Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1911-11-14
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
Story OF One Famous Lawyers
Sense of Duty.
How William IA. Evarts Crossed Kew
York Harbor on the Ice to Be
Present at Beecher Trlai
In Brooklyn.
BY {. ). EDWARDS.

MlLs VI the PROFESSIONAL associates
Of William NJ. 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. Tilton's affections.
These professional friends knew full
OF Mr.. Eyarts' marvellous management
Of the United States against Great
Britain before the so-called Geneva ar
bitration tribunal They were not un.
mindful OF Mr.. Evarts' defense OF
President Andrew Johnson in the i'm.
parchment proceedings brought be-
fore the United States senate sitting
as a high court Of impeachment. But
Mr.. Evarts' association as leading
counsel for Henry Ward Beecher In
the Tilton suit involved the most pro-
longed and exhaustive work he ever
undertook. The trial lasted six
months. OF all the lawyers upon ell
Their side-and there were nearly
dozen In all-Mr. Evarts was the only
one who was at his place in the court
room every morning at the opening
OF court. He was also the only lawyer
who did not leave the court room on
one pretext or another, 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
seyerest and most prolonged spoil of
cold weather New York had X lwn
for many years set in. Night fter
night the thermometer fell below the
zero mark. Ice formed rapidly. Long
Island sound was closed near He'll
Gate and the steamboats, PLYING be-
tween New York and Fall River we're
obliged to take the outside pas age
that is to say, the ocean route on the
south side OF Long Island. 1t was
almost impossible to cross either the
Hudson or the East river by ferry on
account OF the ice. At last an excep-
tonally cold night-even for that bit
ter season--caused the floating Ice to
freeze and navigation between Man
haitian and Brooklyn was practically
closed.
On the following morning Mr.. EY.
arts was brought by his coachman to
Fulton ferry, on the Manhattan side
OF the East river. The great lawyer
looked forth from the ferry house and
saw that the river was covered with
Ice and that navigation had ceased
the ferry boats were lying idle In
their slips. He was told that perhaps
by noon navigation would be resumed
to Brooklyn; By that time, II was
thought, the heavy tide and the swift
currents OF the river would have weak
ened 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 yes
sci that had been frozen in alongside
II and from the little vessel to the
ice. Then, with careful steps, and
feeling his way with an umbrella, but
without displaying the slightest evi
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 courtroom, appeared
in his seat there as the clock struck
ten.
How did you get over. Mr.. Evarts?"
he was asked.
by a natural bridge" he answered.
Il 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 Z. ]. Edwards. All
Rights Reserved.l