Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-01
BANQUET OF THE BAR.
One Hundred and Twenty Local Law
yers Dine Out the Old Year.
HAPPY RESPONSES TO THE TOASTs
Matters of Interest to the Profession and
Public niscuSsed.
A LETTER FROM INJUSTICE AGNEw

One hundred and twenty members of the
Allegheny County Bar Association assem-
bled at the Duquesne Club last evening and
befittingly closed the year in social gath
ering around the banquet board. The last
plea had been heard, the last argument
made, the last charge to the jury presented
and a stay in the proceedings taken.
| Many members were tardy in arriving,
among whom was Judge who is never late
for duty, and likes everyone to he Just us
prompt as himself AT 7:45 the doors of the
banquet hall were thrown open and the legal
lights were soon busily discussing the good
| things on the bill of fare. The menu was
printed on parchment, which was rolled up
and tied with the traditional red tape, and
concealed in green baize bag, in
! imitation of the old style when
| lawyers carried their books and papers in
! that manner. After the menu had been
thoroughly attended to from oysters TO
coffee and cigars. the toastmaster, James S.
| Young, called for order The Secretary,
| Captain L. Y. Breck, then read II letter of
regret from eI-Chief Justice Daniel Agnew,
in which he thanked the society for the
kind remembrance that brought a Joy to
him in his old age that he would always
| treasure.
What Has Been Done.
The first toast was ''The Old Year and the
Association" by NJ A. Woodward He
said from the generous manner he was re-
ceived he would be pleased to confer the
honor on some one else He continued
Il look about and see some four or five
vacant seats of those who in the past year
have gone to eternity and yet not gone. 1t
does not end there. The records of 1891
about to close are such that in your lives
and mine will they never pass away, but
leave an impression forever. Things have
been done and left undone, but you will
never forget the past year, whether it be Tor
good or for evil. The Association has not
done much in the past year. but it still ex-
lists in full life and vigor. 1t has main
tanned the interest feeling and sentiment,
which is something more than when we
were scattered. As individuals we were
nowhere, each man going on his own hook.
but now, in our organization, we are Il
power and feel that as such we can make
ourselves heard. There is nothing without
organization. There are those who always
object to the movements of the Bar
Association, but we cannot help
that There are always obectors
to any organization and we let them pass
In the past year we have not accomplished
any great things, but we all look for great
things in the future"
T. b. Alcorn responded to the toast, ''The
Jury" He said: "I am prepared pro-
vided l have not forgotten what l have pre-
pared. In the year 400 Pericles summoned
5000 men to serve on the jury. They were
divided into 10 panels of 800 each
with !. 1000 held as reserve. In the
Middle Ages no man was allowed
to serve unless he knew all about
ha hnt ha low ot
particular at that time. One favorite
method of finding out whether the accused
were guilty or innocent was to place nine
red-hot plow shares on which the prisoner
had to walk in his bare feet. If the feet
were not scorched he was not guilty. The
jury of 12 good men and true first origin
ated in the time of William the Conquerer.
The number 10 was chosen by reason of the
Holy Writ. Twelve prophets told what
the truth was going to be, ahd there was a
great reverence for the number II.
Opinions on the Jury System.
s'The jury system has been in existence
since the landing of the Pilgrims. If Won
ask lawyer his opinion of the present
plan, and he has just finished a case decided |
in his favor, he will say it is good system,
but if against him the reverse. The Jury |
Commissioners should be appointed by the |
of charity, but those who are known to be
good men and true"
"And the Corporations" was responded |
to by Johns McCleave, who said: ''It
seems to me that every man | meet on the |
street wants to know how the railroad is
iust because 1 happen to be a corporation
lawyer. The learned Judge will ask for
pass from the bench, and when 1 go to
church the minister prays for the passen-
gers on my line. Out in the neighborhood
where L live a corporation was organized
under the act of 1874, not for profit. 1t is
for the benefit Of hen-pecked husbands.
The 100 shares were divided, the husband
taking 20 and the wife % shares, and on all
questions of household affairs vote OH
the case was taken. Everything
went along smoothly until one morning
there were six questions to be voted on; as
my IS shares were divided on
each of.them and nv wife punched her %
On one question. As consequence I had
10 go to the theater six times in one week"
The New judiciary.
Hon. S. A. McClung responded to ''The
New Court He said that he had always
advised against filings at the Judiciary
and added: ''The new court is
not so green as it looks, as probably some
will find out when on Saturday morning
fhey Will want their cases put on. 1t Will |
be of no use. And then there is the COM
mittee appointed by the association to show
the Court how to conduct its business.
Surely with assistance like this any green T.
court should be able to get along"
Captain E. Y. Breck talked about ''The
Official Stenographer." He said the posi-
ton was not as bright viewed from the in
side as one would suppose, with the excep-
lions that are continually being taken to
The official report Considerable amuse-
nent was caused by the reading of a sup
posititious charge to the jury by the bench
N horse case.
Hon. Tom Marshall replied to the toast of
'The Point OF View" which was originally
assigned to D. I. Watson, who was unavoid
IDLY absent. "Glorious Old Tom rose to
he emergency in his usual style, and kept
lis hearers in genial mood. The last reg
liar speech on the programme was ''The
Justice of the Peace" subject ably
handled bv John Marion. Impromptu adj
lresses were afterward made, and 1892 was
veil under way when the company dis
,ersed.