The state herald., 1898-11-18
A LAWYERS STORY.
JUDGE DAYS LEGAL TRIUMPH.
How the Unassum'ng Ohio Man Got tho
Best of the Boston Legal Lumi,
naries.

Senator Fairbanks of Indiana is
fond of telling about an invasion of
the Boston courts by a country law
yer two or three years ago. A big
litigation was on, involving the con-
troll of an Ohio railway, and seven or
eight legal luminaries of the largest
magnitude from Boston were there
to represent the bondholders and the
"reorganizers." The local stockhold-
ers and the management of the road
who were fighting for their own
preservation, were represented by an
unassuming attorney from n small
town in Ohio, who appeared in deli
cate health and was an entire strang-
er In Boston. AS he came into court
he modestly took back seat without
any other demonstration than po-
lite bow to the judge and n pleasant
good morning" to his formidable
army of opponents. During the morn
ing proceedings he did not open his
lips and showed no particular inter-
est, and when the Boston lawyers
went to lunch at Young's hotel DUR
ing the noon hour they were chuck
ling to themselves about the easy
manner In which they were going to
dispose of what they had feared
r1nlght be n very tedious and trouble
some litigation. Senator Fairbanks
was present as spectator. to watch
the collateral interest OF the Wanda
Ila line, OF which he was general So
licitor, and was looked upon as a
neutral party. So they invited him
to lunch with them, and he heard
their humorous illusions to the coun-
try lawyer who had appeared to rep
resent the other side.
Gentlemen" said the senator after
awhile, II have had good deal of ex-
perience with country lawyers and
have learned not TO despise them.
Your conduct of this case is, of
course. not my affair, but l advise
you to be on your guard, for If that
country lawyer over there in the cor
ner of the court room wakes up he Is
likely to give you trouble. kept my
eye on him this morning and have
come to the conclusion that he knows
his business"
The ornaments of the New Eng
land bar laughed in derision. and
when the court adjourned that after
noon they taunted Senator Fairbanks
with his warning, for the country law
yer had not opened his lips during the
day. And so the case went on. the
Boston attorneys occupying all the
time, submitting motions. suggestions
and plans for the consideration of the
court which We're entirely in the in
terest of their clients. and having ev-
erything their own way.
About the fourth day. however, af-
fer the ''reorganizers' had disclosed
their whole scheme and committed
themselves TO n line of procedure
which left the legitimate owners of
the road in the cold. the country law
yer came forward and modestly inter
posed few objections In the interest
OF his clients. The Boston crowd at
tempted to throw him down with n
rush, but he quietly plunged his spear
into the weak spots of the armor of
every one of them and drew blood mt
every thrust. Before the day was
over he had them all thoroughly de
moralized and Quarreling among
themselves. while he submitted few
motions TO the court. which were i'm
mediately sustained The result. as
Senator Fairbanks tells it, was that
when the case was concluded the
country lawyer walked OF with the
whole thing, leaving the lights of the
Boston bar In n semi-comatose condi-
tion and wondering what had hap
pened TO them. The senator SAYS II
was as keen and complete n case of
legal strategy as he has ever known
In his long practice at the bar. and
that the country lawyer was william
II. Day Of Canton. Ohio. now a mem
her OF the peace commission.-Chica-
go Record.