The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-12-21
.DID HE LEND OR
 GIVE THE RING 2
That is What the Circuit Court
 Jury Had to Decide
ONLY A LOAN, SAID HE
A Gift, a Straightout, Honest Gift, Said the Woman in the Case-Her
 Friend Said So, Too-Judge
 Coleman Reads Shakespeare.

If you did know to whom I gave the
 ring,
 If you did know for whom I gave the
 ring,
 And would conceive for what I gave the
 ring,
 And how unwillingly left the ring, When naught would be accepted but the
 ring
 You would abate the strength of your
 dspleasure."
 Merchant of Venice. Judge Coleman of the circuit court is, as everyone knows, dillgent student of Shakespeare. He always carries a vol ume of pocket edition of the Avon bard with him wherever he goes. When he entered the circuit court room yesterday morning he had with him the story of the Merchant of Venice.
 After a stretch of two weeks the docket was almost clear, and the judge, to while the time away was reading for the one hundred and seventh time the scene be- tween Bassanio and Portia at Belmont after their homecoming from the Vene- tian capital. As in imagination he lis- tened once more to the bantering ex- changed between Bassanio and his love, smile of satisfaction came over the judges face.
 Call the next case.' said the judge, as he slipped the little volume into his coat pocket.
 The clerk did as he was directed to do. Lawyers for each side said they were ready. Counsel for the plaintiff opened the case.
 A Diamond Ring.
 This is a case" said he, 'involving the ownership of ring-a diamond ring the value of which is estimated at $75. We shall prove that the plaintiff merely lent the ring to a woman, that the wo- man pawned the ring, which was not her property; that the ring was later re- deemed by this gentleman. the defendant here, and we seek, your honor and gen. tlemen of the jury, to recover that ring from the defendant and restore it to the plaintiff, to whom 1t rightfu1ly belongs"
 
 Paid $71.50 for It.
 We grant, your honor and gentlemen of the jury" said he, that this case involves the ownership of a ring-a diamond ring and we grant also that the estimated value of the ring is $75. But we shall prove, if the court please, that the plain- tiff here did not lend, but gave outright, the ring to the woman In the case and that in thus giving it, the plaintiff for feited all rights of ownership in the ring. We admit also, your honor and gentle men of the Jury, that the woman in the case pawned the ring, but we shall prove, your honor, that she gave the pawn ticket to the defendant here 1ad that the de- fendant redeemed the ticket by paying $1.5O for it We contend, gentlemen of the jury, that the evidence in this case will prove conclusively that the right of own ership in this ring passed from the plain tiff to the woman in the case, and from the woman in the case to the defendant, and we hold that the defendant is en- titled to retain the ring"
 Judge Coleman, who had listened at tentively to all this began to sit up and take notice. The jury did likewise. Law yers and clients and hangers-on pricked up their ears and awaited developments.
 A Nice Young Man.
 The defendant, a nice young man whose family name looms large in the political and social history of Alabama and other states, took the stand. His testimony elaborated the points made by the open- ing speech of his counsel. He had not given the ring to the woman. He had merely Tent" it. Three friends of his, young enough to be worldly wise and too young to be wisely worldly, corroborated his testimony.
 Then the clerk called the name of "the woman in the case.' In she came and none too timidly. She was dressed as though she was on the way to attend the funeral of friend. Her black silk gown, black collar, black hat and black gloves suggested that the woman in the case might have come fresh from an errand of mercy.
 Blood In Her Eye.
 For all that, however, she had blood in her eye. Yes, she knew the plaintiff. They had been friends. The word she used was not friends" however. In one of his visits to her home the plaintiff had left his ring and watch on the mantel she said. Friends will be careless. she explained. She had cared for the valua- bles. When he came the next day, she ..z4s1-1eza1