Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-04
COURT "EXHIBITS."
Lawyers Who Work Upon the SYM
pRthtes of Jurors.

Lawyers Who Work Upon the SYM
pathies of Jurors.
From the Louisville Courier Journal.
The exhibits filed in the circuit court in
the various cases form one of the most in
teres.ing features Of the records. and one
Of which the general public hears little
or nothing. To those who have the oppor-
tunity of seeing them they form simply
part Of the daily grind, and 1t is only when
they have become relics of half-forgotten
crime or suit that they become CT interest.
p Under the general head of the exhibits
come many things that, technically speak
ing, are not exhibits. For instance in a
fuit for damages for personal injury
most effective move. upon the Dart of the
plaintiffs attorney is to exhibit his clients
injuries to the jury and enlist their SYM
pathy in his behalf. When little boy hob
hles across the floor of the court room
with one little leg missing or with an arm
gone he Is generally reasonably certain of
a verdict, and a good one. if he has any
sort OF case and the defendant happen
TO be corporation.
In a recently-settled damage suit against
a corporation a little eight-yearold boy,
who had lost leg, was the plaintiff. The
case was first tried about a year ago, and
the evidence did not entirely sustain the
claim However the plaintiffs attorney,
one of the most effective men VINO has
ever faced jury, made such a good use
of his clients condition and drew such a
pathetic picture Of his blighted life thas
he was awarded a verdict for over 5000
damages.
This was, however. set aside because of
the misguided interest of one of the boys
friends In speaking to a juror. On the Sec
ond trial the defendant, rather than go
again before a jury, agreed to compromise
by paying substantial sum. In another
damage case, which attracted considerable
attention at the time of its trial, the plain
tf's attorneys had their client brought
into court or a stretcher and made great
impression upon the jury.
Another thing in which a lawyer de-
lights is pretty client. When pretty
woman sues a corporation for damages
for the death of her husband. her law
yer has her in a conspicuous place in the
court room, and If she has any small chill
dren-ths smaller the hetter-thcy are
there, too. 1t makes picture of innocence
and hopelessness that inspires the attorney
to heights Of elocuence and is not with
out its effect upon the jury. AS in
stance of the effect which a handsome
plaintiff exerts upon jury may be cited
husband had met with a horrible death
sued a corporation for s2J,OO0 damages.
The trial occurred about three years af-
ter the accident, and the plaintiff WIS
brought from distant city. Her atto--
neys made out an excellent case, but de-
spite their clsverneSS it was developed by
the other side that she was no longer a
widow, having married since the Institution
Of the suit. The second husband had been
very discreet!y kept in the background
The jury awarded the plaintiff verdict
for $4,000 damages, and remark of one
OF the Jurors he left the court room
Illustrated the effect her presence had on
the jury. as we'll as the counter-effect of
the fact of her second marriage. I'VE
would have given her. he said. "s25 600 if
she had not married again."