Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-27
MARQUIS AND REPORTER
The 1mperturbable Serenity Of Lord
Harrington.
How He Aided tho Nevvspauer Maa
Who Prosecuted Him ON the
Witness Stand.
From the Chicago rime.-Herald.

From the Chicago Times-Hera
More than twenty years ago, while Hart
ington was chief secretary for Ireland.
some national demonstration In Phoenix
Park led to a breach Of the peace that
called out the troops. The disturbance
occurred on Sunday, and Immediately after
the paraders were dispersed, many of them
seriously injured, two or three of the lead
ers fastened to lawyer and began legal
proceedings against Lord Harrington for
having melted to a breach Of the peace
by calling out the troops. On the day of
the alleged riot some friends of the secre-
tary. including Prof. Mahaffy. had been at
luncheon at the vice regal lodge in the
park, and on their way to the city were
witnesses of the disturbance. When Mr..
Mahafy was called during the trial in
court the opposing counsel asked him If
the crowd had recognized him. "Yeth," ne
replied, in his bland and lisping style, II
prethume that my friendth and mythelf
presented thumthing of quathi-vithe-regal
appearanceth" "a quasi-vice-regal appear
ance). Great amusement was caused by
the Efforts of lawyers to pin the professor
down to an exact meaning of this phrase,
and Mahahy, who is an adept in the arts
of Acknowledgement, explained himself to
the jury in words taken from Latin, Greek
and German. which. Of course, made the
matter perfectly clear to the twelve good
Ten and true.
Harrington was put in the witness box
and gave simple yes or mo- to each
question. Did you call out the troous?'
Do you think you were justified in calling
them out?' do you think it the duty OF
secretary to stop a peaceable meeting Of
citizens by sending armed soldiers to fire
upon them?" Yes or mo" came DELHI
erately as the calm-looking witness shifted
the right leg over the left knee or the left
leg over the right knee. The fishing got
nothing out Of him. He was deep as mid
Atlantic. When counsel tried to frritate
him he smiled, looked down at his WEIGHING
shoes and said nothing. The ardent ma
tionalist, who was printing the cross-exam-
lining lawyer vita questions not calculated
to turn away wrath, had fire in his eye.
This little fat man. with very red nose,
was reporter on a Dublin paper, and as
he might never again have a chance to
disturb the tranquility of the witness he
made the most of the opportunity. Out
rageously irrelevant questions were put at
his instigation, and every few moments
he jumped up to say something offensive
when he was pulled down by his coat tails.
Finally he was hustled out of the court
roc IN, and the imperturDable nobleman was
allowed to go
Ten years afterward Lord Harrington,
while holding some cabinet position, was
walking over one night from the house of
commons to the house of lords. The same
little fat reporter with the red nose &C.
coSted him, raised his hat and said: How
dye do. marquis? Don't you know me?'
Harrington also raised his hat as he said:
..l oon't seem to remember you, SIR
That's strange" said the reporter; I'm
the man. your lordship Michael OShaugl-
messy by name. that brought the action
against you ten years ago in Dublin for
disturbing the peace" "Oh, indeed!' .aid
the marquis. Pm very glad to see you
again MIR. O'Shaughnessy. How are you?
You're looking very well. Is there any
thing ! can do for your"
We'll, your lordship, I want to get a
scoop for my paper, and your lordship is
the only man that can give me the infor-
nation. II you'll give it to me It'll be
upon he up with his story. II have no
objection" said Harrington, "to tell you
all krow about that affair."" and he gave
Michael the material for his SCOOP
Upon one occasion Harrington had to
read long official statement in parlfa-
ment He yawned frequently. Some one
asked asked him why he yawned so much.
slow The only time he has ever been
known to exhibit any emotion was while
reading for the house of commons the dis
patch announcing the death of Gen. Cor.
don. and then tears were in the voice of a
man who Is not given to the melting mood.