The daily Alaskan., 1907-02-07
His First Case In Court
IOriginaLl

I
 knew, for he had not a cent in the world. Moreover. there was n love match between him and his school mate. Maggie PiNley, the beginning of which neither could remember. The affair first began to look serious when George went to college. At least. It was then that Maggie's father first l took notice of 1t and showed his oppO- sltIon. He reminded his daughter that she was at a marriageable age while her lover had four years at college, | three at law school and no one could tell how many more in getting a praC- tice at his profession. But all this de | pended on his getting the money to pay his expenses. Maggie made up her mlnd to wait for George Crawford.
 George at his entrance to college won & scholarship that by dint of rigid economy helped him through his first year. After that he did odd jobs, taught, won prizes, thus Scraping to- gether enough to put him through col | lege When it came to studying law, be found q position in school requlr- ing but a few hours of each day. This gave him what he needed to complete his legal education.
 George was advised by most of his professors to plant himself in a large city. but one of them. differing from the rest. recommended the country
 where. if the field was smaller. the competition was less. George chose the country and settled in his native viii lage
 When one finds himself on the wrong side of a question the more the case goes against him the closer he is tempt ed to cling to 1t. MIGEic'S father was the notary of the village. and, having once studied little law in country office. now found his daughters Suitor. whom he had opposed. looking down on him from comparatively high legal pinnacle. His opposition To the match was more obstinate than tt had been seven years before.
 Judge Pixley. as he had come 10 be l called by his fellow citizens who knew his weakness in respect 10 legal lore. was the recipient of many small trusts. One day four men came together to his office and after asking If he were Judge PiXlHv. laying stress on the
 judge" asked him To take charge oI some Sl@.OO0 t.u they should call for 1t again. offering him a large fee. The notary. without stopping To Inquire whence the men came, accepted the | trust and at their request drew up a
 receipt. ending with an agreement to pay over the money when called for
 to each and every one of those who had left # with him and 10 none of them separately. This done. they de
 parted
 In a few minutes the spokesman Of the party. who had latterrd the mo- tary. returned and said that he wished 10 count the money piNley put him at table with the bills and during the | counting was called for moment into
 another room. When he returned both
 the man and the money had vanished. This was the sevcrcSt blow the no tary had ever received The only prop
 erty he possessed was his dwelling, and he had breE years paying of a mortgage upon it. To replace the lost money would require the sacrifice Of 1 the house and something besides. The ! old man waS In am agony. He spent
 s:hat ready money he had going 10 the ! city and consulting lawyers all Of
 whom told him that rhr theft of one of
 the depcs!tor> did not abSo!ve his in. debtedncSs 10 rEc others.
 He was not kept long in suspense.
 In few days rhr men. excepting the l thief. retur@cl and claimed their prop
 erty. Not receiving it. they entered
 suit against Ptxlcy. and aS there was | but little bUsfup>s hcsore the court the
 case was sonu called for trial. There
 was no lawyer in The place except
 George Crawford. and PjNi"y had no
 money with which 10 pay lawyer
 Maggie begged George 10 d0 something
 for her father. and the old man was
 obliged to luTusr his raS" to the per.
 son he 50 bitterly opposed
 On the dny of the trial excellent
 counsel appeared on behalf of the
 claimants. who made speeches setting
 forth "the vfllainy of the rascal wh,
 had sought to Gnfraud these honest
 men of their dues. Crawford sa' ! without q protest to these charges. the
 gaping villagers setting him down fol
 very poor lawyer for not hurllng
 them back 10 the attorneys teeth. The
 judge and Jury were not ay"rsa 10 Pix ley. but they did not see how they could obey the law aud not ind a yer
 diet for the plaintiff.
 When the ease u=uluSt the defendant had been stated and George arose ij
 was hoped that at last be would make
 g fiery speech accusing the claimants
 of collision brSideS "thrr crimes ant set forth the high standing the defend ant had held in fhe community. In
 stead he called for d reading of the re
 ceipt, When the reader raur 10 tht words shall pay 10 tn" said the name here followed together and not sepa
 rately' George called a halt aud said: "Your honor. 1 ask for a dismissa 1 of the case against my client on tht