The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-01-05
CHALLENGED JUDGE AND JURY.
Extraordinary Tactics OF n Pennsylvania
LAWYER to Enliyen q Trial.

Extraordinary Tactics OF a Pennsylvania
Lawyer to Eniiven a Trial.
81 don't believe in trying a case in a
dull, routine manner, so that it be-
comes a question whether the attorneys
Dr. 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 the charge of imperson-
ating United States officer. The case
proved TO be one of the most amusing
hat has ever been called. 1t was full
Of funny incidents from the beginning
to the end.
Attorney Boyer Is u Pennsylvania
Dutchman and has enough of that &C
cent to make his conversation very at
tractive. The first day of the trial a
witness was called who, owing to some
chronic affection of the throat, was not
able to speak i'll an ordinary tone, but
had either to speak in 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 a 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, SO / left part OF
nv voice at the breakfast table. He
| had met with an accident to his teeth.
Attorney Boyer then went on TO say
Sin the great book of books 1T says
that it is better to leave 90 guilty per-
sons 90 UNPUBLISHED than to punish one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 80 guilty per-
sons from the book of books, / at once
presumed he meant the Bible. L can
now see my mistake, as that sentiment
| is not expressed there, for by his book
| on BOOKS ne 1nQSU nave Iuedi1G bOySI
Criminal Digest. F" This created a
| 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
is any point you don't understand about
this case you'd like me to explain, just
ask me the question. I'll have to make
/ the same restriction to you as did to
the supreme court, however. told The
| judges they were at liberty to ask me
| questions concerning the case L had
before them and not to be afraid to dc
so, as they could not embarrass me, but
to ask only one question at time, as
| that was all could answer" This odd
| practice created quite little sensation
in the court. Attorney Boyer, after
| abusing witness IN terrible manner,
| turned and said, eff that witness wants
] to see me outside after the case is over,
I'll speak tc 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.