The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-17
HOAR'S CAUSTIC WIT
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LATE
JURIST AND Diplomatic.
Episodes In the Career of N Man the
Nation and the bay State HOnorcd
Sleeve Button for a Seal.
Boston Transcript.

illustrative of his skill in the examina-
tion Of witnesses of the highest repute
In the medical profession and turning
their expert testimony against them
selves occurred in the Supreme Court.
An old sea captain residing in Maiden
was placed in the Mclean Insane Asy-
lum by his wife and son. as it was al
legged. to prevent his dissipating his
Nroperty, the claim being that he was
not mentally competent to be trusted
with the care of his estate. All his life
he had followed the sea. and he had
been the trusted master Of the largest
vessels sailing from Boston. He had but
recently returned from long voyage,
when he was hurried into the asylum.
His wealthy employers were so well
satisfied that a great outrage had been
committed that they retained Judge
Hoar to do what he could to right the
wrong. A writ of habeas corpus was
procured and the old man was brought
before the court and the hospital au-
thorities were summoned to show cause
why he should not be given his liberty.
The commitment had been made in legal
form and the only question at issue was
the one of insanity. In addition to the
evidence of the son, who was mercilessly
handled by Judge Hoar. was the tes-
timony of the greatest insanity experts
In Massachusetts,. who were all agreed
that the captain was insane. Chief
among them was one who had exam
ined the captain after he was brought
to the asylum. He got along swimming
~ until the cross-examination began.
He was led along in the most gentle
manner by the lawyer to tell how he
H. H.. 4
you knock before entering?" was asked.
mo, sir" was the reply. Doctor, are
you accustomed to entering gentlemen's
apartments without first receiving per-
mission" No. sir; but under the cir
cumstances I thought it right to do so
in this case" What did the captain
say to your HE appeared very much
excited and demanded my card" did
insanity in that? Eyes. taken in con-
nection with other things, his excitement
showed him to be insane. He was in
clined to be abusive and had difficulty
in pacifying him" Then what &C,
in detail how he had. for the purpose
of testing the mental condition Of his
patient asked him regarding his do
nestle relations. his treatment of his
wife and son and his intentions regard
Ing the disposition of his property, ex-
planning to the court that the captain
all this time was growing more excited.
and even went SO far as to tell him 1T
was none Of his business, \ doggedly
refused to answer his questions Ali
these acts, the doctor contended, pressed
hard by Judge Hoar, were. taken to-
gether, evidences of insanity.
TELLING SARCASM.
Then Judge Hoar turned upon him,
and with an intensity and bitterness
that was fairly startling, addressed as
1t was to SO high an authority in medi-
cal jurisprudence, said: Doctor, / full
ly agree with you that at that time the
captain must have been an insane man.
Had he been sane. accustomed as he
was all his life to association with gen.
tlemen and to the obedience and defer
ence of his interiors, when you rudely
burst into his room and asked-you a
perfect stranger whose name he had to
demand-asked impudent and indicate
questions about his family relations,
the most sacred ties in life, he would,
If he had been sane. called into use the
great physical strength he unquestion-
ably possesses and taken you by the
nape of the neck, thrown you out of the
room and kicked you all the way down
stairs. That is what sane man would
have done under such outrageous provo
cation. / repeat, quite agree with you
In those few words was embodied an
argument more convincing than hours
of oratory. The court informed Judge
Hoar they did not care to hear any
testimony from him, for the evidence of
the experts called to prove insanity was
conclusive that the captain should be
discharged from the asylum.
At another time Judge Hoar had for
his opponent the noted philanthropist
and friend of the working girls, Miss
Jennie Collins, the founder and support
err of "Boffin's Bower" A young lawyer
connected with one of the wealthiest and
iGt, 10 20 wilt of ho1
arrested on a warrant charging him with
conspiracy to extort money from a
wealthy old bachelor, whose sister it ap-
peared was friend of Miss Collins. The
young mans friends secured the services
of Judge Hoar to defend him in the
police court and the most eminent
lawyers in Boston, out of friendship for
the family, gave the young man their
moral support by crowding the dingy lit
tie court room while the case was in
progress. The complainant went on the
stand and told how he had been charged
with a moral delinquency and went to
the young lawyer for advice. He was
advised that the wisest thing for him
to do was to leave the city, and as it
was then midsummer he had better go
in hiding in one of the big New Hamp-
shire hotels among the mountains. He
was further counseled that it was es-
sential for his safety that he take his
lawyer with him. who could thus keep
him advised as to what he should do in
was also essential, ne said, that they
should have detective with them who
could watch the detectives that would
certainly be employed on the other side.
BLEED HIS CLIENT.
The lawyer found an accommodating
friend who was only too glad to officiate
as the detective. The simple minded
confiding client acquiesced in all these
arrangements. his fears worked upon by
the two men. and the trio went to one
of the most desirable mountain resorts,
where they stopped at the clients ex-
pense, he paying them in addition large
sums of money for their services. When
they got tired and wanted a change of
scene the alleged detective would dis
cover they were being Swallowed by
the enemy. and a hasty exit would be
made TO another place. This was kept
up till the season was ended. when it
was discovered that the only place of
safety was in Europe. All the prepara-
tions for trip abroad were completed,
when the man, in a terrible frame of
mind, told the story of what he was do
ing to his sister. She made a confidant
of Miss Collins, who was emphatic in
denouncing the whole affair as a con-