The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-10-18

When finished, they fitted the question at
issue like glove and supported Lincoln's
| idea better than volumes of logic. l re
member one of the stories he told me which
found of use to me in speech made con-
corning Henry Ward Beecher. The story
was about a trial in which Lincoln was de-
Tending man for having committed as
sault and battery. Lincoln's client pleaded
not guilty of the charge, but the circum-
stantlal evidence was against him. Said he
to me:
There had been no witnesses to the as
sault, but the plaintiff had been battered
and mashei out of all recognition. His
eyes were blackened, his right ear cut and
his nose was broken. My man on the
other hand did not show scratch, and
saw at once that l could not clear
my client unless L could turn the
whole affair into ridicule. The plaintiff
was IN court, and he had the sympathy of
the Jury. | saw, however, that he was
rath e a conceited fellow, and 1 hoped by
chatting him to get him TO say something
that would let US off. He was put on the
stand. and said rather jocuiarly, Now,
John, reckon this was pretty much of a
fight that you and Jim had here. Now,
wasn't it, John?'
Yes" said the wounded man with a grin.
falling In with my mood, 'It was a devil of
fight"
well, now, john" said l. II want you
10 tell the jury here just how many acres
Jim and you fought ever in this fight"
John did not see my point. He lau he'd
and said: 'Well, Mr.. Lincoln, l suppose it
might have been six acres"
"Wei," [ continued as 1 looked at his
battered face and then at the uninjured
condition of my client, tNow, John, DON'T
you think you got mighty small crop of
lighting off of q mighty big tirmln
AT this the crowd burst into laugh, the
Jury laughed, the lawyers laughed and fin
ally the plaintiff got to laughing, and in
TACT we laughed the whole case out Of
court"
l used the story at the close of the
Beecher- Tilton trial The trial hung on
for six months, and the Jury did not agree
at the close of it. Beecher was a resident
Of Peekskill where l was living, and at the
close OF the trial the people there gave him
congratulatory meeting, indicating their
faith IN him. l was in the audience, and
after the leading butcher, the baker and
the candlestick- maker, the leading mer-
chant and undertaken, ETC., had made
speeches in favor of Mr. Beecher. thew
happened to see me in the crowd-I had
Just arrived from New York-and Henry
Ward Beecher sent down a man to see me.
and urged me TO come up and make q
speech. l said 1 was not prepared. but
upon the mans saying that Beecher had
said that speech from me would be
OF more weight than all the speeches to-
gether, went upon the platform and told
Lincoln's story, applying it to the Beecher-
Hilton trial and saying that for the size of
the farm over which the trial was fought.
1t seemed to me that the enemies of Mr.
Bsecher had gotten q mighty small crop.
The story took. 1t was selegraphed off
that night to the newspapers. and it was
published in nearly all the big papers of
Europe"
WHY CHAUNCET DEPEw REFUSED THE JAPAN
MISSION.
Chauncey Depew was offered by Presi-
dent Lincoln the mission to Japan when he
was still under thirty. Had he accepted it
he would probably have been the youngest
foreign minister in our history. HIS name
was sent into the Senate and he was con-
frmed, but he refused TO take the place.
and | asked him this afternoon why he
did so.
He replied: MY refusal to take the
mission to japan was the turning point in
my life. l considered 1t so then, and as
look back l see that it was so now. IfIgo
to Japan my career must be political one.
will have four years of diplomatic SER
vice in the east and then if do well may
possibly be transferred to one of the
missions in Europe. will be
kept there four years, and then.
whether the administration changes
or not, l am sure to be recalled
for we never keep q minister abroad more
than eight years at time. AS it is, l am
about thirty years old, 1 have far prac-
tice and good acquaintance. Mr. Wander
bilt has offered me the attorneyship of the
New York Central railroad. II is a small
corporation but it may grow and if it does
may grow with it. If 1 stay abroad eight
years | will lose my practice and after hav-
ing had barely enough to live upon abroad
will come back with changed habits. no
money and lit for nothing but politics. If
stay in politics | may then get to Con-
gress and the Senate, but these places will
not pay me and when get to about fifty-six
will oe dropped out and like as not will
get to be a government clerk and will end
by going over the hills to the poor house
On the other hand if / stay, my practice
will grow and l will soon have enough to
get married and if l want to go to the
Senste or get a mission when / grow old,
can get it, and so decided to stay at home
and have never regretted it.n
"Yes", said l, land after you had made a
reputation and competency you had q
chance to go the senate. Why did you not
accept that!'
"Well", replied Mr.. Depew, 81 had not
then Cotton 10 be president of the New
York Central railroad"
"And how about the future3'
"A wise man has no time to think about
the future. AS for me. find it keeps me
busy to keep up with the present"
BY this time the train had reached Paw
ling, and our conversation was over. MIR.
Depew and myself got out of the cars to.
gether. The arms Of the rich railroad
president were full Of bundles which he
was carrying home to his children, and as
he stepped across the street to the hotel,
Mrs. Depew, couple of bright looking
litGle girls and young Chauncey Mitchell
Depew were on the steps to meet him. As
l stood on the steps of the car going back
to New York, l saw him kiss them all
around, and as the cars whisked me away.
his hearty laugh mingled with that of his
children rang out and he seemed as far
away from capitalists, railroads, politics
and society as though these things were
not in existence and his only world was
home. FRANK G. CARPENTER,
WORTHY OF A TRIAL.
If you are troubled with rheumatism or a
lame back, bind on over the seat of main a