The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1891-03-05

lawyers AoI tue u6Ieue6, uut . uuSc w iIShl
had the conclusion, and I can never for
get his picture of g live man dead-of
the wreck of a life-of the swift and
pitiful descent Of great mind from all
its brilliant prospects down to the gloom
of despair and semi-idiocy. De Quincy
never wrote like he spoke. He, too, got
down to the very whispering of eloquence
and everybody was in tears. Itwas dan
gerous for the opposing counsel to listen
to him. I knew we'll that Jim Waddell
was in no such extreme condition, for I
was his companion and friend, and yet I
WAS completely overcome and wept like
child. The jury found for the plaintiff
$50, 5000, and they did it quickly and the
Judge was 80 ashamed of the verdict that
he settled it that night for half the
amount.
Ben Hill was great lawyer and q
greater advocate. An old man had died
in our country leaving considerable es.
tate, but it was embarrassed by mortgages,
and if these were paid his widow would
be penniless. She had two children by q
former husband. She had been raised in
afluence and was refined, cultured wo.
man, but her second husband proved to
be a miserly, selfish man, and he put her
in log cabin daubed with mud and kept
her there, notwithstanding good portion
of the property came by her. When abe
applied for yesr's support five good men
gave her $4,000. DR.. Miller was one OF
those men. They desired to make amends
to the old lady for her long suffering, aud
yet the law said they should take into
consideration her accustomed manner OF
life and the condition of the estate as to
its indebtedness. Ben Hill represented
creditor with mortgage of $4,000. II
the award to the widow was to stand his
clieut would get nothing, and 30 he came
to Rome and made vigorous assault up
on it. The law was clearly with him,
and so was the court. For macy years
the widow had lived on less than 500. I
never saw lawyer more confident of his
case than was Ben Hill. he was willing
to allow the widow $500, but no more.
Judge Wright was her counsel. He half
CLOSED his eyes ard seemed calm and Sc
rene while I[ill was reading the law and
laying his firm foundations. 1t was agreed
between them thst the jury should fix the
amount and their verdict should be final.
Judge Wright had another life wreck to
picture and this time woman. Such an
appeal was never heard in that Court
room, and although there vera only Sl0,-
900 in the administrators hands that jury
increased the award to S12,500 and Ben
Hill went home sadder and wiser man.
I recall many cases of this kind and have
almost trembled to think what Judge
Wright could do With the populace in the
olden time. But old father time has mel
lowed him down. With his four score
years nearly accomplished he has ceased
to court the brainy struggles of the forum.
He loves his home and his personal
comfort more than ever He enjoys the
eompanionship of bis family and his
friends, but he is alone in his glory. All
his professional contemporaries are gath
cred to their fathers. How sad it is to US
all to know that ours must 60. One by
one they fall like leaves in wintry wealth.
OF. Two of mine have gone recently
two of classmates, and out six are left ;
six out of forty, and yet I am not old.
No, I do not feel old, but they say that I
am aud they call me the "old mar"
Kind readers, do not pity me. 1t is all
right, and / am content.
BILL ARP.