The Natchitoches enterprise., 1908-11-26
A Lawyers S First Lost Case
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Ny7JE WOOD worth WdS au attorucJ
| Just passing middle agr lie Wa,
known as the lawyer Who had never
lost case. Whether this WAS hecaus,
he would not take case that he was
not sure of or was so reSourccful that
his opponents could never defeat him
does not appear. The fact remains
that until the Yardley case was tried
no Judge or jury had ever brought a
final decision or verdict against him.
| Upon that case hangs tale.
Mrs. Yardley died, leaving some S1O,-
600 to q sister, Mrs. Hunt who had
nursed her in her last Illness, cutting
off her own daughter, Julia Scott, a
young married woman living in a diff
ferent place. Mrs. Scott undertook to
break the will on the ground that her
aunt had Influenced her mother while
under the effect of opiates to leave her
property to the aunt No one doubted
up to the last moment that Woodworth
would win, for he had established
every point needed to establish his
plea. There was but one more witness
to examine, whose testimony was not
supposed to be important
The defendants counsel called for
Margaret Hunt, and the name was re-
peated by the clerk with no more rev.
erence than he would have spoken the
name of a habitual criminal There
was rustic of woman's dress, and a
young girl-she was the daughter of
the defendant-pasSed 10 the witness
stand. Her very appearance begot an
unconscious Difference in every man in
the courtroom.
Woodwork at the moment of her en-
trance was chatting with 4 fellow at
tOrney. When he turned his eyes to
the witness they rested upon a vision
OF loveliness. Not only he, but judge,
jury-indeed, every one in the court
fell under the spell of her presence
In a voice low and sweet she respond
ed to the questions put to her by the
defendants counsel, who elected from
her testimony which If not shaken
might yet turn the case against the
plaintiff. but those who knew Wood |
worth did not fear. 1t was upon cross
examination that he was especially |
strong. Indeed, as he listened to her |
evidence he saw weak point that de- !
stroyed its value. She had repeated a |
conversation she had heard between |
her mother and the testatDr in which |
the former urged the latter to leave |
her property to her daughter. Julia |
Scott. But the witness had said that |
she was not in the room and did not |
see those who were talking.
When Woodwork took the witness
for crnss a oz-l I-AArA4,sion sA-l4Stnoi fran.
ing his first question a slight tTemor I
passed over the girl. and she cast n
quick glance at the judge as If to be-
seech protection. Then she turned her
eyes back on the lawyer. bit her Up as
if to gain courage and Submitted her
self to be tormented. She did not
doubt for a moment that Woodwork
would prove her a periurer.
Miss Hunt" he said, "how far was
the room in which you were when you
overheard the conversation you have
mentioned from the room in which the
occurred"
A troubled look passed over the face
Of the witness, and she did not answer
the question.
The husband Of the testator had been
a physician, and his house-the house
In which the conversation occurred
was fitted with a speaking tube be-
tween the front door and the doctors
bedroom. His widow occupied the
bedroom to which the tube led Miss
Hunt, standing at the front door di-
rectly before the lower tube mouth
awaiting admittance, had heard the
conversation through the tube. Wood
worth knew this and was prepared to
make the statement appear improb-
able. He might force her to admit that
she was not in the house at all, then
deny her chance to tell how she had
overheard the conversation.
He stood looking at the girl, who
looked at him with all the gentle re-
of a fawn regarding a
hunter about to plunge a knife into its
throat. Then her eyes became dimmed
with tears,
Woodworth's case was lost. All he
had to do to win it was to draw out
the girls testimony so as to make it
appear to the jury weak invention.
He knew in fact, as well as by her
guiltless bearing. that she spoke the
ruth. At the moment of triumph he
gave up victory, gave up his clients
case, which he was in duty bound
10 win.
''Let me see," he said, looking down
1t some notes he had made on a bit of
paper. perhaps l can get at it in an
)ther way"
The other way did not lead to the
speaking tube or to anything that
would compromise the witness. After
lsking a number of irrelevant ques-
ions he released her from further ex-
animation.
Every aae wondered. The jury
brought In a verdict for the defendant.
Woodwork went from the court
Dom to his Office, where he wrote a
tote to his client informing her that
he case had been lost through his own
ault and inclosing his check for S10,-
100.
But if the attorney lost the man
loped to gain. Every man has an
deal for his wife. 1t Is seldom that
he ideal is realized, but when Wood
worth saw Margaret Hunt in the wit