Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1895-11-01
HIS WITS SAVED HIM.
Aa Incident In y Lawyers Career Th
Won n Case,

Aa Incident In . Lawyers Career That
Won Case.
"a man who has his wits about
him. remarked learned Judge, lis
greater than he who conquers city,
or words to that effect, for he is always
sure of getting there"
I'm respect Vt what?" was the in,
quiry, made with the Interior purpose
OF drawing the judge out for he knew
a good many things worth the telling,
I'm many" he went on but in this
particular case refer to an experience
! had when ] was practicing for two OF
three years. and had an idea that Coke,
Blackstone, ct al. were scarcely in 1t
with me in the ordinary business OF
the courts. There were lot of young
fellows at cur bar and am free to
confess that we did not always main
tain the dignity of the law, which is
one of its strongest points Sometimes
we even exceeded the limits, and now
and then somebody had fine to pay
for contempt. We had fun at times
with visiting lawyers, and the best
practical joker in the lot was always
held in great respect by the rest of us.
zone day an old lawyer from the
neighboring county seat was defend
ing prisoner for stealing a COW, be.
lieve, and mad the other side and was
quite sure Of making my case. The
old fellow had been in our courts many
times and he was the slowest and
longest taller think ever listened
to- He didn't seem to know when to
let up. Well, on this occasion he had
been talking until the young fellows
were worn out and they thought they
would teach him lesson and at the
same time help me in downing him
So they quietly went out to the tele
graph Office, got a blank and an envel
ope and fixed up telegram which
read: Great Cesar, governor, won't
you ever stop talking@
Then they got boy to bring the
message into the court room, and they
sat around the bar to see the old mar
fall dead when he read the dispatch
The boy came in all right and the sher
if promptly delivered the message
OF course everything became quie'
when the point was reached and the
lawyer asked permission of the cour
to read the message, he tore it oper
amid breathless silence, everybody
watching him, and those who were il
the joke expecting an explosion Al
soon as the end had been reached. Blu
there was nothing of the kind. III
read it over slowly once, then more
slowly again, and then he looked III
at the judge and over to the jury.
"'May it please the court, he said il
tremulous tones, 4 have just received
a message announcing the death of I
very near and dear relative, one who,
and his lip quivered, was more to IN
than can tell, and must ask to b.
excused from speaking further
This was an entirely unexpected
turn to the affair, and of course tn
jokers were powerless to change tn
current They simply sat dumbfound
ed, while the old fellow was asked T.
finish his speech He finished yer.
briefly, but it was to the point, an
when my turn came to end the bus
dess was not in it with the grief
stricken man by my side, and the jur
gave the case to my opponent withou
leaving the room.
After it was all over the old lawye
called one of the crowd aside and sal
something to him with mild sort of
smile that resulted in his taking up
collection among us sufficient TO pa
for fine dinner for the entire bar
| Washington Star.