Rocky Ford enterprise., 1903-02-13
WINNING A LAWSUIT
INCIDENT IN LEGAL CAREER OF
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Simple Scheme Evolved in His shrswd
Brain by Which He Saved His Client
"puff" Armstrono, from Death on
the Gailows.

There have been 80 many garbled
versions OF the famous incident In
Abraham Lincolr's legal career In
which he by an almanac saved the
life of a man charged with murder
that It is appropriate just now to mar
rate the correct one. as told by II. w.
Armstrong. q barber OF Mason City.
who is the son Of the man defended.
and who was known as Dun" Arm
strong. He Is very familiar with the
case. ~ but q short time before his
father. who. by the way. Is still living.
had related to him the exact facts In
the affair.
In all the histories Of Lincoln and
In most of the school books II Ii told
how Lincoln defended Armstrong and
cleared him by proving that the moon
was not shining when the murder was
committed by the light Of the moon.
The father OF Duf Armstrong was
Jack Armstrong. who lived near New
Salem. and who was the leader of the
-CiaTy Grove boys. He II was who
had the celebrated wrestling match
with Lincoln back Of the old store nj
New Salem.
Afterward they became great
friends. Tae home OF Jack Armstrong
and OF his wife Hannah was always
open to Lincoln. and he visited there
many times.
IL was during the summer CT 1877
that Dun Armstrong. with n numbGr
OF other young fellows. attended
camp mcetIn. twelve miles south OF
Mason City. The young fellows were
drinking. as was the custom OF those
times. Dun became involved In n
quarrel with a companion named
MctxScr ore night a short distance
fiom the camp meeting. Duf cia!mcd
that lie struck Mctx.cr with his Gst
Just under the eye. The stories In so
many books that he used . club or
siipsshot or other weapon. he insists
are false. The next mcrrin. MctEScr
was out and around. but II Ii pre-
aumed that he caught cold In th. In
jurcd eye. Al any rate. the Injury
affected his brain In some wanncr.
and he died.
The elder Armstrong had Just died
ard the mother of the prisoner was In
great trouble. She. In her poverty
and distress. thought OF her old friend
and occasional boardcr. Abraham Lin
coin. and asked him to defend her
hoy. Lincoln willingly agreed TO do
so. The evidence seemed all against
him. One witness sworc that he saw
Armstrong strike Mc;xg-r with n
siinEshot and others corroborntcd the
story. Lincoln asked each one how
he saw the fIht. and the invarlablc re-
ply was. by the light OF the noon"
Lincoln then produced an almanac
Of the current year and proved by II
that At the time they sworc they saw
the assault In the moonlight tho moon
Vas invisible. Lincoln then addressed
the Jury. making. Il Is said. one OF tho
strongest and most eloquent pleas
ever made In that court. At the close
he turned to the weeping mother and
said: Aunt Hannah. yon can have
your boy again before the sun gocJ
down. And she did. for the Jury
brought In q verdict Of not guilty.
Lincoln received no fee aud asked
none. Af,crward Armstrong enlisted
in the army. He was the only sup
port VI his Hi,u't' vi" otu'T CuiIutcu
being small. When Lincoln became
President Mrs. Armstrong wrote to
him. asking him To release her son
from the army that he might come
home. as she needed his services.
Neighbors told her that Il was non.
sense to write to the grca, Lincoln
about such small matter as the dis.
charge OF a soldier out OF such n great
army. and especially when Lincoln
was SO deeply immersed in the mo.
mcntous affairs Of state. She only re-.
piled: please God. Abe will give back
my boy TO me once more As soon as
Lincoln received the letter he ordered
a discharge made out for William
Armstrong. and within ten days he
was at home with his mother.