The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-23
A QUICk-wTTTED FRESHMAN.
He saved the Day for Himself and
for His Lawyer.
Memphis Conmercial-Appeai

Ny first case came at Florence, Ala,
few months after / was licensed, writes
Attorney e. 81. Jackson. The sheriff
there. Capt ". 7. White. now dead.
gallant Confederate soldier. and one of ma
TIRES nobemsn. met me on the street and
told me there was man confined In the
county Jail who wished TO see me-
| was then Il years old. bat would read
lily haze passed for IL The clients name
was Patrick Donovan, but he was COM
monty called Patsy Donovan. Going TO
the jail found man from 50 to s. years
old. an intelligent. nice-iooking, devil-rnay-
care Irishnlan. When entered ne greet
ed me with Good evening. Miss Pre-
:enaiag not to have heard him address
me as Mss" and assuming much digni-
~. told him was the lawyer whom the
sheriff had promised to send him. For an
swer he exclaimed. We'll, III be ID
and burst out aughing-iaughing uproar-
lousy. | was irritated to a degree by this
reception Il beg pardon, Judge: it's a go.
You do look pretty young. but Tom che
sheriff says you are daisy. Get me out
OF here. and my folks, who've got plenty.
viii pay you " I'll for your trouble.
lie told me his story. lie was a skilled
mechanic from keo<uk Ia. and had been
employed by the government in construct
Ing a lock on the Mussel Shoals canal.
near Florence. He had shot the physi-
sycian was a brother OF the United States
engineer In control of the canal construc-
ton. and IL was evident that the prosecu-
ton would be bitter. sparing no pains or
expense 10 secure a conviction, entailing
long penitentiary sentence The doctor
aad my client were both men OF reckless
Courage and overbearing temper, both
sometimes looked on the wine when IT was
red, and both, inferred, Were striving for
ofa
between them soon came They had a
savage quarrel at their boarding house
al dinner. The doctor being armed and
my Client unarmed, the latter had to sub
NIT TO unlimited abuse. and would have
been shot but for the interference of sew
eral mea who were present Soon after
highfaii OF the same day my client went
10 the doctors office and sleeping room
about mile distant and in a secluded
place. and. knocking on the door. was bid
Den oy The doctor TO come in. Entering he
found the doctor putting on a shirt and
tnus Tor the moment disabled and re-
marking, You had the drop on me this
morning. but I've got 1t on you now"
iired. striking the doctor In the neck and
ifiIicihg dangerous but not fatal wound.
The case soon came on for trial While
the defendants version OF the occurrence
as ne had given il 10 me was very differ
ent from the one in the foregoing, yet II
was SO improbable in itself and so fncon-
sistent with the attendant circumstances,
mat IL looked like sentence of ten years
was Inevitable If the case was then tried.
TO gain postponement an objection was
interposed to the competency Of the court
on the ground that he was related by af-
Unity to the prosecutor. This failed. Next
al earnest effort was made for a continu
ance. The state tonight this aggressive!y,
thus giving warning of what was to come
and II. too. failed In sheer desperation
then whispered to my client, "Your real
name Is Patrick, not Patsy isn't it?"
tThe indictment named him Patsy Don
evan. Then moving to quash the indict-
ment for the misnomer / wrote out the
defendants affidavit in support The affi-
daNit stated that the defendants name
was Patrick. and that he was commonly
known and called by this name. and not
by the name OF Patsy" Donovan He
took the affidavit and read or seemed 10
read IL carefully, and going to the clerks
Desk. swore 10 IL and signed it-"Patsy"
Donovan. This. of course. was the wav
he usually signed his name, but he never
reflected that TO sign IL Patsy this time
was to afford the strongest evidence of
the faisty of the affidavit.
Arguing the case without looking at the
affidavit. didn't see how he had signed IL:
but the states attorney had noticed the
signature. and In his reply called the
courts attention TO II. This disclosure
raised "A storm of laughter and jeering in
the court room. I was confounded and at
the end Of my resources. Not so was
Patsy" Realizing his peril. that the slip
was his own. and that he alone could re-
trieve H. he spoke out, not 81 whit abashed:
u signed IL Patsy out OF pure respect
for your honor. It's not for me 10 give
the lie to your honor's court papers Your
honor : court papers say I'm Patsy and
III sign II Patsy until your honor gives
me leave 10 write my own true name
The court sustained the motion fr,on
pure admiration for Patsy" We now
had time 10 look about us. few months
later the case was tried. the jury falling
20 agree on The hail bond. which had
been fixed az a high figure was then re-
duced TO reasonable sum. He gave the
bond. saying - had "iost by nose" but
he never returned 20 stard another trial
although his hondsmen were promptly re-
in1buTsed, and the writer was generously
remembered receiving. as | now remam-
her s3oo have often been curious 10
know what became 0f Tire gay. rnllickin.
| liDporturahle Patsy"