Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-04-09
SHE IS UNDER OATH
Fielding Prepares Maud to Be a
Witness IN a Civil SUIT.
He Loses Has Case With = kesosmmssn.
dAtion ca Mercy Maud ohjccts 60
ttesereace Ia Her Age.


TRUTH"
''Oh. you want me - bc . witness in
that suit" she exclaimed. Il think is
will be real fun. hut haven't = thing
"a wear. Ii IL should be IA nice. pleas
ant day I Nigh, wear NY"
"Never mind your clothes,f said ].
'wear something that will wash, IL
you're ~ spend n day in u New York
courtroom. That's all you need 10 think
about hut what do you know about
the case?''
Il know all about it," she cried.
You're suing Mr.. Eugglcs for building
a horrid old factory right in our back
yard. You want ten thousand dollars
out of him. but You said that you'd be
lucky IL you got half Of IL You said
that, anyway. it would be all clear gain,
except what those sharks. your counsel.
extortcd from you. and that you'd blow
IL all in taking me ~ Europe, and that
your creditors could so sit on u double
pointed carpet tack"
aBy all MEANS" sud /; ''tcll that 70
the jury. and il won't bs necessary Ia
call any other witnesses"
yhSe oS you sbsu
she cried, triumphanily. ''even your very
words"
well. then. forget it just - fast rs
you can"
''But. Howdy. it is just what you
said"
"Maude," said l, you've got to he a
witness in this case. Ia Father have
ten good liars on the other side. bat it
can't be helped. You must tell per-
fectly straight story, and preserve,
throughout, the inhuman calmncss Of .
fashion plato"
81 can do it. nowdy.". she protested.
"You don't know what you will have
TO undergo" said /. Let me give you
an idea Of scene In court. Imagine
an atmosphere Of stale injustice which
settles down greasily on judge and
jury. on the witnesses, the spectators
and the furniture. like a layer Of bad
butter ON piece of moldy bread. As
soor rs you get inside the building you
will notice . lot Of men with evil In
their eyes. Some of them will be law
yers and Others win be clients, but they
will have been so long in one anothers
society that you will not be able 10 tell
the just from the unjust. il any Of the
former happens 10 be present
Now, imagine what Mr.. Rug2les
might have been without those refining
influences which have differentiated
him in small degree from the gorillas
70 whom Mr.. Darwin would very justly
trace Mr.. Ruggles' family line Imag>
inc this creature freed from all legal
and moral restraints,- and you will
have fair idea of the lawyer who win
cross-examine you in the interests OF
the defendant"
II don't care two cents for him." said
Maudc. I'D like 70 see him make me
say what l didn't want u say"
"Well. shouldn't, for il once you got
started the effect produced upon the
jury would be exceedingly painful. To
guard against such an accident in
tend TO PVT you through n form OF
cross-cxaulination this evening. will
personate the lawyer and will ask such
questions a. you will have To face when
he gets after you"
Every we'll" said Maudc. Lets see
IL you can mix me up. You can't one
single bit. and I'm perfectly sure Of it."
brought chair for her out of the
kitchen. 1t is n wooden chair with six
rounds in its back. three OF which are
broken. So is the back OF any person
who sits in II for fifteen minutes.
Maude took this chair. under protest,
and seated myself comfortably before
her. and questioned her calmly about
the leading facts Of our grievance
against Mr.. Ruggles- She got along
very well.
You're not disagrceable bit." said
She "You haven't been 40 nice rs this
since 1887"
"wnit a minutc." said l. IL am now
pcrsonating our lawyer who will ex-
tract the first story. Afterwards the
other fellow viii take you in hand aud