, 1898-12-29
HE FOOLED THE JURY
A LAWYERS CLEVER TRICK THAT
SAVED HIS CLIENT.

auu
Proved So beyond N Doubt. but the
shrewd Lawyer Found n Way ia
Win His Case.
When Colorado was organized as a
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. Not CastiIians, Of
course-more likely a general mixture
OF Aztec and Apache and a lot of other
strains of blood, but certainly Spanish
in name and in speech. 1.-The govern
ment recognized that it had "A difficult
task before it in bringing these .greas.
ers' 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 edu-
cation was Judge Hallett, who was nut
In charge of the judicial system of the
new territory. From that time to this
he has been at the head of the federal
judiciary in the great and prosperous
state of Colorado, Despite this fierceness
OF rebuke and countless oddities of tenn
per no judge has ever been so respected
as he along the great divide.
When he first went on circuit, the bar
left Denver with him and travelled in a
body both for sociability and for safety.
Then there was no railroad, the only
means of reaching any place from any
other being along a slightly marked
trail barely passable for horses. BY slow
stages the bench and the bar reached
Trinidad under the cold shadows of the
Sangre de Cristo range. These Spanish
names were al incessant annoyance to
Judge Hallett, who acclaimed against
each n in turn and announced his
purpose OF memorializing the secretary
of the interior to have them all made
American. OF a piece with this was his
attitude toward the prevailing Spanish
speech of the country. He objected to
1t. Among the first rules of his court
was that which provided that all its
transactions should be in English, anu
that if litigants objected to the work of
the sworn interpreter that was their
own lookout. 1t might encourage them
to learn to talk American" as they
ought.
In Trinidad Colonel Taylor of the
bar was retained for the defense in a
oase where no defense was possible.
The placa was full of witnesses who
had seen the deed done, whatever it
may have been, for that is unimportant.
The prosecuting attorney put on wit
ness after witness to prove the facts.
He made a perfect case, and he demand
ed that full punishment be inflicted. 1t
was q difficult situation for Colonel
Taylor. His client was guilty beyond a
doubt. Cross examination of the wit
.nesses could only make that fact more
distinct, and for that reason he did
nothing SO foolish. The case was alto.
gether Spanish. Criminal, witnesses,
audience-there were not six words of
English in the whole outfit. The inter
prefer had been called on for every word
which had gone back and forth through
out the trial. Colonel Taylor arose to
make his plea. He surveyed the cluster
Of dark faces which filled the shed in
which the court was sitting.
''Caballeros. :" he began-''caballeros
del jurado''-
There was a loud whacking Of the
6"'oA W Suoeo Aiaiies. 40 BULL as ue
caught the sound OF the language which
he despised so heartily.
mi. Taylor, Mr.. Taylor, !" he shout
Cd. las a I'M OF the bar of this
court you nus be aware that all its
transactions must be conducted in the
English language, the language OF this
country. III l thought that you were
using Spanish malioiously, l should
punish you soundly for such contempt
OF this You will address this
q OF the United States in United
States and ID no other speech, language
or dialect
u DOW TO your honor 8 ruling, con-
sinued Colonel Taylor and resumed his
plea, but Id Engiish ana with the as
sistanoe OF the interpreter. he told the
greaser Jury how the sight OF their
proud Castilian lineaments had caused
him to forget q rule OF the court and to
address them IN the sonorous speech OF
spain, from winch thelr proud lore
fathers came. he obeyed the judge. but
he felt the restraint OF having to make
bis pleading through the assistance OF
the interpreter. 1t was a simple matter
which he could set right IN q few SEN
tenoes OF their own language, but he
feared that in English no could not do
20 we'll; yet he hoped that they would
not see . fellow citizen punished solely
.I,oved 10 address a Snanisb iurv in