The Portland daily press., 1898-11-14
WHERE SPANISH WAS USEFUL.
Colonel Taylor Knew Three Words, but
They Acquitted HIS Client.
(Chicago Inter Ocean.)


When Colorado was organized as
territory there was little English used
outside Of Denver and the mining camps.
The rest of the thinly scattered country
was as Spanish as any part Of our latest
America. The government recognized
that it had difficult task before 1t in
bringing these .sgreasers" to understand
the very beginning of the obligations and
the duties of their American citizenship.
One Of the most trusted agents in this
campaign of education was Judge Hal
| lett who was put in charge of the judi
cial s, stem of tie new territory. From
| that time to this he has been at the head
of the Feaeral Judiciary in the great and
prosperous State of Colorado. Among
the fiIs lies of his court was that which
provided tnat all Its transactions should
be in English, and that Ii litigants OBJ
! lie ted to the work OF the sworn inter-
p.e.er that was their own lookout; 1t
| m gnt encourage them to learn to talk
..American,' as they ought.
| In Trinidad Colonel Taylor OF the bar
was retained for the defense in case
where no defense was possible The placs
4 was full of witnesses who had seen the
| deed done, whatever 1t may have been, for
| that is unimporuanG 1hs proseo uting
attorney put on witness after witness 70
prove the facts He made perieos case
and he demanded that full punishment
| he inflicted. 1t was a difficult situation
! for Colonel Taylor. His client was guilty
/ bevoud q doubt; cross-examination OF
| the witnesses could only make that Iaot
! more distinct, and for that reason ne dio
| nothing SO foolish. The case was alto
gsther spanish, Criminal, witnesses, au-
.Iience. ere were not six words OF EnR'
| lish in ths whole OUTFIT Colonel Taylor
arose to make hie plea He surveyed the
+ ciustsr of dark faces which hlied the shed
In which the court was sitting:
"CabalIeros, he began, "cabaileros osl
jurado''-
by Judge Hallett as soon as ne oSa5nS ~ A..
| the sound OF the language Wnlcn ne oo-
HMr. Taylor. Mr.. Taylor" he shouted,
Iaas ! member Of the bar Of this court you
must be ware that all its transactions
must be conducted In the Enellsn nan =
guage, the Language OF this country. a !
tho4g that you were using opnsdni plnmndiv % sor
such contempt Of this court. You VIII
address this court Of the United states IN
United States, and In no other spoeen'
Language or dialso1: ), .,,,-
~ bow to your Honsr's ruling, Goa.
tinusd Colonel Taylor, arn TesIMeu nls
plea, but in English and wien tne ass.so, ~.
ance Of the Interpreters. Hs tolo bne
greaser jury how the sight O snslr prouu, ~
/ Ss.stjit.n Jinea ments had caused nim TO
| foroet a rule of the court and TO a9dress
tba1n IN the soporous sreech OF spain,
fr.,m vvhicn their proud furefathers came
He oteyed the judge, but be iei1 tne re-
/ strain. of having to make his pieauing
shnn,,s,h the assistancs of the interpreter.
| If was ample matter whlcn pc could
~ ri1ht in 4 few senten aes of their own
$1,000 soo Int feared that in English
=. eSsnla not do SO well yet he hoped shat
thav 1ould not see fellow citizen pun
;shsd solely for the reason thai his advo-
cate WAS not allowed to address Span
ish Jury In their own tongue. Harping
| on this theme he avoided any discussion
| If the evidence which bore so heavily en-
his client, and in his peroration hs paid
4 glowing tribute to the language OF Don
| Ouixote and Queen Isabella. This done
| ne fed from the spot and was not seen
until court had arisen for the day.
When they next met the prosecuting
attorney wanted to knew why he had not
been on hand to receive congratulations
on the aoquittal Of his client.
"They set him free without stain on
b is character and without leaving their
seats, and it was all due to your Spanish.
Why didn't you wait? You're the hero
of the whole population.
That's just the trouble" reJoined
| Colonel Taylor, ~ knew they'd acquit
that chicken thief and then they d fall
over nae with their Spanish. just naeu-
rally had to hide. Those three words that
Judge Hallet choked me of on, that's all
the Spanish l svar knew In my life.
couldn't afford to be congratulated,