The National tribune., 1909-03-04
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Continued from page one.)


inal He seems to have been Simply
weak. LiHciln and the Armstrong; had
been friends ever after he gave the
Armstrong bully his lesson, and Lincoln
as e young man used TO be at the Arm
strongs a good deal. During the great
debates with Douglas, Mrs. Armstrong
now n widow, came to Lincoln. impior
ing his help for her son, who was &C
cused of murder committed Aug. %.
1857. He was drunk and had quarreled
with a man named Metzken, and The
man was later in the evening found
murdered. Public opinion was against
the boy, and he had been convicted on
the first trial. He had to be removed
from his home in Mason County TO
avoid violence.
The Armstrong Case.
Lincoln was true to his old friend,
AIRS. Armstrong, who had kept his linen
in order, darned his socks, possibly
knitted the same, and been a mother
to him generally in his younger daIs,
and, stopping his political work, came
home to save Duff Armstrong; life.
Lincoln's management of the case
from its incipiency was masterful. He
got a jury of young men, and most of
the witnesses were young men and be-
longed to families that Lincoln knew
well. and he managed to examine than
Will SuSh very iitiC
that was damaging was brought out
against HIS client Armstrong could not
testify for himself, as the laws of Illi-
nois did not permit a defendant TO tesu-
fly in his own behalf All the young
men were speedily under the charm of
Lincoln's manner. The last witness was
tough. His name was Allen. He swore
that he saw Duff Armstrong strike the
blow with slingshot or some such
weapon. Lincoln pressed him slSilfully.
and Allen placed the hour at II at
night.
Lincoln suddenly demanded that he
state to the jury how he had managed
to see so clearly at that time of night.
by the moonlight" the witness an
swered glibly.
well, was there light enough to see
everything that happened?" persisted
Lincoln.
The witness responded that the
moon was in about the same place that
the sun would be at 10 o'clock in the
morning and was full" (This reply is
historically correct, according TO the
reeords.)
This had been his testimony in the
previous trial which had convicted
Armstrong, who had been sentenced to
eight years in the penitentiary. The
words were no sooner out of his mouth
than Lincoln held before his face an
almanac. showing that the moon. which
at it's best was only slightly past its first
quarter on the night in question.
aad given almost no light on that night,
Ind that it had set at seven minutes
past u on the night in question.
Then Lincoln lighted on the trem-
bling periurer with the lightning of his
wrath, and scourged him from the room
and from the town with his excoriating
condemnation. Armstrong was, of
course. acquitted.
Lincoln did not like criminal prac-
tice and did not seek it. He seemed %
fear facts in his clients case being
against honesty and justice. and if they
We're and Lincoln found it out he SIM
ply walked off and left his client TO
shift for himself. He conducted only
two or three murder cases in his whole
practice. In one of these murder cases
Lincoln defended the grandson of mis-
one-time adversary, "Old" Peter Cart
right. whose name has ever been one to
''eunger'' among Christians. In that
case John NJ. Palmer, late General in
the United States Army in the greatest
of all wars, appeared for the people,
associated with him were Lincoln.
Herndon, Judge Logan and Shelby NJ.
Cuilom. now a United States Senator
from Illinois serving his sixth term.
and who has been a representative n
Congress since 1865, Governor of the
State. and who succeeded Senator David
Davis to the Senate in 1888. That was
a galaxy of brains to tie to.
The Harrison Case.
The youth, Peter Harrison, was -ac-
Juitted. Lincoln having called his
old grandfather, Peter Cartwright,
to the witness stand in behalf
mitted the murder, but under provoca-
ton Lincoin's skilfuI questioning OF
the aged preacher was what saved the
day Another time, when Lincoln was
defending a man and had for his assist
ant counsel Leonard SWEET, Lincoln dis
covered that his client had lied to him
and was really guilty as charged. He
got up, and, saying to SWEET, you
speak to the jury; if say a word, thes
will gee from my face that the man is
Slilty and convict him. he left thf
sourt room and would not return. An
J-her time he was defending a mar
charged with manslaughter, and dis
covered by the testimony that he shoult
have been indicted for murder in Iht
first degree. Lincoln was disgrsted, bu
did not abandon the case. Wien ht
addressed the jury, however, he oispar.
aged the efforts that mad been made
to work upon their feelings, and made
his own argument along strictly pro
fessionai lines, and the result was tina
in the peni.entiary, much TO the disgus
of the other counsel, who knew Il e ac.
cused could have been cleared had Lin
coin only taken his usual interest n
the case.
At another time Lincoln desired u
gain delay in a certain case, and hi!
partner, Herndon, drew ap the diiatof.
plea. It was so couched that IL woulT
have effectually postponed the hearing
and was the sort of plea that all law
yers make, but Lincoln didn't like it,
"Is this founded on fact:" he de
nanded of Herndon, and his partne
was obliged to say that Il was not. H
said it was the usual plea, however, am
that it would gain the 9ostponement
Lincoln wouldn't have 1t that way. ''YoI
know ii is a sham.' he declared, "an(
q sham is very often nut another name
for lie Don't let 1t go on record. The
cursed thing may come staring us IL
the face long after this suit las lee
forgotten" And the plea ior postpone
ment was withdrawn.
Judge David Davis.
Among the staneh, abiding friend
that Lincoln made in those elder day
was Judge Davis. one of the great Ilei
of the 18th century. Judge Davis whif
presiding over the old Eighth Illinoi
District was more than partial to Lin
coin whom he loved as father love
a child, tho he was some Years younger
When he was unable to preside over III
court he often assigned Lincoln 10 III
bench. This was irregular, but it Welt