The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-06-14

employed Dy MT. NANNY OF ROcKIOrQ,
| Ills, to defend him in an action brought
by Mccormick, who was one of the in
ventors of the reaping machine, for in
fringement of patent. Lincoln had been
recommended to Nanny by E. B. Wash.
burn, then a member of congress from
northern Illinois. The case was to be
tried before Judge Mclean, at Cincin-
natl, in the circuit court of the United
| States. The counsel for Mccormick was
Reverdy johnson. Edwin M. Stanton
and George Harding of Philadelphia
were associated on the other side with
Lincoln. The latter came to Cincinnati
a few days before the argument took
place and stopped at the house of a
friend. ''The case was one of great i'm
portance pecuniarily, relates lawyer
in Cincinnati who was a member of
the bar at the time, land in the law
questions involved. Reverdy johnson
represented the plaintiff. Mr.. Lincoln
had prepared himself with the greatest
care. His ambition was up to speak in
the case and to measure swords with
the renowned lawyer from Baltimore
1t was understood between his client
and himself before his coming that Mr.
Harding of Philadelphia was to be as
ISOLATED with him in the case and was
to make the mechanical argument.
He Meets Stanton.
"After reaching Cincinnati Mr. Lin
coin was little surprised and annoyed
to learn that his client had also associ-
ated with him Mr.. Edwin M. Stanton
of Pittsburg and a lawyer of our own
bar, the reason assigned being that the
Importance of the case required man
of the experience and power of Mr.. Stan
ton to meet Mr.. johnson. The Cincin-
natl lawyer was appointed for his local
influence. These reasons did not re-
move the slight conveyed in the employ
ment without consultation with him of
this additional counsel. He keenly felt
it, but qSiesced. The trial of the case
| came on. The counsel for defense met
each morning for consultation.
son one of these occasions one of the
counsel moved that only two of them
was also acquiesced in. 1t had always
been understood that Mr.. Harding was
to speak to explain the mechanism of
the reapers. So this motion excluded
either Mr.. Lincoln or Mr.. Stanton
which? By the custom of the bar, as be-
tween counsel of equal standing and in
the absence Of any action of the client,
the original counsel speaks. By this rule
Mr.. Lincoln had precedence. Mr.. Stan
ton suggested to Mr.. Lincoln to make
the speech. Mr.. Lincoln answered, NO,
you speak. Mr.. Stanton replied, 4
WILL and taking up his hat said he
would go and make preparation. Mr..
Lincoln acquiesced in this, but was
greatly grieved and mortified. He took
but little more interest in the case,
though remaining until the conclusion
of the trial. He seemed to be greatly
depressed and gave evidence of that
tendency to melancholy which so mark
ed his character. His parting on leaving
the city cannot be forgotten. Cordially
shaking the hand of his hostess, he said:
'You have made my stay here most
agreeable, and I am thousand times
obliged to you, but in reply to your re-
quest for me to come again I must say
to you never expect to be in Cincin-
natl again. I have nothing against the
city, but things have SO happened here
as to make it undesirable for me ever to
return. Lincoln felt that Stanton had
not only been very discourteous to him,
but had purposely ignored him in the
case and that he had received rather
rude. if not unkind. treatment from all
hands. Stanton, in his brusque and
abrupt way, it is said, described him as
long, lank creature from illinois,,
wearing dirty linen buster for coat,
on the back of which the perspiration
had splotched wide stains that resem-
bled a map of the continent. Mr.. Lin
ooln, adds Mr.. Dickson, remained in
Cincinnati about week, moving freely
around, yet not 20 men knew him per-
sonally or knew he was there. Not a
hundred would have known who he was
had his name been given to them. He
came with the fond hope of making
fame in a forensic contest with Reverdy
Johnson. He was pushed aside, humili-
ated and mortified. He attached to the
innocent city the displeasure that filled
his bosom and shook its dust from his
feet"
On his return to Springfield he was
somewhat retioent regarding the trial,
and, contrary to his custom, communi-
Gated to his associates at the bar but
few of its incidents. He told me that he
had been roughly handled by that man
Stanton" that he overheard the latter
from an adjoining room, while the door
was slightly ajar, referring to Lincoln,
inquire of another, "Where did that
long armed creature come from, and
what can he expect to do in this case?"
During the trial Lincoln formed poor
opinion of Judge Mclean. He charac-
terized him as an "old granny, with
considerable vigor of mind, but no per-
ception at all. eff you were to point
your finger at him." he put it, "and a
darning needle at the same time, he
never would know which was the sharp
est
Travelling Deadheads.