Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1890-12-18
MARsHALL's READY WIT.
How the Great Orator siienced Petty
Jogging Lawyer.

How the Great Orator SileDeed u Petty
fogging Lawyer
Heard a good story yesterday" said
Lawyer Case TO several Of his brother
attorneys during recess in the course
OF trial few days ago. They were
sitting in Judge Tuley's courtroom and
conversing socially on a variety OF
topics, when Case sprung his story.
Lets have it." was asked, as ths
others edged up close TO the story-teller.
"Its about Tom Marshall, that brill
liant and gifted Kentucky lawyer who
fourished in the time of Henry Clay.
The story may be chestnut, but never
heard it but once"
zone day an old friend OF Marshalls
got into some sort of trouble out in the
country and he was hauled up before
the nearest justice of the peace-an old
fellow who barely knew enough to make
out a peace-warrant. But what he
lacked in legal knowledge he made up
in dignity and well-carriod-out pom
posity. Like most all of the minor
courts, there were several shysters who
made the place their rendezvous. Among
them was an old rooster who talked of
Chitty and Blackstone as familiarly as
though he had known them all his life.
,'Well, when Tom Marshall got into
the country town he proceeded at once
TO the courtroom, and therc took up the
case for his friend and astonished the
court with his clear reasoning lie was
very young at the time, and the old
shyster who was pitted against him grew
indignant at the .etfrontery of such a
youngster assuming to oppose him.
"'Your honor, he said, after Tom had
finished his argument Your honor, in
Kent 267, you'll find that tho Su.
preme Court has held that tho
very self-same evidence which | have
offered is thoroughly proper, though
this young man from the city assumes
to deny it. have practiced law before
he was born and am thoroughly con-
versant with the many intricate points
involved in the matter at issue. Tho
Supreme Court has held, l say, that the
evidence have offered is admissible,
and in reference | quote you Kent, page
e67.
"Well Tom knew the old fellow had
no grounds for his citation, and in fact
there was no such case before the Su-
preme Court. He had not brought his
| law books with him, nor did the old
justice have any thing but the statutes.
1t would not do for him to refute
the shyster without an authority,
for the court would not believe him. He
could readily see that the court was inn
pressed with the shyster, and that he
himself was looked upon as a presumptu'
GUS young snob. After a moments
thought he frightened up, and, rising,
he bowed politely to the old shyster and
said to the court: my learned old friend
is correct in his citation. know that
there was such case before the Su'
premo Court, for myself was engaged as
counsel for tho defense. But he does moi
60 far enough. The case was appealed,
and the Court of Appeals reversed the
decision of the Supreme Court, holding
that the evidence as introduced in the
case was clearly inadmissible."
"This coup d etat on Toms part fairly
knocked the old shyster out He
knew he had lied in his quotation
but had depended on Toms igno
rance to let his alleged authority &c
through. But he was not prepared
for Toms ready wit He fairly
raved as he jumped to his feet and cried
out: It's lie. There was never any
such case before the Supreme Court, and
l lied when quoted it, and you lied
when you said that the Court of Ap
peals had reversed the decision
The old justice grew angry at being
imposed on, and not only did he decide
in Tom Marshalls favor, but fined the
old shyster for contempt. Chicago Mail