The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-11-23
HE FOOLED THE JURY
A LAWYERS CLEVER TRICK THAT
SAVED HIS CLIENT.


territory, there was little English used
outside of Denver and the mining
camps. The rest cf the thinly scattered
country was as Spanish MS any part Of
our latest America Not Castilians, of
course--more likely n general mixture
of Aztec and Apache and lot of other
strains of blood but certainly Spanish
In name aud In speech THE govern
ment recognized that It had difficult
task before 1t in bringing these 'greas-
ers to understand thevery beginning Of
the obligations and tha duties of their
American citizenship One of the most
trusted agents in this campaign Of edu
cation was Judge Hallett, who was put
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 slightly marked
trail barely passable for horses. BY slow
stages the bench and the har reached
Trinidad under the cold shadows of the
Sangre de Cristo range These Spanish
names were an incessant annoyance to
Judge Hallett, who declaimed against
each one in turn and announced his
purpose Of memorinlizing the secretary
of the interior to have them all made
American. OF piece with this was his
attitude toward the prevailing Spanish
speech of the country. He objected to
it. Among the first rules of his court
was that which provided that all its
transactions should be in English, and
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
case where no defense was possible.
The place was full of witnesses who
had seen the deed done, whatever IL
may have been, for that is unimportant.
The prosecuting attorney put on wit
ness after witness to prove the facts.
He made perfect case, and he demand
ed that full punishment be inflicted. IL
was difficult situation for Colonel
Taylor His client was guilty beyond a
doubt. Cross examination Of the wit
poocoo rprid o,,1u Lo that f,,t v,,pro
distinct. and for that reason he did
nothing so foolish. The care WAS alto
Rether Spanish. Criminal, witnesses,
audience-there were not six words Of
English in the whole outf,t The inter
prefer had been called on for every word
which had gone back and forth through
out the trial. Colonel Taylor arose 10
make his plea He surveyed the cluster
Of dark faces which filled the shed In
which the court was sitting.
"Caballeros, he Representatives.
del 1urado"-
There was loud whackinG Of the
gavel by Judge Hallctt a. soen ~ hs
caught the sound o! the language which
he despised 10 heartily.
"Mr. Taylor, Mr.. Taylor" he shout
cd, las q member Of the bar Of this
court you must be aware that all its
transactions must be conducted In the
English language, tho language Of this
country. II thought that you were
using Spanish maliciously, l should
punish you soundly for such contempt
of this court. You will address this
court of the United States in United
States and in no other speech. language
or dialect
II bow to your honor's ruling" con-
tinued Colonel Taylor and resumed his
plea, but in English and with the as
sistance of the interpreter. He told the
greaser jury how the sight of their
proud Castilian lineaments had caused
him to forget rule of the court and to
address them in the sonorous speech of
Spain, from which their proud fore.
fathers came. He obeyed the Judge, but
he felt the restraint Of having to make
his pleading through the assistance Of
the interpreter. It was simple matter
which he could set right In few sen.
tences Of their own language, but he
feared that in English he could not do
90 we'll yet he hoped that they would
not see fellow citizen punished solely
for the reason that his advocate was not
allowed to address q Spanish Jury in
their own tongue. Harping on this
theme, he avoided any discussion Of the
evidence which bore so heavily on his
client, and in his peroration he paid a
glowing tribute to the language Of Don
Quixote and Queen Isabella This done,
he fed from the spot and was not seen
until court had arisen for the day.
When they next met, the prosecuting
attorney wanted to know why he had
not been on hand to receive congratula-
tions ON the acquittal of his client.
"They set him free without stain
ON his character and without their seat
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. II knew they'd acquit
that rascal and then they'd fall all over
me with their Spanish. just naturally
had to hide. Those three words that