New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-03
9 "REMINISCENCES OF 1AwYEss (:
REcALLrNG rNsrArcEs or THEIR EARLY PRO
FEssfoNAL cAhTEhs-A GUILTY MAN SAVED

hhOAbLiN9 lNETANCES OF ThBih EAhbh FnV
FEssfoNAt cAhgEhs-A GUILTY MAN SAVED
By sLfIGHroF .HAND TRrcK.
Several we1-itnown lawyers OF this city were dis.
cussing case In which they wore engaged recently
some features OF which extremely interesting IA
the legal profession. After awhile the argument b.
came wearisome and the party was about to break no
whom one Of them said: 3Ths case reminds me OF ere
In which was engaged years ago. It was in thii
State, somewhere up near the Canada line, that .
young had been arrested for counterfsltinG Tho
looked pretty black for him when was sent fol
10 defend him. No'one doubted his guilt for the cast
had been thoroughly worked up and enough evidences
against my client seered 10 insure his conviction by
the most favoraby disposed jury That Is, that's the
way II looked when took hold OF the case. wss
young and had reputation 10 mako, 30 set 10 worn
with viii to fndh flaw In the indctuent, OF loop
hole In tho evidence that might bs sdduced At the trial
Tho bank-note which was alleged to have Beer
countcrfoited was OF an almost extinct Issue. But
after a search, which several times inclined to
pve up IN despair, found one sufasisrtiy well
preserved 10 answer my purposs.
Tho counterfsit was admitted 10 be perfect IN Oh
respects except tho sgnatures, which wers clnmsRy
executed But when compared the genuine note with
II made discovery which caused me TO feel
hat bad already won tho case Betwes1
the signatures on the genuine note only was q
vlgncte small Is TO escape notice except upon tho
mnst careful Snd searching examination. Well. 70
mske long story short the day set for the TRIAL
csne. Tho first witness for the prosecution WA Tho
detective who had made the arross and Who was sd
nitted TO DO expert I'm the matter Of bank notes.
He told his story and Offered Ia evidence the note
that had been found on the person Of my client when
hs was arrested He swore to its being countsrfet.
BE know this was so by tho signatures bad my
genuine note lying tho tAbls under piece Of paper
beside me, and when began the crossexEmination
asked for the counterfeit THAI might examine t.
While putting questions 10 the witness laid II down
my tsbls add by neat sleshtofhind trick picked
up tho genuine note without being detected and
handed 10 to the witness, at the same time asking.
Is this BIN counterfeitp He looked at It carcessly
and said II was for the he had before stated
That will do said L Now, your Honor turning
TO the magistrate, want you to tAks this Dill and
mark 1t SO that you will know 1t again. He did So
After calling number OF people, who testified to the
good character Of tho prisoner, called the cashier
Of The bank that issued the bill and asked him II the
marked note was genuine. HIS examination Of II vas
very careful but he finally swore that II genuine
The detective recalled, and this time was not 50
positive that Il vas counterfeit.
81 submitted tho case TO the jury without argu-
ment, and the Judge unhesitatfngly directed YER
diet Of not guilty. What became Of the ovunterfciti
oh, had that slowed away in safe place. ana II is
In my possession now.'
remarked another Of the lawyers. a practising
In Nsw- En- gland and one day called upon 10 de-
fend an old woman who accused of the larceny
OF o breastpln by her stepson. He the most UNI
grateful man ever met The woman had supported
him since he little boy. when his father had
died, leaving her widow. The old man left no
property andshe had worked TO support herself and his
son for twenty years. Now no had lost breastpin.
One which he said he identified as his was found m
a pawnshop.. Tho pswnbroker said an old woman
had pledged It. So he accused bis stepmother Of tho
theft and she arrested.
al ascertaned that the pin was a secret society
badge and that the young man had identified &c By
some symbolic characters on its face. spent whole
day In hiring at various jewery stores exactly similar
pins. When the young man was put on the witness
stand he swere that 10 knew the pin found IN the
pawnshop was his because OF the symbolic character
engraved on u and because member OF the society
would dare pawn one and only members could have
them, You can imagine hfs surprise whom. pro
duced dozen such badges and proved by the
Jewellers whore had obtained them. The judge dc
cidcd that there was not sufficient evidence % con-
vict and discharged my clent. But 10 cap the OH
max she young man found that very afternoon Vie
badge pinned 10 wastcoat which he had discarded
a few days before ne missed itr