The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-20
ADAY OF FINE SPEECHES.
THE ARGUMENTS IN THE MULLEN
CASE ENDED LAST NIGHT.

Meldrim, Talks on Facts-The Plain
tiffs Handled Without Gloves-Col.
| Anderson Makes Great Final
Speech for the Plaintiffs-He Com
pliments Mai MeldrIm as a Unique
Lawyer and Takes Him to Task on
His Remarks About the Plaintiffs.
The Jury to Be Charged Monday.
The arguments in the Millen case ended
last night and Judge Falligant will deliver
his charge to the jury Monday morning at
10 o'clock.
AT 10 O'Clock yesterday morning s. B.
Adams, Esq, opened the case for the de-
Tense on the law points In answer to Mr.
Cronk's great effor. for the plaintiffs on
that line the day before. Mr.. Adams found
equally as much law in the Georgia reports
TO refute the PLAINTIFF case as the plaintiffs
counsel had found to sustain their suit Mr..
Adams made splendid argument, and his
manner in dealing with the issues which
have arisen during the trial indicated his
entire confidence in the right Of the defend
ants to retain control Of the property which
they purchased years ago from Grief Linch
in all good faith.
Mr.. Adams spoke for two hours, and was
followed by Maj Meldrim on the facts OF
the case. The latter attorneys speech was
brilliant effort, combining at times all the
elements OF satire, wit and sympathy. He
was aroused to the highest pitch, and bis
| denunciation OF the methods by some Of the
plaintiffs to recover the property was scath-
ing.
WHY THRY WAITED.
al
waited for SO many years to bring suit for
the land. They had watched It's steady i'm
provemeut without even raising warning
voice to stop the honest people who were
putting their hard earnings into it
to secure homes for themselves, and when
at last the property had almost reached the
topmost wave of value they step forward
and try to gain possession.
1t is question, Maj Meldrim said, which
involves something besides the mere outlines
OF iaw--ft involves justice and equity. He
owelt eloquently on the statement attri-
buted to A. G. Millen that the suit could
hurt no one In Jasper county, but would in-
Jure only Savannah people. This, he said,
showed the true inwardness of the proceed
ings.
Referring to the fact that the Millens had
denied benefit from the sale Of the land aud
that Grief Linch had furnished them
with provisions, Mr.. Medrim said he
would rather be a convict in stripes than to
take back property, illegally sold though It
| might be, which in his days of hardship had
furnished him with the necessaries OF life.
He closed his argument at 2 O'clock with an
appeal TO the jury to do justice and not
wrest from people the property which they
had purchased legally.
COL. ANDERsON's GREAT SPEECH.
At O'Clock ex-Attorney General Ander-
81,
plaintiffs. For two and a half hours he
held the undivided interest Of the court aud
Jury and the large crowd Of spectators
which had gathered in the court room to
hear him, In one Of the most powerful, and,
| according to his view OF the situation, logical
| arguments heard In the courts of Savannah
for years Col Anderson seemed to forget
his sfiiiction Of boils in his effort to make
clear TO the court and jury why the plain
tiffs should recover the property sued for.
his argument bristled all the way through
| with bright witticisms and sallies at the
| counsel on the other side, which kept every
| body in good humor.
| Col. Anderson referred to Maj Meldrim
as unique lawyer who carried about him
self the charm Of novelty on account OF the
| new point OF law he sought to originate by
twisting section 1928 (b) of the code, which
makes three years the limit Ia which suit
for the recovery of realty can be entered, in
| such way to cover the case at issue,
| Col. Anderson said he had to confess that
| the ingenuity of Maj. Meldrin went far
ther than he possibly could go, and g,ves to
| the state brand new law. At one time he
| tried to get everything that could be got
out OF the same section, but he never was
able to get TO the point of stretching a
| statute
| QUESTION OF INGENUITY.
| mo ingenuity Is required" said Col. An
derson, "to Interpret law as It should be,
but ingenuity is required and was displayed
| by Maj. Meldrim to give to the section a
plausible Interpretation to suit mis- CASE"
| Col. Anderson read to the court a case
| which, he said, covered the case on trial
like blanket, and throwing it down he
almost shouted, "That case decides this, and
when say 30 speak advisedly"
| In speaking of Maj. MeIdrlm's remarks
about A. G. Millen Col. Anderson intimated
that his opposing legal brother was trying
| TO bring In prejudice ana unseat Justice
He said he was afraid Maj. Medium was of
his balance, or In the position OF too
| much learning making him mad, TO which
| Mai Meldrim promptly retorted: "You
will never get mad from a similar cause,
Col. Anderson"
| mo, l guess not" answered Col. Amber
son. II admit that / am not as learned as
my brother Meldriin, and for that reason |
am protected from the madness which
sfiiicts him. hope | am not making him
| mad"
Col. Anderson's closing remarks to the
jury about the condition of the Millen heirs,
living from hand to mouth. toiling and delv-
ing 10 the country for living, not know
ing Of Their rights, which had been torn
from them in their childhood days, was
very feeling He told the jury that in bis
long experience at the bar he never pleaded
in q case where claim was moro Just than
in the one on trial Col. Anderson appealed
to the jury not to let sympathy or prejudice
invade its consideration of the case but tc
deal out justice without fear or favor 40
cording TO the law.
At the conclusion of Col Anderson's
speech Judge FalIgant requested the at
torneys TO hand him this morning all their
requests and authorities and discharged the
jury until Monday morning. His charge
will be in writing.
|