The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-06-21
A DRoLL CHARACTER.

In a book entitled "The Barrister"
Charles Frederick Stansbury ha S
brought together the best of the anec-
dotes of Tom Nolan, who was known
popularity among members of the New
York bar as Counselor Nolan"
For many years the counselor kept
judges and lawyears of New York
laughing, and at political conventions
he was one of the important, if not
serious, attractions. The counselor
was himself suigeneris. His drollery
was individual. Some characteristic
stories from Mr.. .Stansbury's collection
are here sat down:
At a political convention friend
asked Nolan
''Isn't it strange, counselor, that
your friend Croker, who is such a
mighty power down your way, does
not get a nice political job for him
self?"
The barrister drew himrelf up look
ing his inquisitor over from the cor
ner of his eye, and then replied, with
severity: "'Tis peanut brain you
have, Clancy, to ask me that. Is
there amy job he hasn't got?"
Judge Horace Russell told the fol-
lowing story: Nolan once had
client whose name was Mrs. Moriari-
ty. After her case had been placed
upon the calendar Mrs. Moriarity ap-
peared every day in Nolan's Office
with her eleven witnesses. Finally
the case reached the top of the calen-
dar, and Nolan was on hand to try it.
The opposing counsel asked for
postponement. Nolan fought the
postponement with great eloquence,
laying much stress upon the fact that
Mrs. Moriarity had been put to enor-
nous trouble and expense of coming
every day to his Office with her eleven
witnesses. Judge Dugro, who was
sitting, was not convinced apparent
ly by Nolan's perfervid oratory and
granted the adjournment. Then the
barrister arose.
"Your honor" said he, has seen
fit to grant a postponement of the
case, and, while I humbly submit to
the ruling of the court, yet would
like to ask your honor to do me a
personal favor"
Certainly, counselor, with pleas
ure, !" replied Judge Dugro. "What
is it?"
GO you to my Office" thundered
the barrister, "and inform Mrs. Mo-
Rarity that the case has been post
poned."
Witty and keen as Nolan was, he
once in awhile got the worst of an
encounter with a witness, as the fol-
lowing incident illustrates
The plaintiff, Mr.. Foley, was su-
ing Mr.. w. for damages sustained by
carelessness of defendant in allowing
his donkey to escape from his stable
and trespass upon plaintiffs lawn.
Foley is in the witness box.
Barrister Nolan (for defendant y
"You say that Mr.. WIS animal caus-
ed all this injury to your property!"
Foley-"Yes, sor."
Barrister-"Where did you first
see this donkey?'
Foley-"Tied up in defendants
stable"
Barrister.-"Where did you next
see him ~
Foley-"On me premises"
Barrister-"How do you know it
was the same donkey?"
Foley (emphatically)-"If saw
yez tied up in the sthable, don't yez
suppose I'd know yez whin yez got
loose ?"
The barrister excused Mr.. Foley.
1t was in the old superior court be-
fore Judge David McAdam and a
jury, and the barrister was trying a
case on behalf of the plaintiff in a
negligence suit against the Twenty
third street crosstown railroad, which
was controlled by Jacob Sharp, who
afterward gave the name of doodle
aldermen" to the world. On rising
to sum up on behalf of his client
Nolan launched forth into an attack
upon Sharp, who had in no manner
appeared in the case. Raising his
voice to pitch that could be heard
by citizens in the City Hall park, he
concluded his peroration as follows:
"And who, gintlemen of the jury,
is Jacob Sharp? will tell you, gin
tlemen. He is a man so lost to all
his sinse of ethics and the rights of
man that for the sake of palthry pros
pective dividends he would run a
railroad up your spine and make ties
out of your ribs !"
When the bar of the city of New
York gave dinner at Delmonico' S in
honor of former Justice Abraham R.
Lawrence on his retirement from the
bench, one of the remarks Nolan
made was:
"There's Recorder Smyth. He's a
good Judge, foine judge, but he
thinks livery man ought to go to pris-
on at least vance. F"
Nolan on one occasion was candi-
date for municipal Office, and in the
course of his canvass he asked a wo-
man of his acquaintance if she would
use her influence in obtaining for him
her husbands vote. Sure, / will, "
said the woman. care we not ever
lastingly grateful to you ever since
you got my husband off for stealing
a gun ?"
mo, no, my dear woman," cried
the barrister, mot for stealing gun,
- f~-..l .&.o1:.--~ &c = ~-.... -