Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1891-04-09
ONE OF L,NcoLN's EARLY CASES.
The Great Man Whitfield . Little Wind
mill to Convince the Jury.

In the year 1913 there was a men,
orable lawsuit in Chicago between
Parker and Hoyt over the infringe
ment of II patent right of water
wheel. Adams, Butterfeld aud others
were attorneys for the plaintiff and
Abraham Lincoln appeared for the
defendant. During the progress of
the suit John Brink, Esq. now of
Crystal Lake. Ill.,. CHANGED to be in the
city. and the following is his account
of it:
The trial lasted. thirteen DAYS and
excited an unusual amount of interest.
When Mr.. Brink reached the city he
found every one talking about the suit
and the great Supreme court lawyer
Abraham Lincoln. Judge Drummond
of the United States District court pre-
sided at the trial. He sustained Lin
coin in all of his propositions to the
court, aud in all of his objections to
the positions taken by the opposing
counsel.
In the course of the trial a hume
was made and water applied to the
wheels TOR the purpose of demonstrate
ing to the jurors the exact facts in the
case. Indian meal was thrown into
the water to show the jury more clear
~ the effect of the water on the wheels.
Soon after this experiment had been
made Lawyer Adams said to Mr..
Brink: Don't you think we have the
best of the case?" Mr.. Brink replied:
II do not know that l am II suitable
Judge. as did not arrive here until
the suit had been in progress two or
three days. But this man Lincoln
seems to hold you five fellows pretty
snug"
Then Adams said: Il would rather
fight every lawyer in the state of Hill
nois than Abe Lincoln. because he is 4
natural man, a natural lawyer. a nat.
ural mechanic. in fact natural any
thing and he knows more about that
waterwheel than the man who made
it, and l don't know anything about
it,"
While the attorneys for the plaintiff
were making their pleas Lincoln sat
there, aud, although listening atten-
lively. whitfield out pine stick about
half an inch square and foot lOny.
From that he cut OF two pieces about
three inches in length, and with these
two pieces he made the wings of u
windmill. He fastened them together
BY running pin through the center of
the Two wings and that pin into the
end of the other and longer stick.
After having put it together he blew
upon it, and when it worked to his sat
isfaction he took it apart and placed it
in his pocket.
There were eighty-four witnesses on
the two sides. and Mr.. Brink thinks
that Lincoln took no notes. but. trusted
wholly to memory.
He requested the witnesses to be
present during his plea, and sa d if
he made any mistakes in regard to
their testimony he wished them to cor
rect him. While presenting his side
of tire case he took out tho above-men-
toned windmill from his pocket aud.
putting it together. blew upon it aud
explained it to the jury. He assured
them that If any infringement had
been made Parker had infringed upon
the olf-time windmill, and that Hoyt
had not infriuged upon Parker. Adj
ans was to make the closing plea. and
in LincoIn's speech he anticipated
what Adams would say. and by this
means weakened the force Of his plea.
Lincoln won his case. and the jury
were out only little over two hours.
- Chicayo Tribune.