The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-01-20
Convincing a Jury.


Bennett for his bill, long overdue, for at
tending the wife of the latter. Alexan-
der HI. Stephens was on the Bennett side,
and Robert Toombs, then Senator to the
United States, was for DR.. Royston. The
doctor proved the number of visits, their
value according to local custom, and his
own authority to do medical practice. Mr..
Stephens told his client that the physician
had made out his case, aud, as there was
nothing wherewith to rebut or Offset the
claim, the only thing left to do was to
pay it.
''No, said Peter III hired you to
speak in my case, and now speak. y
Mr.. Stevens told him there was nothing
to say, he had looked on to see that it
was made out, and it was.
Peter was obstinate, and at last Mr..
Stephens told him to make speech him
self, if he thought one could be made.
81 will, said Peter Bennett, s'if Bob
by Toombs will not be too hard on me. y
Senator Toombs promised and Peter
began
"Gentlemen of the jury You and |
is plain farmers, and if we don stick to-
gether these ere lawyers and doctors will
git the advantage of us. aint no objec-
ton to them in their proper place, but
they aint farmers, gentlemen of the jury.
Now, this man Royston was new doctor,
and went for him to come an to doctor
my wife sore leg, and he come and put
some salve truck unto it, and some rags,
but never done it one bit of good, gentle
men of the jury, don't believe he is no
doctor, no way. There is doctors as is
doctors sure enough, but this man don't
earn his money, and if you send for him,
as Mrs. Susan Atkinson did for negro
boy as was worth 81, ,OO6, he just kills him
and wants pay for it. -
~ don t p thundered the doctor.
"Did you cure him 2 asked Peter,
with the slow accent of a Judge with a
black cap on.
The doctor was silent, and Peter pro-
ceded:
As | was sayin' !, gentlemen of the jury,
we ldTucIS Wicu VIC oSii Oui SoVeoh mas
got to give valley for the money we ask,
and doctor aint none too good to be put
to the same rule. And | don't believe
this Sam Royston is no doctor, no how. y
The physician again put in his oar, with
''Look at my diploma if you think am
no doctor. -
His diploma r. exclaimed the new
hedged orator, with great contempt.
ellis diploma Gentlemen, that is big
word for printed sheepskins; and it didn' t
make no doctor of the sheep as first wore
it, nor does it of the man as now carries
it, and p'n out to ye that he amt no
doctor at ALL /"
The man Of medicine was now in fury,
and screamed out
'sAsk my patients if [ am no doctor T.
81 asked my wife," retorted Peter,
can she said as how she thonght you
wasn't
"Ask my other patients, said Dr.
Royston.
This seemed to be the straw that broke
the camel back, fof Peter replied with
a look and tone of unutterable sadness
s'This is hard saying, gentlemen of the
Jury, and one that requires me to die OF
to have powers as I've heard tell ceased tc
be exercised since the Apostles. Does he
expect me to bring the angel of Gabriel
down to toot his horn before the time, and
cry aloud Awake, ye dead, and tell
this court and jury your opinion Of Roy
ston' practice p Am | to go to the tomb
| and say to him as is at last at rest from
physic and doctors bills: Git up here,
you, and state if you died natural death,
OF was you hurried up some by doctors Z
He says ask his patients; and, gentlemen
of the jury, they are all dead ! Where
is Mrs. Beazly's man Sam? Go ask the
worms in the graveyard where he lies.
| Mrs. Peaks woman Sarah was attended
BY him, and her funeral was appointed,
and he had the corpse ready. Where is
that likely Bill as belonged to Mr.. Mitch
ell? Now in glory, a-expressin' his opin-
ion on Royston's docterin'. Where is the
baby gal of Harry Stephens? She are
where doctors cease from troublin and the
infants are at rest. Gentlemen Of the jury,
he has eat chickens enough at my house to
| pay for his salve, and 1 furnished the
| rags; and don't suppose he charges for
maxim of her worse, and even he don Z
pretend to charge for curin' of her, and
am humbly thankful that he never gave
her nothin' for her inwards, as he did his
other patients, for somethin' made um all
die mighty sudden.
Here the applause made the speaker
sit down in great confusion, and, in spite
of a logical restatement of the case by
Senator Toombs, the doctor lost and Peter
Bennett won.