Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-08-23
ORATORS WHO WERE SPELLBINDERS.
Brilliant Tom Marshall and Tom Corwn--How Congress
man Crary was Knocked Out by a Master of
Satire--Tales Told of Great Men
80 b. 5000 commrelal.

1'oAS W S4tep
"Oratory seldom changes votes said
Lord Macauley, but political Oratory
nerves the weak, encourages the strong
and inspires the doubling partisan.
Among the minor stun p orators Of
the West is Mahlon Chance, Of Ohio,
who has reduced stump speaking to an
exact science.
He had in the last Presidential cam
paign one particular speech which he
said was the met purport and upshot"
Of sixty different speeches he had made
in several preceding campaigns.
Chance relates with great gusto how the
solid men OF different localities always
called at his hotel after the meeting TO
express the sense Of their deep obliga-
tiOn for his clear and cOgent arguments.
During the last Presidential campaign
Mr.. Chance says he was very much graf
fled after a rOusing assembly OF the
faithful in the interior Of Pennsylvania
TO see a venerable Methodist lady, who
called on him at the close Of the meet
ing and taking him warmly BY the hand
exclaimed, Il have, heard the circus
(circuit) rider, the locust QocaO preach
er, and now have heard the exhaust
er (exhOrter)."
Tom Marshall Of Kentucky is remem-
bered as a link between the natural and
the miraculous Oratory OF the South aud
West. AS a lawyer he was moro elO-
quent, but not so formidable as his more
cultured brother, Humphrey Marshall,
who was Brigadier General under the
Confederacy and was driven away from
Tennessee by General Garfield.
Tom Marshall is held In loving re-
membrance by the bar OF Kentucky,
but his speeches are only a tradition,
though II is said that In forty years
full practice he never lost a capital
case before a jury. Marshall was re-
puted, and Justly so, the brightest man
at the bar OF Kentucky In repartee, and
ready with what William Writ called
the felix audacit3s and bloOd-curdling
personality, powerful and effective
weapons before jury.
MOny anecdotes still live in the "blue
grass country" near Lexington, where
some Of his greatest forensic triumphs
were won, Of the cOmaraderie and good
fellowship which made him the most
popular man in Kentuck.
DR.. Robert j. Breckenridge, the dis
guished and sturdy loyalist, when TO
school with Marshall. After each had
filed his niche on flames proud sleeps
which shine afar," the man Of the Lord
and the man Of the law, Breckenridge
and Marshall met at the Gault Housed IN
Louisville. The meeting was warm and
ELUSIVE.
"Well," said Marshall, putting his
hand on Breckinridge's shoulder, bob,
we were brought up together, educated
at the same school, but we each started
out with different texts. But we've
both stuck close to them. Mine was the
bottle; yours was the Bible"
Judge Nuttle was a curious charac ter
who thoroughly appreciated the humOr
Gus and the brilliant side Of eloquent
Toms legal character. Marshall was
dangcrous customer, especially after an
1ntire night devoted 70 opening the
festive Jackpot. and many a time the
Judge threatened TO lock up the brilliant
barrister for contempt OF Court. This Is
the same Judge who once adjourned the
Court to see the elephant Gin travel
ling menagerie) swim the Ohio river.
''Crier, adjourn this Court" exclaim-
ed the Judge when the circus came
into town; "the Court desires TO see the
elephant SWIM"
Marshall defended Matt Ward, Of
Kentucky, who killed SchoOlmaster
Butler for whipping his son. The trial
was held, not in Louisville, but in the
interior OF the State, before one Of the
most dignifed Judges of the Supreme
Court. Every step of the case was
fought with magnificent ability by
galaxy Of the greatest talent in the
State.
Marshall had fingered at the poker
table and tasted often of the wine when
It was red, and came into Court in a
fighting humOr tho next morning. The
Judge admitted some testimony that
told heavily against the defendant,
Toms client.
Marshall rose quickly to his feet and
said: MAY 10 please your Honor,
Jesus Christ was convicted By POntius
PLATE by the admission Of just such tes-
timOny as this"
The Judge rose to his feet, flushed
with anger. ''Mr. Clerk, fine Mr..
Marshall fifty dollars. The Court will
not submit to such insOlence."
Marshall sObered amazingly In a
moment, and, looking the Court in the
eve, with an affectation Of penitence,
said: "YOur Honor knows l have not
had fifty dollars OF my own money for
more that six months; will the Court
lend me the money to pay the tine?"
The Court reflected an instant and
then, with all the severity It could COM
mand, the Judge said: CLERK, remit
that fine Of $50 against Mr.. Marshall.
The State of Kentucky is better able to
lose that money than / ami"
That Tom Marshall was capable OF
exquisite depth Of feeling, united to a
classic and scholarly style, is shown In
his tender and beautiful eulOgy on
Richard T. Menifee, a spirit touched
TO fine issues, a lawyer round and per
feet as 8 star in all the requirements OF
that great profession. The eulogy was
was delivered at Pennsylvania Univer-
sity on the 18th Of April, 1s41, and ran
as follows:
come not merely to acQuit me OF a
duty TO one whom / personally loved
and admired, to weave, alas, fading
garland for his tomb or scatter affec-
tionate Incense over his ashes. Death