New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-10
BY Eli p rMims


W. l. uller.
Young Fuller belonged to the Oldtown
Debating Club One evening the debate was for and
against capital punishment The deacon of the
church for hanging, and young Fuller opposed
him in debate.
Deacon Skinner began his debate with knock-down
argument. He held up big family Bible, saying:
al will read to YOU debatcrs who oppose capital pun
ishment what God said to Moses Whose sheddeth
mans blood. by man his blood shall be she'd. That's
what God said and Moses wrote. Now. boys, come
on with your Blackstone and Chief Justice Marshall!
Then after throwing his bombshcll. the old deacon
sat down like a victorious gladiator.
Then up rose young Fuller. Deacon Skinner.
he said the law that you and Moses indorse is
sense 1t has logic in it. Your Mosaic law is
that if a kills another man must kill him.
See what logical deduction such a law would bring
you to- Here kills another; another man kills
..im-and till to the last earth;
who's going to kill him? He can't kill himself for
the law forbds suicide. Now deacon what in thunder
you going to do with that last mani"
Twenty years after this Lawyer Fuller made another
wise and witty answer before Judge Macarthur when
he was practising law in Chicago.
In his speech before the Judge, Mr. Fuller pleaded
his clients ignorance of the law in extenuaton of an
offense he had committed.
But, Mr. Fuller, said the Judge. every is
presumed to know the law Ignorance of the law is
excuse. you know.
Yes Your Honor" responded Mr.. Fuller II am
that every shoemaker tailor, mechanic and
illiterate laborer presumed know the law-yes,
every is presumed to know t-except the Judges
of the Supreme Court, and have a Court of
Appeals correct their mistakes -
In Elmira New-York, the OF home of Ex-Governor
Hill, the lawyers tell good story about "one Dave
Hill" as they call him there.
Governor Hill is a lawyer" said Congressman
Ray of Norwich, but he has always kept it
quiet However, he had quite famous case. He
defended a named Gibson for defrauding the
revenue. 1t a tobacco case and went to two
Courts Supreme and Superior Everybody was sur
prsed that Hill could take it so high but he did
Well, Gibson finally convicted and was sent to
Sing Sing for ten years.
Then" continued Congressman Ray chill sent
in his bill for a thousand dollars Gibson's family
kicked at this They thought that the charge was too
high The Governor little sensitive about this
He is fair in his dealings. and looked around
get the opinion of his brother lawyers about fees
in revenue cases. In New-York the next dav Gov
Hill met William NJ. Evarts the great constitu-
tiona lawyer who defended Andrew Johnson and
Henry Ward Beecher
"'You're just the lawyer | want to see Mr. Evarts
said Hill grasping his hand enthusiastically. You've
had good many internal revenue cases haven't you?
'''Oh, yes, good many said Evars.
'''We Mr. Evarts, what is the custom about law
yers' fees in those cases?'
"'Oh, just the with any other law said
Evarts. We simply charge according to the work
we do
you think charged Gibson too much. Did really
charge him too much1
"'Well Governor said Mr.. Evarts, deliber-