Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-13
HE. BEAUTY WON TIE CASE.
a Romantic Incident Of Trial In an Ens,,sl
Law Court.

Law Court
corrsapondenes Of the Chicago Herald.
Aspecial bill 10 to be passed at the next scs-
sion OF parliament restricting cross-oxamina-
ton Of witnesses on the part Of counsel The
queen herself. IL is added, 10 deeply interested
in the matter. Her majesty 10 reported
to have said that the present procedure
Of the English Law courts in regard
to the treatment Of witnsssss in civil trials ia
far more likely 10 rstard than to assist justice,
a. persons able to give evidence are very liable
to avoid doing 30. il possible, In view Of the
indecent manner in which they are likely to be
| interrogated regarding their private affairs. "
of course the only object Of counsel is to
weaken witnesses testimony by prsjudicing
| bis character in the eyes OF the jury. Con.
corning this the Herald correspondent was told
. remarkable story yesterday, which he 10 able
70 state ~ absolutely true.
some few years ago an important case wac
tried in the probate courts. A title to o valu-
able property was in dispute. Ono os the law
yers was . middlc-aged man, eminent in his
profession. Sensitive himself in . marked de-
gree. ead therefore the better ablo to appeal to
the feelings OF others, ne was. moreover. a
handsome man and a bachelor. The case had
progressed 10 certain part ard so far most
satisfactory for the plaintif-that is, the
clients OF Mr. Delcunay, che counsel In
-
felt that assurance OF ultimate victory which
gave greater confidence TO his manner and
lent . ieisurely swing 70 his conduct of the
case, while tie defendants though fighting
Piiekiiy, knew their was weakening.
There was but one moro witness to be exam
| lned, and 1t was hoped that upon the testimony
OF this last witness the aspect OF the case would
be materially altered
After few moments Of whispered confer
ence, while the court waited In a critical
he
nose Waveriy, and the name WIS g-uifiy re-
peated by the clerk of the court. There was
the delicate rustic of a woman's dress and an
unconscious Difference OF men standing near
as the lady passed them. A moment later she
was In the witness box md had composedlr
gone through the usual formalities before
giving evidence.
Mr.. Deiaunay, at the time OF her entrance,
was idly chatting with friend well nigh as
sured Of his victory, aid. for tho moment. SUI
perbly indifferent to the case: noting a sudden
hight OF pleasure in the face of the younger
man, st:li speaking, hs leisurely turned lis
eyes IN the direction Of the defendant fair
witness. He looked invoiuntariy caught has
breath. and looked again: the sentence died
Oh his lips and be leaned forward. There
stood the lovellest vision of . woman his eyes
had ever beheld. Tie court, with Its everyday
| surroundings, had vanished. and in one single
electrical moment. when bis enraptured gaze
compelled hers, he experienced the strange
| sensation that they we've alone on a height,
and dream court scene being enacted FAR
beneath them
Even tho judge looked at Miss Waveriy with
undlsS uiseu admiration and thought to himself
how perfecta creature . beautiful woman is,
| and experienced with q newer force the story
revealed loneliness before her judges and COM
polling them to acknowledge the immeasurabls
power OF sex over sex
In word, il WIS evident that all in cour,
were under the spell of dainty womanhood
and gazed at the enchanting picture with de.
light unit. Mise Wsysrly, standing there with
smiling frsnkness Of demeanor, turned with
momentary look Of distress to the judge
The chivalrSc sentiments OF the men were
touched; the hum and hustle Of the court
resumed its former sway and the examina-
ton began. In q voice low and sweet Miss
Waverly replied to all the questions. She
must have known instinctively that the SYM
paihies OF the whole court were with her, and
certainly the testimony she gave helped the de-
PENDANTS case considerably. 1t will be read lily
understood that George Delaunay had de-
scended to the earth again, iuRsmuch as VIII lie
listening to her replies, he saw where q little
shrewd cross-examination would somewha.
SKATER her statements and throw doubt on
Others. and so, making u few pencil notes in his
brief, he bided his time.
Presently the opposing counsel sat down,
looking we'll satisfied, and George Delauuay
had to cross-examiEe. 1t may DO said that
MISS Waverly rose to the occasion: she had
heard Of the eminencs and searching eio-
quenoe OF her questioner aud resoi utely met
his gaze. More marriages." il has been said,
nave been made by beauty of the eyes than
by any other qualities that woman possesses.
MIR Delaunays FIRST questions were couched
In the usual tone Of kindly inquiry that he gen.
orally adopted. tone TO lead the listener into
pitfalls OF fanciel security and to act as snare
for voluble chatterers, though it did not seem
tn hat foo lat
answered mis- queries coliectedly and to the
point without unnecessary rsvela tions once or
twice in words that seemed spoken directly to
him, and these were veritable music to his ear.
1t WAS at the end of a long question to which
she had succinctly replied that he paused a
moment and studied some of his penciled
memoranda. In reality this was the commence.
ment OF his crucial tests, and even while he was
studying and condensing the form he should
present them in, by reflex action his mind
was condemning the means and cvoking pity
OF doing the thing at all However, as NAV be
surmised, the simple duty to his client OVERRIDE
the scruples of mis- heart; he looked up sud-
denly, with a.frown at his own indecision, and
met her direct gaze. Her eyes were blue as
sapphires and they were full Of tears.
1he barrister substituted another question
for the severe one he had intended to ask
There was the faintest tremor in her voice as
she replied. She was frightened, perhaps tired
and the mans heart expanded and went out in
pity 70 her. HOW could he ecourge this ten
der woman, whose lovely face and form held
the imagination captive and swayed the senses
Of her questioner? One big tear gathered
and fell on her hand. 1t is probable that had
she hastily produced a handkerchief and re.
moved the traces Of the natural emotion the
significance OF the womanly appeal would have
been annulled; but Miss Waverly stood there
in brave silence, looking with wet eyes straight
before her, only the pathetic droop of perfect
mouth marking the sense Of timorous woman
hood within her, and George Delaunay sat down.
He mnde q remarkably clever speech, full of
cogent reasoning, persuasive and eloquent,
when his turn came to address the Jury, but he
lost his case.
II was the opinion Of many Of the legal
fraternity who conversed about the affair after
ward that Delaunay would have won the case
had no not SO unaccountably failed in his cross
examination Of the last witness. Judges are not
in the habit of giving their opinion except
judicialiy, but it is reported that this Judge
casually mentioned to his wife that Miss Rose
Waverly had saved the case, and that his wife
afterward told her dearest friend, whereby that
section Of the city wherein they lived we're
made acquainted.
There is one other fact to be noted.
IL was the last case that Mr.. Delaupay Ia
likely to miss by succumbing to the loneliness
OF woman for he lost no time in making the
acquaintance Of the ''last witness aud marry
ing her, and, - all stories should end happily
in fiction, and also, II possible, in real life. Il
70 pleasant to add that never was q couple mar
ried in London who loved each other more de-
votodly.