Devils Lake inter-ocean and Devils Lake free press. (Devils Lake, Ramsey County, N.D.) 1905-1909, 1908-12-11
- = = 5II.:;l9 Z, -
!: ALawyer's First Lost Case
s.s.s.

j
Ioriginal.l s-s.ii 'S:%. ~:
Myron Woodwork was an attorney
just passing middle age. He was I
known as the lawyer who had never
lost case. Whether this was because I
he would not take case that he was
not sure of or was so resourceful that ::
his opponents could never defeat him h
does not appear. The fact remains =
that Until the Yardley case was tried .
no judge OF jury had ever brought i
final decision or verdict against him 4
Upon that case hangs tale. <, ea
Mrs. Yardley died, leaving some $780, I
GOO to sister, Mrs: Hunt, who had i
nursed her in her last illness, cutting
off her own daughter, Julia Scott, a i
young married woman living Ina diff 1
ferent place. Mrs. Scott undertook to
break the will on the ground that her
under the effect Of opiates to leave her
property to the aunt. No one doubted
up to the last moment that Woodwork
would win, for he had established
every point needed to establish his
plea. There was but one more witness
to examine, whose testimony waa not
supposed to be important.
The defendants. counsel called 70.
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 q rustic of woman's dress, and q
young girl-she was the daughter Of
the defendant-passed to the witness
stand. Her very appearance begot an
unconscious Difference in every man In
the courtroom.
W0odworth at the moment Of her en-
trance was chatting with fellow at
torney. When he turned his eyes tt
the witness they rested upon a vision
Of loneliness. Not only he, but judge
jury-indeed, every one in the court
fell under the spell of her presence
In 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. It was upon cross
examination that he was especially
strong. Indeed, as he listened 70 hes
evidence he saw weak point that DO
vtroyed its value. She had repeated q
conversation she had heard between
her pother and the testator On which
the fofFser urged the latbsr DO lsave
her property to her daughter, Julia
i Scott But the witness had sasa that
she was not in the room and dla not
gee those who were talking. ~'.~sssszssa
When Woodwork took the witness
for cross examination and stood Anm.
ing his first question a slight esaphoa
passed over the girl, and she. enst a
quick glance at the Judge as &c O. be-
1eech protection. Then she turned her
eyes back on the lawyer, bit her LIP 90
II to gain courage and submitted her
self to he tormented. She did NOT
doubt for moment that Woodwork
would prove her a perjurer. =
miss Hunt" he said, "how far was
the room in which you were when yoa
overheard the conversation you have
mentioned from the room In which the
conversation 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
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 dr.
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-
pfoachfulness Of fawn regarding d
hunter about to plunge knife into it'll
Throat. Then her eyes became damned
with tears. 5f -
! Woodworth's case was lost. All be-
mad to do to win 1t was to draw out
the girls testimony go as to make ii
appear to the jury weak invention.
lie knew In fact, NO well 90 by her
gusleess bearing, that she spuke tho
truth. AT the moment Of triumph nd
gave mp victory, gave up his clients.
case which he was in duty bannd}
4 TO win. l55.' s5sss. n
Let me see," he said, locking aio#n5
ae some notes he had made on a bit of53
paper Perhaps I can get at 10 III an.
other way" j., r. E:5 I: VA. "a
The other way did bot lead rs 5sha..
speaking tube or 70 ianything that
would compromise the witness. Afscr;
asking number OF irrelevant s.nes
lions he released her from fnrsls Ok
animation. TIA @sss5 2sS4sI
Every one wondered. The inrJ1
eENf fsN m