The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-05-11
Delivered Before an Audience That
Severely Tested the Capacity of
Wayne County's Courthouse.
SIX HOURS OF LAW AND LOGIC
INTERSPERSED WITH KEEN ANALY-
SIS OF POINTS IN DISPUTE.
A Masterpiece of Legal Oratory-A
History of the Case and Provisions
of the Various Wills.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

Opecldl 10 the Indianapolis journal.
RICHMOND. Ind. May 10.-The court
room at the MORRISON will trial was be-
sieged at the doors this morning by a crowd
that gathered almost with the rays of dawn,
so eager was the demand for admission. Not
only was a trial coming to an end which for
over four months has occupied the whole
thought of the people more nearly than any
thing else, but one of Americas greatest
lawyers and a statesman of worldwide
reputation was to address twelve men, peers
of the litigants. without thought of the con-
course which packed the large and high
ceilinged new court room. The magnificent
new courthouse was receiving honors which
will live with the generations. 1t is its first
big case-a deeper baptism in the intrica-
cies of the law than it could ever have expo
rienced in a trial involving lie, ., with less
distinguished counsel, or less protracted in
length
There are few courthouses I'm the State
better adapted TO such scenes than the one
in this city. 1t has an east front, with six
large windows and stained glass transoms.
On the other side are the two entrances,
at either end of the court room
one for the public and the other
for the privileged persons of law. Between
these doors there Is a huge semi-circular
plate-glass window. looking into the marble
floored and spacious stair and elevator land
ing. This space was packed with people,
who watched the proceedings in the hope
that some OF the more fortunate within
would tire or be forced by business to leave
the room and allow others to enter. Thus
as soon as the doors opened to let anybody
out some other entered to occupy the re-
leased space. There was more or less con-
fusion among the spectators during the day
General Harrison was once annoyed by it,
and requested all who wanted to leave to do
so at once There were several hundred
VINO did not leave the court room during the
noon recess. but pulled papers of lunch from
their pockets TO keep their holds on their
seats. The argument of the morning was
broken after the first hour and half at
the indication of General Harrison for the
customary quarter hours rest.
The speech was spoken from notes made
in extenso by the stenographer. This warp
was given the woof by General Harrison
as he reached the points he had planned
to make. There was much delberation
in his speech and the argument of six
hours would not contain half as many
words as were uttered by his most distin-
guished opponent, Representative Johnson,
and no doubt contained less words than
used by any other of the attorneys in the
case. The stenographers were not pressed
for speed. but rather to hear the aspirate
sentences which the Generals dramatic
sense often made appropriate. He used
more of this than his political auditors
are usually cosnizant of.
POPULAR FEELING
The struggle the great Morrison es-
tate, with which the city had been familiar
for several generations. and which has left
an enduring fame In the form of public
library. now enriched. enlarged and hyphen-
ated with the estate and name of Reeves.
has divided the thought and stirred the
prejudices of the people of Richmond
There could here and there be heard an
expression of desire to see the Indian
apolis crowd as the Marion county law
yers and the judge. Hon. j. 3. Black, were
many could be hoard to say that the un-
ruffled dignity and unquestioned force of
the conduct OF the attorneys for the plaint-
IFS earned for them the unqualified and
even enthusiastic respect of every one. 1t
has been said of the opposing counsel i'm
this case that the plaintiffs had secured
lawyers whose keenneSS and balance or
mind are no less noticeable than the even
ness of their temperament. while the at
torneys Tor tne ueiendaht, tnoush ieaderS
of the bar. earnest, able and learned. were
of the ''fire-eating" character, and more
likely to raise tempest upon the conven-
tiOnaly staid surface Of a court OF justice
II was also rema rkod that when the daily
storm broke Ferdinand Winter. of counsel
for the plaintiffs, yielded most to the temp
tation TO mag the angry lawyers OF the
opposition. 1t was these outbursts that
swelled the popular feeling for the one
side or other. Throughout the long weeks
OF the trial the court room had been daily
crowded. so that before the local papers
could be read the news and developments
of the day, had been pretty thoroughly
flscz ,f,1s sNH wit in ard
to the quarrels of counsel. or the objections
made. overruled. or to which exceptions
torneys for the defense 10 prevent the dis
tinguished character of the plaintiffs lead
ing counsel from having weight due TO
the high rank he has held were the first
occasion of verbal sparring and the pro-
prieties i'm the case were constantly held be-
fore the jury and the court in "A manner
that sometimes passed the limits of dig
nifty and required interferences and even
demands OF apology from the court.
PRELIMINARY FORMALITIES
Ii was S:25 a. M. when the sheriff raped
for order and Deputy Clerk Richey read the
minutes of the court on the preceding day
1t was the Same old story of case No. lO071
Morrison VS.. Hibberd, called and con-
tinued. There were then in the jurors box
the following citizens of Wayne county:
Milo Cranor. John W. Wesler. William
Shaw, Nelson Grove, y. :. Hunt William
iNtploSit, begTSe MsCOn-
aha. John Nicholson. Philip Miller. Elias
Hoover and George Kitterman. These men
are mostly farmers. men of landed property
and had not an iota of the appearance of
the professional juror They are men whose
business has been suffering while they we're
earning, unwillngly. So day, and losing
twice or three times much. They are
men within the prime of lfe and one look
ing al them would be struck with their in
telligence and would readily believe General
Harrison when he told them, in compli-
menting them upon their patience and their
honorable devotion 10 their sworn duty,
that they had been drafted for a duty
TO society.
\ few minutes before court opened Gen.
Harrison had entered the court room. ac-
companied by his private secretary. Mr.
Tibbott. He was looking as If he had been
burning the midnight oil IN preparation for
his speech. But. as matter of fact. he had
retired early the night before. after a ride
over the city just before dinner 1t was
evident. however. that he had been giving
his speech the heaviest bent of his great
ability. and his appearance indicated some
weariness IL was. however, superficial as
was proved, and passed away with the first
few sentences which set the mechanism of
intellect at work.
When the clerk ceased calling the case,
without further word. General Harrison