The morning times., 1896-07-26
TRIALS L0NG DRAWN OUT
Famous Suits at Law in Dis
trict Courts.
HOLT WILL THE LONGEST
Other Contests Over Estates That
Have Consumed weeks-CivilC Cases
Not Yet Disposed Of-Guiteau Trial
Was One of the Most Remarkable
of All.

rev people cOlnpreDenO tne thhe anu
labor CONSUMED III Tue conducting OF ii great
suit through the courts OF law. Que oil Tie
most reina rkubie Illustrations was the Holt
will contest, recently concluded ill Judge
Bradiey,s court.
II required within two Us Of six weeks
to try lhis case. SIX lawyers were en-
gaged almost night and 0ay ouiIDg al of
that time, aud IUr weeks beIUrena NJ. Well
nigh 100 witnesses were required TO tes-
ury In the case.
The evidence was probably the most yo-
luminous that ever marked d soII in local
Jurisprudence. II covered a series Of
twenty-seyen voluInes OF typewriter pages,
and these volumes were Quadrupled In
carbon. An approximate estimate OF the
number OF words reported places it at
1000 900. That, TOO, is exclusive of
the argument of counsel, who consumed
twelve solid hours III talking TO the jury,
though their remarks were not steDograph-
icaily reported.
Like e,ery other great case, this one has
4 wide field before it yet. Ii has been car
ried through the probate court to the court
Of appeals. A new trial is u possibility.
In that event, much Will be gone over
again. IL there is no immediate new trial
the Supreme Court of the United States
stands open as . last resort from whence
the Whole proceedings are either thrown
back to be repeated, or else are ciinched
with an affirmation.
DELAYS OF THE LAW.
II every step is affirmed even, it will re-
quire time. ine court or appeals cannot
consider the case before October at the ear
iiest, while the probability is that it will
more likely be reached after the holidays.
The step TO tire Supreme Court is proven
~ n nd tad mn lao x-t
OF justice there, that are ciotted from hub
to rim in the mire of endless suits and liti
cation. are slow to turn. One, two or
three years would be reasonable time for
the tribunal OF la st resort to dispose OF the
case.
Another will case where thirty-five days
were consumed in taking testimony was
that over tile alleged will or Michael Tally.
The jury was sworn In this case on the
Esd of November, ss1 ,eud verdict was
not returned until February 1 3 OF the fol-
lowing year. The estate was valued at
nearly $3.50 900 and was left by the wis
to a daughter aud to several charitable
institutions. The will was broken and tile
court of appeals dismissed the appeal that
followed.
ANOTHER WILL CASE.
Still another will case was the one in
which the heirs OF Christian Rupert sought
TO break his last testament. The jury was
sworn to try the case March 90 1 500 and
brought in a verdict sustaining tie will the
following June. Here, too, an estate Of
great value was in dispute.
Probably no tri al ever held in the District
of Columbia attracted as much attention as
the Pollard Brecinridge breach OF prom
Use suit. The history of the case is SO
fresh in the mindsofevery newspaper
a whole N dros moi
repetition.
The panel was completed and sworn
March 8, 1894. verdict awarding Miss
Pollard damages in the sum or ST j, 900 was
returned April IA. She brought suit for
$5O,0O0. The testimony taken in this case
up to colossal proportions, it be-
ing estimated that the evidence alone COW
cred upward of 500, 900 words.
1t was understood from the beginning
that the suit was to be one for principle
and not for the money that might be re-
ceived. AS a matter of fact, not one cent of
the award of the jury has ever been paid
and there is no probability that any effort
Will be made to collect.
The case was not even appealed Notice
was given that an appeal would be taken,
but for some unexplained reason the la wyers
for the statesman defendant never came
into court until day too late to note their
formal appeal, and they were eternally
from filing one
When Howard ]. Schneider was tried
and convicted of murder, it took over
400, 900 words of testimony to put the
case before the jury Just one calendar
month, beginning March 9, 1892, was
occupied from the time the Jury first took
he oath until they brought in the verdict
that sent him to the gallows
TRIAL OF GUITEAU.
The Jury in the case OF Charles j.
the assassin of President Gar
field, were occupied much longer with the
triai, though they were not on duty each
day. Tue jurors were sworn
November 16, 1881. The testimony closed
8, 1882 and on the 26th of the
'ame month verdict was brought in
Guiteau's guilt.
SonIe 500, 900 words OF testimony made
up the evidence in that case. The first |
witness was the late James g. BlaIne
The Jury was out but few hours. No new
trial was granted.
One of the most remarkable of these
long -drawn-out suits was that OF John j.
shipmaD against william Fletcher, Jona-
than Nagarity and James w. MCCARTHY.
This wal q suit for damages in the sum
of $50 900 for malicious prosecution.
The trial began June 9, 1887, and lasted
until the II tn OF the following month. Had
the testimony been all written it would |
probably have required 100 pounds OF |
paper to cover IL.
This was by 10 means the beginning or |
the litigation between the parties. Their |
,umbats In the courts OF law began down in