The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-06-16
A DR0LL CHARACTER.
"COUNSELORD NOLAN WAS 4 WIT OF THE NEW FORK BAR.
some of the Quaint Sayings of This Picturesque Legal Light, Who for Years Kept Gotnam's Judges and Lawyers Laughing,
Lawyers Laughing.

In book entitled "The Barrister"
 Charles Frederick Stansbury has brought together the best of the anec- dotes of Tom Nolan, who was known popularly among members of the New York bar as Counselor Nolan" For many years the counselor kept judges and lawyers of New York laughing and at political conventions he was one of the important, if not serious, attrac- tions. The counselor was himself sui generis. His drollery was individual Some characteristic stories from MT. Stansburys collection are here set down:
 At a political convention a 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 himself?"
 The barrister drew himself up, look ing his inquisltor over from the corner of his eye, and then replied, with se- verity: Iris peanut brain you have, Clancy, to ask me that. Is there any job he hasn't got?"
 Judge Horace Russell told the follow ing story: Nolan once had client whose name was Mrs. Moriarty. After her case had been placed upon the cal endar Mrs. Moriarty appeared every day in Nolans office with her eleven witnesses. Finally the case reached the top of the calendar, and Nolan was on hand to try it. The opposing counsel asked for a. postponement. Nolan fought the postponement with great el- oquence. laying much stress upon the fact that Mrs. Moriarty had been put to enormous trouble and expense of con- ing every day to his office with her eleven witnesses. Judge Dugro, who was sitting, was not convinced appa- rently by Nolan's perfervid oratory and granted the adjournment. Then the barrister arose.
 Your honor," said he, 'has seen fit to grant postponement of the case, and, while I hunbly submit to the rul- ing of the court, yet I would like to ask your honor to do me personal favor"
 Certainly, counselor, with pleasure replied Judge Dugro. What is it?"
 "Go you to my office" thundered the barrister, land inform Mrs. Moriarty that this case has been postponed"
 Witty and keen as Nolan was, he once in awhile got the worst of an en- counter with witness, as the following incident illustrates;
 The plaintiff MT. Foley was suing MT. W. for damages sustained by care Jof f1o,, iY, p1I h ties donkey to escape from his stable and trespass upon plaintiffs lawn. Foley is in the witness box.
 Barrister Nolan for defendant)-You say that MT. W.'s animal caused 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 I saw yez tied up in the sthable, don't yez SUD- pose I'd know yez whin yez got loose?
 l ue DdlIlSlel thCuStU yhl Olty. It was in the old superior court before l Judge David McAdam and a jury, and 1 the barrister was trying case on be- | half of the plaintiff in a negligence suit | against the Twenty y-third street cross- 1 town railroad, which was controlled by | Jacob Sharp, who afterward gave the | name of "boodle 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 a pitch that could be heard by citizens in the City Hall Park, he concluded his peroration as follows:
 And who, gintleInen of the jury, is Jacob Sharp? I will tell you, gintle- men. He is a man so lost to all his iinse of ethics and the rights of man hat for the sake of palthry prospective dividends he would run a railroad up your spine and make ties out of your 'ibs"
 When the bar of the city of New York gave a dinner at Delmonico's in lonor of former Justice Abraham R. Lawrence on his retirement from the bench, one of the remarks Nolan made vas:
 "There's Recorder Smyth. He's a ,ood judge foine judge, but he thinks very man ought to go to prison at least vance,
 Nolan on one occasion was a candi- late for a municipal office, and in the curse of his canvass he asked woman if his acquaintance if she would use Ter influence in obtaining for him her vote Are we not everlast- ngly grateful to you ever since you got ny husband off for stealing a gun?" "No, no, my dear woman," cried the 'arrister, mot for stealing a gun, but or the alleged stealing of gun" Alleged be bothered replied the wo , nan. Come up stairs and I'll show , ou the gum Is Once arguing a case in behalf of l , lients who were sailors, and while in , he midst of an exhaustive display of r autical scholarship Nolan was inter- upted by the court; II How comes it, counselor, that you ! ossess such a vast knowledge of the 1 ea?" "Does your honor think" responded < Tolan, "that I came over in hack?" z