The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1909-03-05
HIS FIRST LOVE CASE.

cause he would not take case that
he was not sure of or was SO re-
sourceful that his opponents could
never defeat him does not appear
The fact remains that until the Yard
ley case was tried no judge or jury
had ever brought final decision or
verdict against him. Upon that case
hangs a tale.
Mrs. Yardley died, leaving some
$4,000 TO sister, Mrs Hunt. who had
nursed her in her last illness. cutting
of her own daughter, Julia Scott, a
young married woman living in a diff
ferent place Mrs. Scott undertook 70
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 Wood
worth would win, for he has cstab-
iished every point needed to estab-
lish his plea.
The defendants counsel called for
Margaret Hunt. and the name was re-
peated by the clerk with 10 more
reverence than he would have spoken
the name of a habitual criminal.
and young girl--she was the daugh-
ter of the defendar t-passsd TO the
witness stand. Her very appearance
begot an unconscious Difference in
every man in the courtroom.
Woodwork at the moment OF her
entrance was chatting with u fellow
attorney. 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 responded 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
know Woodwork did not fear 1t was
upon cross-eXamination that he was
especially strong. Indeed, as he list
ened to her evidence he saw weak
point that destroyed it's value She
had repeated a conversation she had
heard between her mother and the
testator 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
We're talking.
When Woodwork took the witness
for crUss-eXamination and stood franz
ing his first question slight trcmor
passed over the girl and she cast a
quick glance at the judge as if to be-
scoch protection. Then she rlrned her
eyes back on the lawyer, bit her lip
as ii to gain courage and submitted
herself TO be tormented. She did not
doubt for a moment that Woodwork
would prove her a perjurer
Miss Hunt" ne said, how far was
The room in which YOU wore when you
overheard the conversation you have
mentioned from the room in which
The conversation occurred?"
\ trouble look passed over the face
OF the witness. and she did uot an
swrr the question.
The husband of the ;estator had
been a aphysician, and his housc-th
house in which the conversation oc-
CURED was fitted with a speaking
tube between the front door and the
doctors bedroom His window oc.
cupied the bedroom to which the tube
led, Miss Hunt, standing at the front
door directly before the lower tube
mouth awaiting admittance, hat
heard the conversation through tn,
tube. Woodwork knew this anG
was prepared to make the statement
appear improbably. He might force
her to admit that she was not in the
house at all, then deny her q 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 fawn regarding
hunter about to plung a knife into it:
throat. Then her eyes filled
Woodworth's case was lost. All II,
had to do to win it was to draw on
the girls testimony so as to make i
appear to the jury a weak invention
He knew in fact as we'll as by he
!, guiltless bearing that she spoke TIL
truth. AT the moment OF triumph n
gave mp victory gave up his client
r case which he was in duty bound t
win.
Let me see" he said. lookin
down at some notes he had made o.
bit of paper. Perhaps can get a
il in another way"
The other way did not lead TO III
speaking tube or to anything tina
would compromise the witness Al
ter asking a number of irrelcvan
questions he released her from fur
ther examination.
Everyone wondered The jur
brought in verdi.-t for the defend
u ant
0 Woodwork wen; from the court
room to his Office. where he vrote
% note to his client Informing her tina
80 the case had been lost through hi
own fault and inclofing his check fo
d., 10000