The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-08-08
BROUGHT ON A MISTRIAL.
!HDGE TWIGGs ExPREssED oPIN-
ION ON FACTS IN DROUGHT CASE.

woodbridge Had Never Been Sign
ed by Drought-Sharp CoIIoquy
between Counsel Was Followed by
the Grant of an Order Declaring n
NIistriaI-spicy Evidence and Spicy
Comments Judge Tvyiggs Made
One of His Characteristic Speech
es-The Dear Sweetheart" Letter.
An inadvertent expression of opinion up
on the truth of the matters of fact given
in evidence to the jury, in the trial of the
case of A. z. Drought against Mrs Anna
c. Woodbridge made by Judge Twiggs in
the course of his argument for the plain
tiff, brought the trial to an unexpected ter
mination.
When court convened yesterday morning
the introduction of evidence on behalf of
the defendant, to rebut that given by the
witnesses for the plaintiff, was continued
Mrs. Woodbridge was again placed on the
stand and answered the questions of coun-
sci with the perfect confidence assurance
and aplomb that she had exhibited when
previously Intercepted. 1t was impossi-
BILE for counsel to rattle or confuse her
or to cause her to make any material va
ration in the statements she had already
given from the stand.
Mrs Woodbridge testified at some length
as to the intimacy she said existed be-
tween the plaintiff and James Harris, her
son, by a marriage prior to that with Mr.
Woodbridge. She stated that the influence
that Drought had exercised over this boy
1-I,A
TO be worse, was an evil one and that the
plaintiff was responsible for many of the
errors in life and character that Harris
had been guilty of since the acquaintance
began and had time to ripen Drought
had encouraged young Harris to rebel
against his mothers lawful authority she
testified, and enticed him away from her
home when she was endeavoring 70 en-
force respect for her wishes and herself
from this prodigal son.
w hen the defendant closed Drought
was placed on the stand to deny these
statements, and he did deny them, in toto
and with much indignant emphasis
When the boy had left his mothers house
said the witness. he had received him UNI
der his roof and had looked after and
protected him. Because of the intimacy
that existed between Mrs. Woodbridge and
himself, said Drought, he was unwilling
10 have her son suffer or want He had
endeavored to make up the quarrel that
was in progress between mother and son.
but had failed. He had never encouraged
the boy in disobedience or viciousness
but on the contrary had done what was
possible to amend his character and
habits of life.
Judge Twiggs began his opening re-
marks to the jury at about 1870 o'clock
announcing that Mr. Oliver would con-
clude for the plaintiff and would make
the longer argument Judge Twiggs an
nouneed that he would content himself
with calling the attention of the jury
20 a few salient and prominent facts in
the case. Stubborn things" said the
judge, the importance of which cannot
be gainsaid"
Everybody who has ever seen Judge
Twiggs in the act of making a speech
knows what vitriolic scorn, indignation
and contempt he is capable of conveying
by his voice, gestures and expression.
When he was making this argument to
the jury every one of these deelamatory
assistants was brought TO bear and the
result was an effort thai carried the jury
from smiling appreciation to almost con-
vulsive miTth.
Think of it, gentlemen of the jury" he
exclaimed, referring to what the defend
ant had had TO say about Drought and his
alleged evil influence over her boy. "She
has called this man almost everything that
is mean and vile. She virtually accuses
him of forgery perjury and larceny. She
says that he is responsible for the evil
courses her son has fallen into and for
the evil traits of character he has develop
ed. She charges the plaintiff with running
the character and blasting the life of her
boy.
why, gentlemen, if you believe her
testimony, the man who Is asking justice
al your hands is the meanest and lowest
of his sex. If her evidence is credible,
here is a man who would break open the
humblest and meanest cottage in the land
and steal the tawdry bric-a -brac from the
shelves. And. if her evidence be true, he
has wronged her in the cruellest fashion
that a mothers hart can know. He has
ruined her boy.
And yet gentlemen of the jury, listen
to this" Here Judge Twiggs picked out
one of the many letters from defendant to
plaintiff that had been offered in evidence
and fiourished il in the faces of the jury.
Listen to this he repeated and began
to read.
The letter was one written by Mrs.
Woodbridge to Drought in the early part
of 1853, a considerable length of time after
the occurrences upon which she based her
statement that Droughts evil influence
had corrupted the character of her son.
The letter began Dear Sweetheart" and
was signed, With half a barrel of con-
tracts, Big Boss"
Listen to that, gentlemen" said Judge
Twiggs, in rsspingly sarcastic tones.
Here is a man who has wronged a
mothers heart in its tenderest point A
mother never loses her love for her boy.
If he IS wayward, why she but loves him
the more; If he is unfortunate she takes
him closer to her breast; If he is prodi-
GAL she kills for him the fatted calf.
This man has destroyed the character
of the son of this good lady. He has
taught him vice aud inculcated in his
young mind the seeds of evil destroyed
every good instinct that blossomed in his
breast and torn him from his mother S
Influence and protection. And yet that
mother writes to this destroyer of her
sons good name and her own happiness
and calls him Dear Sweetheart sends
him half a barrel of contracts and signs
herself Big Boss
Judge Twiggs proceeded In this vein
until he struck the question of the re-
ceipt that had been offered In evidence
by Mrs. Woodbridge and that purported
TO be signed by Drought. He had discuss
ed this at some length and finally said:
II don't believe that this alleged re-
ceipt was ever signed by this plaintiff.
L"
Counsel has made sta tement that is
manifestly improper" interjected Mr..
Leaken at this point, land / move the