Evening journal., 1911-07-17
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
A Great Lawyers Sense Of
Duty
n, H1IrorI
BY Holland.


Many of the professional associates
of William M. Evarts were always of
the opinion that his greatest triumph
as a lawyer from all points of view
was that which came to him through
his management of the defendants
side of the civil suit brought by Theo-
dore Tilton against Henry Ward
Beecher for damages of one hundred
thousand dollars for alleged aliena-
ton Of Mrs. Tiltons affections.
These professional friends knew
full well of Mr.. Evarts' marvellous
management Of the case of the United
States against Great Britain before the
so-called Geneva arbitration tribunal.
They we're not unmindful of Mr.
Evarts' defense of President Andrew
Johnson in the impeachment proceed
ings brought before the United States
Senate sitting as a high court of i'm
parchment But Mr.. Evarts associa-
ton as leading counsel for Henry
Ward Beecher in the Tilton suit in
volved the most prolonged and ex-
haustive work he ever undertook. The
trial lasted six months OF all the
lawyers upon either side-and there
we're nearly dozen in all-Mr. Evarts
was the only one who was at his
place in the court room every morn
ing at the opening of court. He was
also the only lawyer who did not leave
the court room on one preteXt or an
other, except at the lunch hour, until
the session for each day had ended.
In the early months of the trial,
which began in the winter of 1874, the
severest and most prolonged spell of
cold weather New York had known for
many years set in Night after night
the thermometer fell below the zero
mark Ice formed rapidly. Long Island
Sound was closed near He'll Gate ana
the steamboats, plying between New
York and Fall River we're obliged to
take the outside passage-that is to
say, the ocean route on the south side
of Long Island. 1t was almost impos-
sible to cross either the Hudson or the
East River by ferry on account of he
ice. At last an exceptionally cold night
even for that bitter season-caused
the floating ice to freeze and navigl-
ton between Manhattan and Brook
Ign was practically closed.
On the following morning Mr. Evarts
was brought by his coachman to Fui-
ton Ferry, on the Manhattan side Of
the East River The great lawyer look
ed forth from the ferryhouse and saw
that the river was covered with ice
and that navigation had ceased-the
ferry boats we're lying idle in their
slips. He was told that perhaps 0y
noon navigation would be resumed 10
Brooklyn; by that time, il was thought
the heavy tide and the swift currents
of the river would have weakened the
ice sufficiently to allow the boats to
pillow their way through it.
But by noon the trial would have
been under way two hours; that would
never do. Without hesitation, Mr..
Evarts stepped from the pier to
vessel that had been frozen in along
side 1t and from the little vessel to the
ice. Then, with careful steps, and feel
ing his way with an umbrella, bat
without displaying the slightest evil
dence of timidity, he journeyed Brook
UPWARD across the first ice bridge that
had formed in New York harbor in
many years, and, to the surprise of
every one in the court room, appeared
in his seat there as the clock struck
/ ten.
How did you get over, Mr.. Evarts p
he was asked
'By a natural bridge" he answered.
81 crossed on the ice"
But why did you dare risk your life
! by doing that?"
1T was my duty to my client" was
the reply.
Copyright 1911. by E. J. Edwards. All
Rights Reserved)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell OF
"The Fear that Kept a Famous Novel.
list from Visiting America"