The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-11

chief Assuming q dramatic pose. and
with o stern voice, he said: Remember.
sir. you are on your oath. Remember. you
have sworn to tell the truth. the whole
truth. and nothing but the truth. Remem-
ber, that to deviate one iota from the
truth Is perjury. and the punishment for
perjury Is Imprisonment In the state pen.
cath. did you deliver that barrel Of whisky
to Pat Duffy?'
"The lrishman answered coolly and de-
her tely. Well. jedge. bein' on my oath.
faith couldn't say. l delivered bar'l at
Mr.. Dufy's place. On one ind of tina bar'l
was marked pat Duffy" on the ither ind
was marked whisky" but bein' on me
oath. couldn't say whether Pat Duffy or
whisky was in the barl.'
1.-The defendant was convicted"
-:ll:-
JUDGMENT ON THE LAWYERS.
Judge Daniels. Of Buffalo. who served
twenty-eight years on the New York Su-
preme bench before coming to congress,
trates the curious methods by which peo-
pie occasionally reach conclusions.
Some years ago man named Greenfield.
living In New York state. killed his wife.
He was convicted at the first trial. hut the
case was carried to the court OF appeals.
which reversed the finding OF the lower
court Governor Robinson then ordered
special rehearing to be held at Syracuse.
Judge Daniels presided. When an exam
cumstance occurred. One of the jurors
declared that he had already prejudiced
the case. He was asked II he had read
the printed accounts In the newspapers.
He had not. Neither. he said, had lie
talked with anyone about 1t. He was ac-
cordingly excused. Judge Daniels, how
ever. was not SO easily satisfied. His curl
osity was piqued. and he sent the sheriff
before the man left the court room to
ascertain how he could reach a conclusion
in a case when he had never read up on
1t or discussed 1t.
why" he replied. .the lawyers made
such blamed fools of themselves examin-
ing the Jurors that l knew the prisoner
must be guilty"
-:'l:-
WHEN TO STOP PAYMENTS.
There was civil action in the English
law courts some time ago, mainly con-
/ tiff stated calmly In the witness box that
his financial position had always been
satisfactory.
Counsel for the other side rose with =
truly portentous air, and inquired II he
Plaintiff said he had not.
pray be careful. sir. Remember. YOU
are OH oath. Do you mean to tell the
court you have never stopped PAYMENT
We'll" was the reply. now that YOU
| come to call it to my mind, l believe did
on one occasion"
"Ah! | thought We should arrive at 1t
presently" and the counsel took d long
draught Of water, In an impressive and
theatrical way. Now, sir. when did that
happen"
AFTER had paid all my debts" was
the crushing reply.
The court fairly shrieked with laughter
| and the judge laughed. too. while the
| usher was SO stricken with merriment
that he was far from restoring order.
-.N:-
| A CONVENTION ILLUSTRATION.
On one occasion Sir Frank Lockwood
was defending a man In Yorkshire who
beasts" TO use the north country term.
One witness for the prosecution declared
he beheld the whole transaction from
afar
| severely, you must be extremely careful
| In your statements. You say you watched
| this affair for some time. Tell me- now.
how far can you see beast to really
know its points,"
Just as far off as am from you. mas
| ter" replied the yokel. earnestly. And
the great Q. e. subsided.
-: -
THE SAME CASE.
a well-known gentleman of this coun-
| ty, who some years ago lived in the coun.
| try a short distance south OF town, was
In the habit of coming to town every week
| or so, and getting on the town.. On one
| of his visits he became rather more DEM
| Onstrative than usual, and was taken be.
| fore the police Judge. where the custo-
mary 81 and costs was given him. The
| next day he was still in town. and was
still loaded. He was again arraigned be-
fore the bar Of justice to answer the
charge of drunkenness. The witness for
their evidence, and everything pointed to
a sure conviction. When the common
wealth was through the defendant was
asked If he had anything to say He
back Of his chair and said. in substancee
| that he had read somewhere that man 5
| life could not twice be placed In jeopardy
for the same offense He maintained that
he was convicted the day before. there:
| fore he moved for a dismissal. 1t is said
the judge sustained the motion"
-:ll:-
THE RULING SPIRIT STRONG.
The prosecuting attorney of a north
| Missouri county and a young attorney
noted for his persistence were recently
| trying the preliminary hearing Of Grim.
| inal case before justice Of the peace. The
young attorney asked many irrelevant
and incompetent questions. and when the
prosecuting attorney would object would
always say:
"Your Honor, before you pass on that
objection ! want to argue IT,
Finally the young man asked the same
question the seventh time against the
prosecuting attorneys objection, when
the prosecutor. losing his patience. said
in loud aside:
=, are you never going to get over
being a confounded fool?'
Whereupon the young fellow jumped up
with his usual remark:
Your Honor. before you pass on that l
| want to argue it,
| -:Il:-
INTERRUPTION BY THE COURT.
Lord Chief Justice Erie was prone to
i t~.,.
the judges had already made up their
minds against him. On one occasion MIR.
/ Bovill, Q. c., soon afterward made o
Judge, was stopped with: Here we stand.
we four men. and we have all firmly tem-
phasizing the adverb) made up our minds
that there must be a new trial; but II
you think 1t worth your while going on
after that (playfully). why Of course we'll
| keep on hearing you." .Whereupon the
@. z. laughingly sat down.
| On another occasion ne again inter-
| rupted with II beg to inform the counsel
there Is q time in the mind Of every man
at which he let's down the fiood-gates OF
his understanding, and allows not 'one
| more drop to enter and that time In my
mind has fully arrived"
| -:ll:-
PATERNAL ADVICE REMEMBERED.
The writer was present in court when
the following amusing passage took place
between counsel and witness In dis
puteu Will case.
Ibid your father give You no parting
admonition?"
''He never gave much away at any
time.''
'I mean to say, what We're his last
| words?"
'They don't consarn you"
"They not only concern me. sir" re-
marked the barrister. severely, but they
concern the whole court"
"Oh, all right!' was the reply. "Father
said: Don't have no trouble when I'm
gone. Jim. eos lawyers Is the biggest
thieves unhung."
-:ll:--
WHAT HE COULDN'T, TEACH. ,
81 can teach you law, sir. but / cannot
teach you manners" said an eXasperated
counsel to q small meek Witness
The latter replied quietly: That Is so.