The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-07-23
ARP ON OLD TIMES.
BILL HAS ANOTHER REMINISCENT
MOOD And TELLS STORIES.
Everything Depends the Last Speech with
the Lawyers-It was the Conclusion
that Won Fl lin His Great Case.

| The other day I asked an atlanta man
who he was for-Candler or Livingston-for
| congressman from the fifth district. He
! looked very serious and replied: Il get
| The Atlanta Constitution before breakfast,
and from that time until o'clock P. III. l
am for Livingston. Then The Journal
| comes into my Office, and l am :, Gambler
| man until next morning. L am like the av
| era2e juryman who takes his cue from the
| last speech
L have thought for Il long time that the
| last speech ought to be abolished, but L
| don't know how it is to be done, unless
| abolish the jury and let the spec cnes tie
| made to the court. Then me speeches
| would be short and to the point, and it
! wouldent make any difference who spoke
| last. Hail Columbia Wouldent pay before
! the court. especially if the coIr- consisted
of three members. The last speech is u ire
| mendous power in the keeping % an art;Il,
| eloquent advocate. [ have heard Judge
| Wright, of Rome, in many important cases,
| and his closing speech nearly always Sc
| cured him a verdict. 1t was more powerful
| than the evidence or the charge OF the
| court l remember when he sued the Rome
! railroad for $4,000 for causing an injury to
| Colonel Jim WaddelPS spine. We thought
| that just lawyers trick of claiming about
| ten times what he expected to recover, but
| just before the argument began he had The
| amazing cheek to ask leave to amend his
| writ and raise the damages to $4,000. The
| lawyers all smiled and so did the presiding
| Judge. But he had the last speech and got
| q verdict of $685. 00.
| A most amusing of last speech
occurred when / quite young lawyer
| at the Rome bar Jim Perkins was the
| ma gistrate. We had elected Jim just Tor
fun and he gave it to US. He knew no
more law than necessity and 1t IS said that
necessity knows none, but he was big
hearted and full of humor and everybody
q Perkins
who was shot at Gainess mill. 1t was an
umbilicaI center shot, and the ball came
out at his spine. Dr. Battey, the fame us
| surgeon was the surgeon Of thC regime ut.
| After examining Jim. ne said: MY poor
fellow, you are mortaIly wouihied. II you
have any messages to send home yVu had
better tel them to me ut Cnce. III you
have any viii t. make make it verbally.
jim smiled and said: I've got nothing to
will, doctor, but is there no chance for me
at all? about one i'll tnousal!d. SAD
the DOCTOR We'll if ! have that mary L
will get Well said jim, ana he smiled
again. Then mis- ruling passion. hi: Iom
Hood. provoked him to Id: "DoctCIt-Goc-
tor if [ should accidentally ger ever tflS
wouldent it be d great naval Vjctory?'
And he did get over it, and was back on
duty within sixty days.
At the first court that he held in Rome
l was employed by the plaintiff in a case,
and Tom Alexander was on the other side
| We were both young lawyers and were
| generally pitted against each other. We
| begun that way in Old LaWrenceville, and
| when We moved to Rome we kept it up. l.
| understand that he is now a candidate for
| judge, and J. don't blame him for wanting
| an easy position at his time of life. L would
| like one myself. But Rome Is not in our
| circuit and the boys must fight it out. Well,
when my called / proceeded to
| argue it, and just soon as L concluded
| Perkins took his pen and said: The court
| gives judgment for the plaintiff
Hold on" said Tom; hold on, if you
| please. | haven't been heard my side
| Beg pardon" said Jim; Il heartily beg
| your pardon Brother Alexander you can
proceed, Sir
! Tom cleaned me up in about ten MIN
! utes. Perkins seized his pen again and
| said: 'JuoSment for the defendant"
| Ff1old on again. said l. "If your honor
please, l am entitled to the conclusion"
| Beg pardon major; beG thousand par
| dons | forgot the rules of court. Yes YOU
| are entitled to the conclusion
In about five minutes L tore Tom all to