The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-07-10
Anecdotes of O'Connell.


gan who was charged with murder. A
hat, believed to be the prisoner 8, was
found close to the body of the muir
dered man, and this was the principal
ground for suspecting Hogan. The
Crown counsel made a strong point OF
the hat. which was produced in court.
O'Connell cross-examined the nelghbor
OF the prisoner who identified it.. 1T
Is not different from other 1ats?" ;aid
O'Connell. We'll, seemingly no., hut
know that hat. Are you !erfectly
sure that this was the hat found near
the body?" "Sartin sure" O'Connell
proceeded to inspect the caubecn, and
turned up the lining as he peer-A into
! the interior. Was the prisoners name
Pat Hogan the gave out caCn let
! ter slowly In it at the time you found
it: ''Twas, of course" You could
not be mistaken" M, sir. And
all you have sworn Is az true as that:"
Quite" Then go Off the table this
mfnute." cried O'Connelt triumphantly,
and addressing the judge he said: My
lord. there can be no conviction here.
There is no name in that hat. The pris-
oner was at once acquitted.
oConnell possessed an extraordinary
knowledge of his countrymen. the real
cunning concealed by stolid demean-
or, the tact and clverness covered by
apparent simplicity. He often hazarded
OF hny re
failed to hit of his point. At the Ira
lee Assizes he held brief from Jerry
Keller, noted attorney O'Connell
had to examine witness about whose
sobriety there was some question. The
witness would not convict himself lie
declared he had had his share of pint
| of whisky. His sobriety depended upon
the amount of his share. O'Connell
asked him by virtue OF his oath was
not his share all but the pewter, and
amid roar OF laughter the unhappy
victim of forensic dexterity was obliged
to admit that it was. O'Connell, in re-
ating the story afterwards, said: The
oddity OF my mode of putting the ques-
Il
general and hearty laugh" Jerry kel-
Ter said: You'll do, young gentleman;
you'll do" .92
OConnell's drollery was often dis
played during the assizes. For instance
when stating he injury cone to claim
ant who broughtian action against the
Earl of Bandoa for diverting water
course. the defendants attorneys face
was Il good index of his devotion to
i5acchus. His name was O'Flaherty,
and O'Connen said. so completely was
| the stream deviatRd from the plaintiffs
mill there was not sufficient water left
to make grog for O'Flaherty"
Again, when applying to change the
venue or case from Dublin to I'ralee.
the motion was resisted by a very un-
prepossessing looking barrister whose
whose politics were adverse to Kerry
men in general and O'Connell in par
ticuar. This gentleman contended that
there was no necessity to send the case
to kerry-a county so remote, where
he had never beenit was very incon-
venlent. II can promise my learned
friend.' replied OConnell. IA hearty
welcome. and We'll show him the lovely
Lakes of Killarney" "Ay," growled
the opposing barrster, the bottom of
them ooh, no." replied O'Connell, II
would me- = tighten the fish"
On another occasion O'Connell was
engaged to defend a highwayman who
had committed robbery on 'ipe public
road In the vicinity of Cork, d..6 owing
to the mastery way in which O'Conneu
sifted the evidence and cross examined
witnesses the man was acquitted. rne
following year on returning to Cork,
O'Connell saw the same hardened face
| resting on the same well-worn dock,
grim and ruilianly, and accused OF very
nearly the same crime. The culprit, as
in the former. case, was fortunate
enough to secure OConnell, who pl,z-
zlcd the witnesses. perpleXed the Judge,
and bewildered the jury owing to
whose hopeless disagreement the rris-
oner was discharged. His industrious
client when restored to liberty had no
notion of sitting down in sluggish idle
| ness; he stole collier brig, sold the
| cargo, purchased arms with the price,
| and cruised along the coast in quest of
booty, and when OConnell returned to
Cork he was once more In the dock
charged with piracy. His defense was
| undertaken by O'Connell for the third
| time. OConnell showed that the crime
! did not come under the cognisance of
! the court. as 1t had been perpetrated on
the high seas: it came under the cogni-
sance of the admiralty. The gratitude
of the prisoner Was unboundetl, and
raising his eyes and hands to heaven
he exclaimed. "OhJ may the Lord spare
you to me-" ~ 4