Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1909-01-15
A Lawyer First Lost Case

[Original1
Myron Woodwork was an attorney
iust passing middle age He was
known as the lawyer who had never
lost case. Whether this was because
he would not take case that he was
not sure of or was so resOurceful that
his opponents could never defeat him
does not appear. The fact remains
that until the Yardley case was tried
no judge or jury had ever brought
final decision or verdict against him
Upon that case hangs tale.
Mrs. Yardley died, leaving some $1O,-
600 to sister, Mrs. Hunt, who had
nursed her in her last illness, cutting
off her own daughter, Julia Scott, a
young married woman living in a dit
ferent place. Mrs. Scott undertook to
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 Woodwork
would win, for he had established
every point needed to establish his
plea. There was but one more witness
to examine, whose testimony was not
supposed to be important.
The defendants counsel called for
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 a rustic Of Woman's dress, and a
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 en-.
trance was chatting with a fellow at
torney. When he turned his eyes to
the witness they rested upon 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 tbs
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. 1t 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 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 were talking.
When WOODWORK took the witness
for cross examination and stood fran.
ing his first question a slight tremor
passed over the girl, and she cast
quick glance at the judge as If to be
seech protection. Then she turned her
eyes back on the lawyer, bit her lip as
If to gain courage and submitted her.
self to be tormented She did not
doubt for moment that Woodwork
would prove her q periurer.
Miss Hunt" he said, chow far was
the. room in which you were when you
overheard the converse ton 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 speaking tube be
tween the front door and the Doctors
bedroom. His widow occupied the
bedroom TIC which the tube led Miss
Hunt, standing at the front door Il.
rectly before the lower tube mouth
awaiting admittance. had heard the
conversation through the tube Wood
worth knew this and was prepared tc
make the statement appear ilnproh
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-
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 SO MS to make it
appear TO the Jury a weak Invention,
tIe knew in fact. as well as by her
.;,l;itless bearing. that she er.clsa the