The Washington herald., 1909-05-30

from home so much that place In his
Office. where I would be alone most OF
the time, would do me little good He
practically arranged for me 70 study witt
an old Whig firm. the members OF which
pracuced largely IN Springfield
( 4 read law with zeal and industry.
getting a little writing 10 do occasionally
and keeping my eyes open for legitimate
/ speculatiOns. Sometimes I would need
money, and Mr. Lincoln would 20 on
my personal note for S5e 7 saw a lot
IN Springfield which I thought would in
crease in price, and bought K for 800
! Nj Lincoln loaned ne the money. In
deed. he held my note when he became
President OF the United States. I sold
/ the lot afterward for $50 and paid the
debt"
Were you ever engaged with Mr. Lin
coin in the trial of a lawsuit" / asked.
The most hGmiiating experience Of
my life occurred during the trial Of the
( only case in which I had the honor 70
( be associated with Mr. Lincoln. As a
matter OF fact, I thought was 50 deeply
| disgraced thatSI would never get over
| it. A grandson OF Peter Cartwright, the
! celebrated csmpmeeting exhorter, was &C
/ cUsed Of murder Ny family. being Meth
I Odists. had great affection for Peter Cart
wright. Moreover, I was friend OF hfs
grandson. Lincoln and Stephen T. Lo-
gan were employed 10 defend the young
man, and I did their legal errands.
wanted TO keep Cartwright out Of jail
where he would have been denied bail,
and so / hid him under the floor Of an
| abandoned building that had once been
used as a college Two or three nights
later I took him 10 my own house. When
We we're ready 10 try the case 7 sUrren-
dered him to the sheriff and he was
| locked up.
Played Minor Part.
During the progress Of the trial I
! had an Insignificant part in one Of the
most extraordinary scenes that ever oc-
CURED in an american court room. Lin
coin and Logan had argued with the pros
ecuting attorney about the admissimIity
OF certain testimony. The court said be
would take the matter under advisement
and give his decision Immediately after
dinner. The judge when he BEGAN Z,
speak, was rather ambiguous. but he
suddenly became definite in his language.
and we instantly understood that NJ
meant to decide the point against us.
With the same impulse, not having
said a word 10 each other, Lincoln and
Logan sprang tc their feet Lincoln was
large man in every way. notHfthstand-
ing his angular body He looked terrible
as, with flashing eyes, he bent slightly
forward as if he meant to leap for the
throat Of the now terrified Judge His
speech doomed Ike thunder and bis anger
famed through the storm ike lightning.
The court, overawed physically and
morally. and legally. too, I trust, reversed
himself. so far as he had gone. much
To the amazement and disgust Of the
prosecuting attorney.
But I started 10 tell about my own
experience in the case. Through some
arrangement, perhaps 8Ir Lincoln made
It in the natural kindless OF his heart. 1
was permitted to address the jury. The
case was practically closed and It may
have been thought that It had passed the
point where I could be dangerous.
Naturally. I was stirred with pride and
excitement 1 was appearing. you under
stand, with two OF the foremost lawyers
OF the West-men skilled in the law and
the art OF public speaking Besides, I felt
a lawyers obligation 70 his client Cart
wright was IN e grave situation.
When I stood up I trenbled all over.
inside and out. but the words came. I
distinctly remember that I made start
However. hadn't talked for long before |
noticed that the floor began TO wave
under my feet, that the edges OF the per-
sons whom I saw were spreading out
and growing alarmingly thin and that
the table. books. and chairs were |
Quiveri1g in the air and trying 10 !
float knew II I didn't sit down that /
should fail down So sank, helpless