The morning call., 1894-09-09
A CONSISTENT CAREER.
How Eliphalet Jenkins Railroad Lawyer, Righted
Great Wrong.

Justice Stanley was holding term of the
Circuit Court. The great P. and O. r. r
Company was defending It's right or wron
OF way, but at all events its way. along
the river front against claim of posses.
sion on the party of the city. Eliphalei
jenkins Esq, "than whom" to use the
clumsy encOmium of fellow-practioners,
no article was sicker," was resisting
the anarchisttc attack instigated by ire
spOnslole demagogues." as he termed il,
with all his sickness. A tall and portly
man was this famous counselor, with an
expressive under lip and more expressive
left eyelid. He said MANY a sharp and
witty thing, but his manner always con-
hded something sharper and wittier to both
bench and bar. AS for the grOIndlipgs.
they ad0red him as the type Of what thew
were able TO produce. A self-satistie d
man was this counselor, as we'll he might
be, for his practice was confined Dnlv bv
his veto. Had he regarded God as the
author of his being, be would have been
exemplary IN piely. As, however, he
b0asted that he was a self-made man. his
worship, though heartfelt, never ap-
preached the infinite.
The City Attorney had rested for the
plaintiff. Mr.. jenkins had opened for the
defense, revealing as through a parterre
OF flowers the single point on which he
depended. That point would be estab-
llshed by the evidence OF an uDimpeach-
able witness and him he now called.
Alexander Watson" proclaimed Mr..
Jenkins in the con fdent tones of a horn of
Jericho. A fragile, white-faced, nervOns
man SUNK out from remote corner and
crept uD the aisle. The spectators craned
their necks and chewed more vigorously.
The City Attorney slapped his papers
tiercely and looked the powers of the in
QUESTION. The clerk ceased from whiting
the arm of his chair.
Mr.. Justice Stanley made thicker. more
unlDtelliglhle scrawl than usual in his
notebook. And Mr.. jenkins sent bland
smile broadcast, puckering his lower lip,
and dropping his left eyelid. A fragile
man, indeed, was Watson we'll nigh
picked clean by the crows of misfortune.
For years he had been whitening in body
and estate until people had come to take
a certain pride in his general mOldiness.
just as they did in that of sundry ANTIQUE
houses with gable ends to the street. But
now. as he rested his trembling hand on
the Bible, it was apparent that an energy
more unnatural than excitement was en-
thralling him. The pensive, submissive
expression had passed from his face; in
its stead lowered stern, even desperate
determination. Unheeding the soothing
preliminary questions which the astute
Jenkins was beginning to put, he swung
his chair around so as to face the bench,
and leaned forward with outstretched
hand.
Your Honor" Watson gasped, and yet
the furthest spectator could hear every
syllable, for Ominous silences were won't
to settle in that old courtroom, through
which agonZed heart-thTObs would vi
brate. Your Honor. you know me; you
knew my fatner before me. \ ou know /
come from honest stock. and that, though
unlucky, | am an honest man. That
attorney there has tried TO bribe me-oh.
but I'm ashamed to tell it, for decent
man should be above such an attempt.
He gave me $1,000. curse him, IL | would
testify as he wished. Here it isv' And
he cast a bunch of bills on the Judges
desk and settled back. CHASTITY of face,
with lips bubbling with foam.
What attornev?" demanded Mr.. JUS
tice Stanley, IN a voice like rifles crack.
"EHphalet jenkins. there"
"Oh, pish, pshawP' calculated Mr.. Jen-
kiDs, rising deliberately. Come, get
down. Watson. You've spoken your piece
and don't want you. LIS quite apparent,
your Honor. that some one has tampered
with my witness. Those familiar with
the history of this case can readily sur
mise. AS for this ridiculous charge l
throw myself ON the protection Of my
character"
A disciple of Dsnton, doubtless, was
Counselor Jenkins. and never was DantOn
more out-Dantoned than in this assertion.
You may step down, Mr.. watson. said
the Judge, not unkindly, and trembling
and twiiching the witness crept off the
stand, down the aisle and out If the room.
Yet as he passed he met the jury with a
firm. candid gaze.
"As for this extraordinary accusation" !"
continued the Justice. II snail refer IL 10
the District Attorney. lmpOund this
NJ nd dali iNnr fn
Officers, preserve order or clear the court
room. Now, then, gentlemen, proceed AT
once with the case at Issue"
The case was promptly brought to a fin
ish, and, though Mr.. jenkins retained his
seif-pos.essiOn and jested and gibed and
stormed with even abnormal vigor. the
jurv brought In verdict against him. Per-
haps they believed the message of old Wat
sons glance; perhaps in dignation swayed
them, for 1t Is the readlest, as it is the
most evanescent, of passions. If so, they
were of a mind with the general public.
for the whole town TPsounded with the
scandal. People talked fercely about the
prevalence OF corruption. They held meet
iDgs denouneing jenkins and his clientand
voting confidence to Watson,
The newspapers teemed with original
metaphors regarding the smirching of the
city's escutcheOn and the blot on her fair
fame. But Counselor Jenkins said 9TH
Y. u,
as was his habit when rejecting, whistled
softly. The Grand Jury met and pre-
sented an indictment against hiG for
bribery, but he still made converts with
his confidential lid. still consOled himself
with mellow piping. He well knew that
his resources would Outlast the popular
furOT.
And so the result proved. When, after
repeated adjournment and Infinite hear
inps. and innumerable seDdings back for
reheariDgs, the case was finally brought to
trial before Mr.. Justice Greengoods, the
entire matter was currently deemed
joke which somehow reflected
credit for shrewdness on the COM
munity. Its disposition is too we'll
known for extended description. The
witnesses were flippant, except poor old
Watson, who was confused; the counsel
gond-humored aud chummy, the Judge in
different, except when expatiating on the
many virtues of the accused. The jury
voted mot guilty" without leaving their
seats, and then thrQnged around the de-
fendaDt, each one enjoying in his hand
shake the proudest moment of ones life.
And poor old Watson, never so tremu-
l0us. never so Sinking, cr5pt home to die.
1t had Frustrated him to be JUDGED so
unworthy as to accept bribe. 1t pow
crushed him to have his word publicly dis
credited. Home he creDt to die. despite
the tender bindings of his wounds by his
wife, despite the balmv tears of his little
daughter Lillian, a child too young to uu-
derstand, but quite old enough TO feel. A
weak, unlucky failure of a man, and hence
dev0tedy loved. for the floOdgates of true
womauly affection yield to the touch of
pity, though capable OF withstanding the
prying of admiration and pride. He died.
and yet lived as many successful man