The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-07-10
HARRIsoN's MURDER CASE.
How He Won One Of the Few That
Dan Voorhees, Ever Lost.

How He Won One of the Few That
Dan Voorhees, Ever Lost.
The scars are almost healed. The
small boys of the Civil War period are
growing gray, and Hoosiers who used
to be afraid to go into Kentucky and
Kentuckians who dared not cross into
Indiana now jug for catfish from the
same skiff and swap war lies and plug
tobacco in perfect amity. The war
must be over.
Ben Harrison's appearance in one OF
the greatest lawsuits in the worlds MIS-
tory-the boundary dispute between
Venezuela and Great Britain-is not ms
first cause celebre by any means lie
may recall one in which he participated
when he was twenty-five years younger
chan he is now, with Dan voorhees, as
opposing counsel He may remember
it because it was one of the few murder
cases Voorhees, ever lost. The State OF
Indiana had found fault with one Bill
Smith--that was not his name, but TWILL
serve-because Bill had killed a farmer.
1t was most unprovoked murder, Ior
Bill and a party of registering compan-
ions had stoned the farmers house, ana
when he appeared without the moat to
make physical protest they set upon
him most savagely. He was stabbed 10
death with jack-knife in the hands OF
Smith. Harrison was called In TO as
eist the Prosecuting Attorney. 1t was
great day at the county saet, and the
courthouse was packed to witness the
battle royal the two giants of the foren-
sic arena. Smith was a very unpromis-
ing candidate for nature and a bad an
cestry had made low-browed degener-
ate of him to begin with, and his own
efforts had not improved his makeup
While the witnesses were being eXanl-
ined he leered and grinned and spurted
tobacco juice vigorously extracted from
auid which, from the swelling in ms
cheek, seemed to be of about the size OF
the ordinary egg of commerce. Noor-
bees, calling each juror by his hrst
name-"Bill," Jim" or Jack, as was
his wont--made most mpassloned plea
for the young man, begging his twelve
peers to give him just one more
chance" He rung the changes on that
text for three or four hours, and the
more eloquent Voorhees, became the
more Smith grinned and expectorated'
When VOORHEES, had finished Harrison
walked close up to the prisoner, regard
ed him most attentively for length OF
1 time that seemed an hour to the jury
and spectators and an age TO the cul-
prit and after he had finished ms sur
vev exclaimed, in mock continuation OF
Voorhees's speech: yes; give him one
y more chance!' And the deadly sar-
casm in his tone was like thrust TO
! the heart to the defendant. with mai
| ipnant deliberateness Harrison sized up
the degenerate again for an intermina-
BILE length of time, and the jury coulo
not help doing the same. Give MN
one more chance," Kissed the cold
hlooded. cruel Harrison, and then the
Having began. If ever a man was yer
ballv skinned alive that same BIZ
smith was. and VOORHEES, acknowledged
after the trial that his clients rate was
scaled when Harrison first muteiy
called the jury's attention to the prs
er's depraved appearance ana then
sneered Give him one more chahee.
smith got twenty years, whlch MT
voorhees, declared was light sentence
considering all the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
neapolis News.