Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-10
HIS WITS SAVED HIM.
An Incident in Lawyers Career
That Won q Case.

An Incident in Lawyers Career
That Won a Case.
"A man who has his wits about him." re-
marked learned judge to a Star writer,
''is greater than he who conquers city,
CT words to that effect, for he is always
sure of getting there"
".In respect of what?" was the inquiry,
made with the Interior purpose of drawing
the judge out, Cor he knows good many
things worth the telling.
I'm many" he went on, "but in this par
tcular case refer to an experience I had
when 1 lad been practicing for two or
three years and had an idea that Coke,
Blackstone ct al. were scarcely IN II with
me in the ordinary business of the courts.
There were a lot of young fellows at our
bar, and am free to confess that We dld
not always maintain that dignity of the
law which is one of its strongest points.
Sometimes we even exceeded the UNITS,
and now and then somebody had fine TO
ray 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 neigh
boring &C unity seat was defending a prs
oner for stealing cow, believe, and l
had the other side and was quite sure OF
making my case. The old fellow had been
in our court many times and he was the
slowest and longest talker I think 1 ever
listened to. He didn't seem to know when
10 let up. wen, OH tnlS OCCASION he iidu
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
| blank and an envelope and fixed up a tele-
gram which read: Great Caesar, governor,
won't you ever stop talking?
Then they got boy to bring the mes
| sage into the court room and they sat
around the bar to see the old man fall
DEAD when he read the dispatch. The
Icy came in all right and the sheriff
promptly delivered the message. OF course,
| was reached and the lawyer asked permits
| sion of the court to read his message. He
| tore it open amid Lreathless silence, every
| body watching him, and those who were In
the joke expecting an explosion as soon as
| the end had been reached. But there was
nothing Of the kind. He read it over slowly
| once, then more slowly again, and then he
looked up at the judge ard ever to the
jury"
inlay it please the court he said ir
tremulous tones, I have just received q
| mes sage announcing the death of very
near and dear relative, one Who and his
lip quivered. was more to me than car
tell, and I must ask to be excused from
| speaking further
This was an entirely unexpected turr
to the affair, and, of course, the joker:
were powerless to change the current. They
| simply sat dumfounded, while the ole
fellow was asked to finish his speech. HI
finished very briefly, but it was to the
point ard when my turn came to end the
business l was not in it with the grief
stricken man by my side and the jury gave
the case to my opponent without leaving
the room.
after it was all over the old lawyer
called one of the crowd aside and sait
something to him with mild sort of
smile that resulted in his taking up col
lection among us sufficient to pay for a fin,
dinner for the entire BAR