Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1908-09-18
!, j.
A Lawyer 5 First Lost Case
=[Original.1

just passing middle age. He wal
known as the lawyer who had nevel
lost case. Whether this was becaus,
he would not take case that he wa,
not sure of or was SO resourceful thai
his opponents could never defeat hin
does not appear. The fact remains
that until the Yardley case was tried
no Judge: or jury had ever brought s
final decision or verdict against him
Upon that case hangs a tale.
Mrs. Yardley died, leaving some SO,
coo. to. sister, Mrs. Hunt, who had
nursed her in her last illness, cutting
off her own daughter, Julia Scott, :
young married woman living in DIFF
ferent place. Mrs. Scott undertook t
break the will on the ground that hel
aunt had Influenced her mother while
under the effect Of opiates to leave hel
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 hia
plea. There was but one more witness
to examine, whose testimony was moi
supposed to be important.
The defendants counsel called FOL
Margaret Hunt, and the name was re
peated by the clerk with no more rev.
erence than he would have spoken the
name of habitual criminal. There
was q rustic of woman's dress, and .
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.
Woodwork at the moment of her On
trance was chatting with fellow at
torney. When he turned his eyes t.
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 aud sweet she respond
ed to the questions put to her by tn.
defendants counsel, who elected from
her testimony which Il not shaker
might yet turn the case against tn,
plaintiff. But those who knew Wood
worth did not fear. It was upon cross
examination that he was especially
strong. Indeed, as he listened to hel
evidence he saw a weak point that de
stroyed its value. She had repeated 8
conversation she had heard between
her mother and the testator in which
the former urged the latter to leave
her property to her daughter, Julis
Scott. But the witness had said thai
she was not in the room and did mo-
see those who were talking.
When Woodwork took the witness
for cross examination and stood fran
ing his first question a slight tremo1
passed over the girl, and she cast 8
quick glance at the Judge as If to be
seech protection. Then she turned hel
eyes back on the lawyer, bit her lip al
If to gain courage and submitted her
self to be tormented. She did not
doubt for moment that Woodwork
would prove her perjurer.
miss Hunt" he said, chow far was
the room in which you were when you
overheard the conversation you have
mentioned from the room in which the
conversation occurred?'
A troubled look passed over the fac,
Of the witness, and she did not answe
the question. ..
The husband of the testator had beer
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 d.
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 a chance to tell how she had
overheard the conversation.
He stood looking at the girl, who
looked at him with all the gentle re-
proachfulness Of a fawn regarding a
hunter about to plunge 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 80 as to make It
appear to the jury a weak invention.
he knew In fact, as well az by her
guiltless bearing, that she spoke the
truth. At the moment Of triumph he
gave up victory, gave up his clients
case, which he was In duty bound
to win.
LET me see," he said, looking down
at some notes he had made on bit Of
Paper. Perhaps I can get at it in an
other way"
The other way did not lead to the
speaking tube or to anything that
would compromise the witness. After
asking a number Of irrelevant ques-
tons he released her from further ex-
animation.
Every one wondered. The Jury
brought In verdict for the defendant
Woodwork went from the court,
room to his office whore ho vnn<n .