Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-02-12
ONE OF LINCOLN'S cAsEe
The Grent Man Whitfield a Little Windmill 4,
Convince the jury

The Great Man Whitfield q little Windmill, :,
Convince the Jury.
In the year 1913 there was memor-
able lawsuit in Chicago between
Parker and Hoyt over the infrinpe.
ment Of a patent right OF a wata,.
wheel. Adams, Butter6eld. and otb.rs
were attorneys for the plaintiff, and
Abraham Lincoln for the defendan,
During the progress Of the suit John
Brink. Esq. now of Crystal Lake, H.
CHANGED to be in the city, and tina
following is his account OF it:
The trial lasted thirteen DAYS and
excited an unusual amount of interest
When Mr.. Brink reached the CITY ba
found every one talking about tho
suit and the great Supreme Court
lawyer. Abraham Lincoln. Judos
Drummond Of the United States Dis.
trict Court presided at the trial. Ha
sustained lLincoln in all of his prom.
ositions and in all OF his object,ns
to the positions taken by the opposing
| counsel.1
In the course of the trial a Anmo
was made and water applied to the
wheels for the purpose of demonstrat.
ing to the jurors tho exact facts in tho
case. Indian meal was thrown in,o
the water to show the jury more clear.
ly the effect of the water on tho
wheels. Soon after this experiment.
had been made Lawyer Adams said to
Mr.. Brink: Don't you think wa
have the best OF the caseT Mr.. Brink
replied: Il do not know that am a
suitable judge. as l did not arrive
here until the suit had been in pro.
gress two or three days. But this man
Lincoln seems to hold you five fellows
pretty snug"
Then Adams said: II would rather
Sight every lawyer in the state of Iii.
nois than Abe Lincoln, because he il
a natural man, q natural lawyer, and
a natural mechanic-in fact, a natural
any thing-and he knows more about
that waterwheel than the man who
made it, and don't know anything
about it.
While the attorneys for the plaintiff
were making their pleas Lincoln sat
there and, although listening atten-
lively, whitfield out a pine stick about
half an inch square and a foot long.
From that he cut off two pieces about
three inches in length. and with these
two ricces he made the wings OF a
windmill. He fastened. them together
by running n pin through the center
OF the two wings and that pin into tho
end Of the other and longer stick.
After having put it together he blew
upon it. and when it worked to his
satisfaction he took it apart and placed
it in his pocket.
There were eighty-four witnesses on
the two sides. and Mr.. Blink thinks
} that Lincoln took no notes, but trusted
wholly to memory.
He requested the witnesses TO be
present during his plea, and said if be
made any mistakes in regard to their
testimony he wished them to correct
him. While presenting his eide Of the
case he took out the above mentioned
windmill from his pocket and, putting
it together, blew upon il and explained
it to the jury. He assured them tha
, If any infringement had been made
I Parker had infringed upon the ole
T. time windmill, and that Hoyt had no
infringed upon Parker. Adams wa
( TO make the closing plea. and in Lin
t coins speech he anticipated wha
, Adams would say. and by this means
| weakened the force OF his plea. Lin
n coin won his case, and the jury vert
out a little over two hours.