The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1891-03-06
EBENSBURG. PA. FRIDAY. MARCH &. 1891

that paragraph you just read about
lands, appu-tenances, and heredita-
meutS?"
Why, Of course could not do that"
replied the witness.
You must have a queer memory, re-
torted the lawyer, ''since you can re-
peat things that you say occurred years
ago, and you can not repeat what you
read moment ago.
The witness was ncnpluSed, and the
jury was obviously amused at his dis
coInhtUre.
y quick-witted lawyer thinks on full
gallop. Many successful cross-examin-
ers have been men who could keep up
running FIRE OF jokes and comments and
never lose sight of the main point, who
could lead q witness along by suavity
and politeness and acquiescence and ap-
parent ObsequiOus Difference into pit
falls Of contradiction. Such men win
let q smart witness talk on until he
drops some unfortunate expression that
subjects him TO being pounced upon
and demolished at one fen swoOp.
a leading counsel for the defend
ant in an accident damage case, where
the injury had been occasioned by let
of steam scalcing the compl-iuaut's
back and neck as he was driving past
the defendants place. argued to the
jury that the plaintiff was guilty of
cOntri bUtOry negligence and should
have looked up to avoid the accident
The Guicl-witted counsel for the com
plainant retorted: '-Oh, no! if he had
looked up, instead Of suing for damage
70 the back Of our head we should have
had 70 charge you for the loss OF both
eyes"
In a trial for murder, where the
killing was done by shooting the
counsel for defendant made . good deal
Of fuss and introduced L quantity OF
medical testimony 10 show that the
wounded man had been unskillfully
treated At the close OF confusing
c-oss-examination by Defendants coun-
sci on the length Of the probe used 20
find the ball, the direction Of the wound
and the danger Of probing, the district
attorney put the question very terselv
by asking: Doctor, was IL the prob
ing or the shooting that caused death?
In the trial for burglary the peoples
witness showed that he was on watch
in the hall when he heard some one
fumbling with the lock Of the door. and
that he then slyIy turned the knob so
that the thief could come in easily.
The glib-tOngued lawyer for the
prisoner at once said: WHY. your
honor, this witness was the real
burglar, for it was ne and not my
client that really opened the door.
The result OF this timely remark was
that the prisoner got of with light
sentence for an attempt at burglary
\ good deal Of quick work is often re-
quired of lawyers in the fling Of liens
on real estate or other property, in
cases where the obligations are many
and the assets few, and the first conner
Is the only one who gets served. A good
deal OF wit IS often displayed in the
method OF making q levy. BENJAMIN
I. Butler, when he w&s young LAWYER.
got . wide reputation for sagacity by
attaching the water wheel OF a mill in
ia action FOR debt. Il used to be a com
mon thing for l-wyers obtaining iudg-
nents against the city t. attach the
pictures IN the Governors room of the
city hall
4 good deal of quick wit was dis
played by the late Samuel !. Tilden
and his co-laborers, who traced the
frauds of William NJ. Tweed and his
followers so as to put the evidence IN
clear shape before a jury. Such work
could hardly he done by any but great
corporation lawyers in the habit of
grasping subjects comprehensively and
of handling great interests involving
large amounts OF money and intricate
details Of busineSS--N. Y. sun.