Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-28
An Attorney Who Quoted Law From
Farriers' Guide Book-Cobbler's
Extreme Caution.

NSteneO aItentlVely, Dut Wnen L nao OOn9
he was owlishly undecided. He had his
doubts Of that statute, he said; besides. 1t
was dangerous to trust the schemes Of a
city lawyer. anyhow. At length. throwing
aside the boot he had been pegging. he said:
about this. You take the bench. Squire
Smith, till get back
He went away to get the opinion Of an
old local lawyer. the chief legal authority
Of the place. Smith, another local magnate,
gravely took the bench and held 1t until the
justice returned-and longer, for 1t proved
somewhat hard to separate him from 1t.
When he started to rise there was a grand
clatter of knives bradawls, shoes and
leather. for the bench arose with him: he
had become attached to it by contact with
a piece of cobbier's wax, on which he had
inadvertently sat. After some difficulty a
separation was effected, the justice resumed
his seat and solemnly announced:
The case Is dismissed.
Decision in Three Days.
IT was once called upon to try case
before a far-out Justice of the peace. who
was a German and blacksmith" said
Lawyer Malcomb Hufty. THE justice
came into the court from his smithy and
sat on the bench with his leather apron on
looking like Tubal Cain come to judgment
Notwithstanding his appearance he was
very officious in his manner and method
and tried hard to initiate the courts of
any Washington lawyer had appeared be-
fore him he tried to be doubly impressive
1t was a case in which suit was brought
for a board bill. I represented the defend
ant and the defense was that we had paid
the bill. After the statements were made
the Justice said:
THE court knows all about this case
The court has heard what the witnesses has
got to say and the talk of the lawyers.
The court will not decide the case just
now. The court will take the case under
Amusement for three days. and the court
will then decide the case In favor of the
plaintiff
Points All "Shustained"
Said Lawyer George Meigs: James N.
Brown was defending a case before an old
Justice who was so drunk his head bobbed
UP and down on the table and against the
back of the chair. On the other side was
lawyer named George Smith. When Smith
got the plaintiff on the stand he asked:
What Is your manner
"I object said Brown: doesn't make
any difference what his name is
Collection Sustained solemnly NUT
tered the court.
Where do you liver said Smith.
g" I object shouted Brown; It's imma-
terfal where he lives
Sustained said the Justice.
"'What IS your age7'
Object, said Brown with an injured
air.
Sustained repeated the Justice
AT this Smith blazed up, calling the JUS
tice drunken old fool. and adding several
other compliments By degrees the justice
comprehended the force and drift of the re-
marks and then 1t was his time to get mad
Where's Fryer he demanded. Frye, the
constable. emerged from the crowd with
broad grin, which enraged the squire still
more
Island up there he yelled to the con-
stable. I fine you S. for letting George
Smith insult me- on the bench. Courts ad-
journed.'"
Quoted From Farriers' Guide.
1.-THE rustic jury is as often cratic as the
rustic judge" said Joseph E. Barker In
a case arising out Of a quarrel about a
horse one Of the lawyers made use Of a far
rfers' guide book and quoted from 1t vol
umfnously, his quotations evidently making
strong impression on the rustic jury. who
seemed to regard them as scripture. The
opposing lawyer, a rather lenient and easy
going fellow. stood this for some time and
at last grew indignant and protested telling
the jury that the book from which his legal
brother was quoting was not law book at
all, and that the gentleman was trying to
'shyster them in a most outrageous man
ner. The lawyer who was relying on the
farrfers' guide to help them through listen
ed patiently to these arguments. meanwhile
keeping a sarcastic and know-it-al eye
upon the jury. He then. requested the at
tention of the jury to the inscription on the
title page of the farriers' guide, which ran
Entered according to the act Of Congress
passed in 1861 and urged that this made
the book a perfect legal authority
"The jury received the book and 1t was
passed from man to man Of the twelve, all
of whom nodded their wise heads in ap-
prevail of the idea conveyed 1t was a regu-
lar law book they agreed-the inscription
left no doubt of that-and consequently
they gave a verdict based on the quota
tons they heard read"
Story by Senator Mason.
'It is one OF the natural bents Of the
human mind not only to have Jurisdiction.
but to exercise it," said another attorney.
IT only know one instance to the con-
trary. and 1t was told me by Senator
Mason. One day Mason was in the court
of country justice of the peace, a rather
ignorant but good-hearted old fellow. when
a young man was brought in, charged with
disturbing a religious meeting. or some
thing of that kind When the evidence was
In the Justice asked the defendant. Have
you any reason to give why Judgment
should not be pronounced against you?
The young man apologized and assured his
honor he would never do 1t again. Then the
justice. before pronouncing the sentence.
delivered q long and feeling lecture. i
knew your father and mother he said to
the prisoner. They were my personal
IrlenQS-duu MS NOtCS OIVho duu Ills eyes
filed with tears-'but. SIR he continued.
Justice is blind And he wound up by SEN.
fencing the young fellow to two years in
the penitentiary.
"Then Mason arose and explained to the
court that he had no personal interest in
the case and was merely adopting a we'll
established custom in speaking a friend
of the court Your honor he continued,
4 feel impelled to tell you that you can
not impose this sentence. as you have no
Jurisdiction
" No turis whatT inquired the old JUS
tice, wiping hts eyes.
Mason explained the meaning of the
word. Well sobbed the old fellow. I'm
glad I haven't! And he most willingly
told the defendant he might go.
THAT is the only case I ever heard Of
where any judge from the Justice court,
even to the Supreme Court of the United
States, took pleasure in announcing that
he had no Jurisdiction"
The End Of the World.
From Harper's Weekly.