West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1902-07-24
mE TESTIFIED IN SONG.
The Lawyer Made the Prosecuting
Witness Sing Hymn On the stand.

From the Macon (Mo Republican.
Colonel &. {. Fogle. a,torney.at law, of
Lancaster, Mo-, related the following LEGAL
incident; "One of the mos, original LAWYERS
even met in my life was sam DysaIt,
who some twenty years ago was residen,
OF our count, lie is some kin TO Major
'Ben' D,sart of your town. sam was a
born humotis, aud could have made his for
tune in the lecture Geid. When he lived mn
oor way he was engaged ON one occasion to
defend 10, of boys and girls charged with
disturbing religious assembly oct in the
country by laughing and seglinp' is the
way the information read. The case WAS
'red before Squire a. c. Bailey. good old
man, who has long since gone to his final
reward. Like all cases OF the snrt /, at.
''se'ed an immencc crowd from the vicinity
OF 'he alleged outrage. L. &. Paddock pros.
reu'rd aud he was instructed 10y the ehnrch
people to spare "a" pains to convic, the dis.
,utbcis. who wefe ve,y much frightened by
being dragged inio Court. All the defend.
an's were children of good families aud IL
was their firs, ohcnse. They candidly ad.
mi,,ed the, lauoh,a am, - r.,
Stale INSISTED that by their own mouths they
were condemned. Brother Tee Spears. a
righteous man of Puritanic type, was the
main prosecuting witness. lie had con
Quoted the services aud h. ,e.,,ssa H., ~.
peac, was s.di, d;s,,,i,., ~. a..
behavior Of the .rio,ers., After he told hi,
story in chief no So, a...a ..',,. 80 -, -"
hands wah,ne o., IL. ..,~as,",,, . pe'
to begin ON him. lie ,l;du., h.y. ,onn ;,
wait. The ex,n,,n,,,,n -. ,,. ,,'s s "
".Bro,hcr Spears Won led the mcn,,ro
las, uich,,,
al did. sir
.'.You praycd2,
"I did, sir
".And p,eacb.d,,
",I lricd TO-.
".And sung,
al sung,
.Wba, did Won SING
.sThere is Fountain Ful.d ,,;,h
Blood sin
"Here Mr.. Dysart pulled a hvmn hool
from his pocke, and handed !, ,o The .,,,,.ss
with the remark;
please turn ,o tha, so,c p,o,h.,
Spears.
"The witness did so.
".rhat's wha, YOU sang ,ba, ni,b,,
"Ilis, sir
".weIi. stand nm and s;nc :, ~ !,
please
".Whail'
'.Yon heard wbat / said. p,,,her
Spears
"'Bu, can't sing before this sort Of
crowd
F." 'Iirother Spears with much s,n,,.,,
indignation. do understand that van -.
fuse To furnish legitimate evidence l., u,;s
jury1'
'No-no-bnt. YOU see,-
" Your Honor. said Mr.. Dysau. 4 IN.
sist that the witness shall SING IN. sono
relencd To ius, as Il. did %, The ,;o,,, .,
the alleged disturbance. I,jxans,, ~ on,
evidence and very impor,an,. The ,e,so,
tDf " VIII lie GtSClOsG0 latef
"rherc vas a long ;anole be,vren ,he
lawyers, and The Court finally ordered IA.
witness to get uv and sino
+" And mind YOU Brother Spea,s, said
Dysart seriously, 'you mus, sing 1, ins. as
you lid that night: If YOU change n moi.
you will have to 90 back and do :, all ove,
again
'erhe witness got up and Opened The
book. Thorc Is a vast difference be,wee,
singing 10 congregation in sympathy Win
you and crowd of Coun room babi,uex.
Brother Spears was painfully conscious 81
The fact. You know how tbose old,ime
hymns are sung in the backwoods settle.
men,s1 You begin IN the basement, and
work up TO The roof and then lean off from
-. -
""FF '"'h' fic hat tvou NJiCc--lnat ~,