes embarrassing. He referred e
f his notes. He wished to be absolutely
, correct. He shifted the candle. He
: turned the paper to every angle. /
, would not do, The pencIling refused IL
come out. Then, in desperation, he huns
the notes away. To his own amsZemen
a he found bis memory perfect. Best o
ell he found he could think and speal
upon his feet hashliks and cohereptly
q There was not only words at command
but the right words enabling him to ex
press himself exactly. he found, too
. the pleasure there always is in tn
faculty OF speech with, h,freednm super
added. Confidence came with the dis
coveries. From that day to this, whethe
addressing himself to court or jury, o
d the vaster audience who furnish the de
light of oratory on the platform o.
stump, he has been an impromptI
speaker.
AT the conclusion OF this maiden effor
he was congratulated by everybody. Th
Il audience dispersed to exploit e'thst lit
u tie fellow, Harrison" What swing
a cat he is! Who would have though il
y He is only boy yet?" they said to eaol
other.
The jury, after retirement sufficient {
q take the usual votes, returned @ verdic
" oil guilty-apd Harrison's first trial wa
10 triumph and more. It brought hon
1t orable notoriety and quick inductio
= into business.
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