Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-02-15
CONTINUED next week.
SPEECH WITHOUT WORDS.
A Young Lawyer In Ohio Won His
Case bv PantomIme.

Columbus Times: A lawyer was
serving the commonwealth Of Ohio and
the county OF Vinton In the capacity
of prosecuting attorney at the little
town OF Macarthur. He then bore a
rather youthful appearance for a man
holding so responsible a position.
The most conspicuous parsonage
known to the Vinton bar at that time
was a grave and pompous barrister
from a neighboring town-a nan who
had reached the middle age of life,
and with 1t an extensive practice,
profitable alike in fame and pecuniary
gain; a man whose eloquence bent
.'u!jes to his will, and whose logic
pinned item fast, whose invective and
pointed sarcasm blanched the cheek
OF the witness or the prisoner, as might
be necessary to gain the case, and was
alike dreaded and hated by his fellow
practitioners.
on this particular day the young
prosecutor had a riot case to try, and
to his CONSERVATION he learned that
the eloquent gentleman referred to had
been retained by the defense.
He expected to be torn up by his OPP
ponnt, but was u~nprepared by the
simeon that swept through the court
room when the noted counsel got fair
ly under way.
lie paced up and down In front of
the Judge; he sawed the air in front
Of the Jurors: he shook mis- finger In
the face of the young prosecutor and
shivered In imaginary horror at the
thought OF so youthful a man under
taking to measure swords with him.
The voice was loud and bitter in its
denunciation; the gesticulations were
violent and awe-inspiring; and with
face Of scorn he sat down with folded
arms and awaited the verdict which
he did not suppose they dared TO re-
fuse.
The young prosecutor was angry.
He felt he would like to thrash the op-
posing counsel out of his boots.
He arose to his feet, uncertain for q
moment what to do. A happy thought
struck him, and, throwing his head
back, he cast his left arm behind him
and thrust his right hand in the breast
OF his vest, while under overarching
eyebrows he scowled out at the jury.
The jury understood In an instant.
So did the Judge; so did the specta-
tors.
There was the familiar pose of the
opposing counsel, perfect In its imita-
ton.
Then the young prosecutor began,
and, without opening his lips, proceed
ed to copy the ge%sticulations and
movements of the eminent attorney
who had preceded him. He snorted
and cavorted and stamped and rolled
his eyes. He strobe up and down In
front Of the judge and jury. following
in his gesticulations precisely those
they had just seen.
He shook his finger menacingly
under the nose of the eminent gentle
man, and then, assuming the states
manlike pose he looked down upon him
disdainfully.
1t was too much. The eminent at
torney appealed to the court for pro-
lection, while the Judge laughed until
the tears rolled down his cheeks. and
the jury and spectators chuckled aus,
IDLY.
The judge replied hat the young
man mad done nothing, had said moth
ing to him, and he did not feel called
upon to interfere with the argument
That settled It. The old lawyer
broke for the door, and the jury, aftel
fifteen minutes absence, brought in G
verdict of guilty.