The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-12-17
ASTONISHED LAWYER.
And the Demonstrative Juror Who
Occupied Seat 6.

CNew York SUM-
I'm my twenty years experience as a
practicing lawyer" said a well known
member of the bar at the Lawyers
club the other day, 81 don't believe 1
ever went through a more exciting
trial than one I took part in out at
Freehold, n. j., last week. When l
say exciting [ mean exciting for me,
for 1 was the only one who appeared
to be concerned about the conduct of
the man who occupied the sixth seat
in the jury box.
The case was a civil action, and L
represented the plaintiff. 1t was a
small matter and we were suing for
only $780, but as my client happened to
be a personal friend, and he was more
anxious to establish a principle than
to collect any money, ! was out to win.
THE judge was a sedate individual,
who slept most of the time, and the
jury looked as though it had been
drafted from the hay fields. l scored
well for my client with the first wit
ness. and was looking out of the corner
of my eye to see what effect the point
had had with the jury, when l noticed
the man in No. 6 scowling furiously at
me. When l continued to make head
way with the next witness he shook
his u6dQ, SUM leu anu lOOhEO do LllOds51l
he'd like to eat me up. The rest Of the
jurymen kept watching him, and l be-
gan to think ! was up against a pretty
stiff proposition.
Finally 1 threw a question at q wit
ness, which, if honestly answered, l
knew would establish our claim to
damages No. evidently thought SO
too for he rose from his seat, shook
his head vigorously at the Judge, and
loo, fnts. I 10
judges decision, for by this time the
defendants counsel had made no OBJ
lection.
The judge ruled against me, and No
6 fell back into his seat and laughed
as though it was the funniest thing he
had ever heard. 1 was mad clean
through by this time. Such outrage
GUS conduct had never seen in court
Your honor l began, protestingly.
" Go on with the case roared his
honor.
But, sir I began, this is the most
extraordinary
:" Go on with the case interrupted
the judge once more, and, seeing it
was vain to protest, L went on.
Wei, this thing went on all through
the trial. Every point I made brought
q scowl to the face of No. 6. Every
point my opponent made brought
up he kept shaking his head vigorously
and saying things in an ugly tone, but
under his breath. Once he threw his
hands uo in the air in protest, and
1 got so mad that l could have hauled
him out of that box and thrashed him
with pleasure.
when the defense summed UP the
fellow grinned with delight. He Shook
his head approvingly at all the lawyer
said. and once when the lawyer in
dulged in abuse of me he claDDed his
hands together as though he was dy-
ing to applaud. During the judges
charge he scowled and smiled alter
nately, according to which side his
honor favored.
We're gone I whispered to my
client, and l never engaged in a bet
ter case than this. Rather than sub
NIT to such a bare-faced steal I'll fight
this case through every court in the
state, and without cent of fee, too
The judge had finished by this time,
and the jury had risen to go out To
my utter establishment No. jumped
over the rail of the jury box. and, 60
ing over to where the defendant and
his lawyer sat. slapped the former on
the shoulder and said in loud voice:
Youth win, sure. Here my indigna-
ton got the better of me. Rushing
over 70 No. 6 l took him by the arm
and wheeled him around
See here, sir, the jury has retired.
and you might better be with them
than talking to the defendant and his
COUNSEL
why should I be with emp he
replied.
Why, good heavens, man, can the
jury deliberate while you're in the
courtroom and they're elsewhere?'
Don't know why not, he replied.
I amt no juror
Then who the devil are your I
demanded.
He's my hired man. put in the de-
PENDANT.
Then what was he doing in the
jury box?
Why, consarn it, there warn't an
other seat in the ROOM said the hired
man. Didn't suppose 1 was goin' ter
stand I'D. did yer?'
Il went back to my seat. completely