The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-11-29
CHALLENGED JUDGE AND JURY.
Extraordinary Tactics of Pennsylvania
lawyer to Enllyen a Trial.


Lawyer to Enlivcn n Trial.
II don't believe in trying case in a
dull, routine manner, SO that it be-
comes question whether the attorneys
or the jurors will go to sleep first"
said s. s. Boyer of Sunbury, author of
"Boyer's Criminal Digest, to re-
porter. Mr.. Boyer was defending
George Kuhn. in the United States
courts against'th charge of iinperson-
ating United States officer. The case
proved to be one of the most amusing
that has ever been called. 1t was full
Of funny incidents from the beginning
to tho end.
Attorney Boyer is Pennsylvania
Dutchman and has enough Of that &C
cent to make his conversation very at
tractive. The first day of the trial
witness was called who, owing to some
chronic affection of the throat, was not
able to speak in an ordinary tone, but
had either to speak in a whisper or
shout his words. Attorney Boyer didn't
know this, so when the witness began
to shout his answers Boyer thought he
was doing it to be disrespectful. He
became angry and shouted his questions
In not very polite manner.
In his speech to the jury Boyer said
some very bitter things about the wit
ness, among which was, "You saw how
much of rowdy he was by his actions
on the stand" He was quite taken
aback when United States District At
torney Hall arose and explained the wit
ness affection. In addressing the jury
Attorney Boyer apologized for not being
able to present his case in an eloquent
manner for his soldier client, "for,"
he said, "as my client left part of his
body on the battlefield, 30 left part of
my voice at the breakfast table, He
had met with an accident to his teeth.
Attorney Boyer then went on to say
In the great book of books it says
that it is better to leave 90 guilty per-
sons go unpublished than to punish one
innocent man." Attorney Hall in
closing answered this in neat man
ner by saying: "When the attorney for
the defense quoted about 90 guilty per-
sons from the book Of books, I at once
presumed he meant the Bible. I can
now see my mistake, as that sentiment
is not expressed there, for by his book
Of books he must have meant Boyer's
Criminal Digest. 4" This created
great laugh in the court.
AS Attorney Boyer closed his speech
he did most uncommon thing. He
turned to the jury and said: IF there
IL any point you don't understand about
this case you'd like me to explain, just
ask mo the question. I'll have to make
the same restriction to you as did to
the supreme court, however. I told the
Judges they were ut liberty to ask me
questions concerning the case had
before them and not to be afraid to do
so, as they could not embarrass me, but
to ask only ono question at time, as
that was all l could answer This odd
practice created quite q little sensation
in the court. Attorney Boyer, after
abusing witness in q terrible manner,
turned and said, If that witness wants
to see me outside after the case is over,
I'll speak to him." The case gave con-
slant amusement by the oddities that
crept in, and Attorney Boyer's natural
manner of addressing the jury seemed
to take, for his client was acquitted
Pittsburg Dispatch.