The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-11-06

and the defendant is present by at,
torney and in person." responded Pratt
lean, with special emphasis On the
words in person" and a scornful
glance at Oakfell, which was greeted
by a whispered aye, ii yi!" from the
left.
! That is sufficient. Read your plead
incs, gentlemen" requested the judge.
Oakfell arose and read the petition
! of Leon. It was concise and perfectly
plain, reciting merely that the plaintiff
was born the slave Of Fabian Quey'
rouze, deceased, and was Inherited by
the heirs Of said Queyrouze; that fol
the period Of ten years, with the knowl'
edge Of his masters, he was suffered tc
enjoy freedom within the state and
thereby became free man in virtue OF
the article 3510 Of the civil code; thai
after the expiration Of said prescrlptiNe
period the defendant, Constant guile
bert, by deceit obtained control OF
plaintiffs person and unlawfully de-
prived him Of his liberty until the IN
| stitution Of this suit, falsely claiming
to be his master. The petition con
cluded with the prayer that the plain
tiff should be judicially declared and
recognized q free man and released
from the custody and dominion OF the
defendant.
pratiean in his turn recited in q dis
iointed way the answer Of QulIleoert
It denied that the plaintiff had ever en-
ioyed freedom by the permission OF
any person entitled to his services and
asserted that, having by his own ad'
mission been born a slave and never
emancipated in the manner and form
provided by tie laws Of the state prior
to 1857, he was without right to sue
and stand in judgment in the courts OF
the state. and hence the answer prayed
that the plaintiffs demand be rejected
It was apparent to all professional
minds that Pratjean's plea was drawn
far more artfully and skillfully than
was Oakfell's petition and opposed diff
fculties, Of a technical kind which
would scarcely have been anticipated
to demand so simple as Icons.
At the conclusion of the reading Oak
fell said:
Zone of my witnesses is an old lady
who has never been within court OF
Justice and shrinks from appearing in
open court before an audience ',ompos'
ed entirely Of men. I ask the consent
of the other side to have her testimony
taken before your honor in chambers. "
81 refuse consent" snapped Pratjean'
Drawing the indignant glances directed
upon him by the judge and every other
respectable man in the courtroom. "My
client has received no courtesies from
the other side, and for him I insist
"You need proceed no further. sir; the
request is withdrawn" said Oakfell.
1t his instance Jewett left the court
room and in moment returned escort
ing Mrs. Wyley and her son Binker, OF,
whose arm she leaned.
At first she seemed greatly agitated
and dazed by the strange surroundings,
but the assuring words Of the judge,
the presence Of her brave and devoted
son and her inborn Dutch good sense
soon restored her equanimity. The
narration she gave Of the coming of
Leon to her, his life under her keeping,
nis inveiglement by Quillebert and the
atter's oral reply to the written in
uuiry concerning the boys detention
was So circumstantial, direct and evil
IDENTIFY truthful that Pratjean shrewdly
realized the peril Of venturing upon his
favorite mode Of cross examination and
dismissed her with but few questions
fairly and politely put. He greatly re-
gretted he had forced her to testify in
open court.
Oakfell produced the records show
ing the settlement Of the Queyrouze
estate with the French heirs, and omit
ting any price for Leon from the pro-
ceeds Of the sale of slaves. and the
deed, joined in by Quillebert. for Olive
and her three children, excepting Leon
from the sale.
| BY Father Grhe and Valsin Mouillot
he proved the admission Of Quillebect.
made at unsuspicious times. that Leon
| was not his slave.
On the part Of Quiliebert, Prat!ean
exhibited the inventory Of the Quey-
rouze estate, in which the child Leon
was appraised as an asset.
Jadot, Brille and Titbout testified to
Leon's admissions Of Quillebert's own
ership Of him, as they had promised
over the gumbo and rum at Dede's.
The distress Of Leonidas LatiolaiS
was so apparent that the pity Of all
feeling men went to him when he was
summoned to the witness chair and
made to state under oath that on the
day Of the memorable race between the
mares Of Judge Elgee and Quillcbert
Leon said he was the slave Of Quille-
bert and begged him Latiolais) to buy
him. In an unhappy moment be had
communicated to Quillebert the jock
ey's application to him, and that indie
fatisable casemaker had by dint Of per
sistency, wine and accommodations OF
card debts argued from his memory
the ''if' prefxed to Icons prayer.
Oakfell made no effort to replace 1t.
This closed the evidence for guile
bert.
There was no more striking contrast
in the entire proceeding than that be-
tween the arguments Of the two ad7o-
Gates.
OakfeIps was calm, direct. unimpas-
stoned and devoid Of appeal to the>emo-
tions. EIe relied solely and simply up
on literal application Of the article
Of the code which be thought rendered
judgment in his clients favor unavcid'
able. From Nine. Noreau's cottage
Estelle eagerly listened, catching only
at times the sound Of his voice. but
a:,4;rr,,;choi>la rvor1