The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1915-01-01
Story of How He Has Gone to
Top of His Profession
Despite Handicap.
LOST SIGHT IN CHILDHOOD
Studied Law at Harvard and Made
Great Record as Government
Prosecutor In New York-Aid-
ed by Marvellous Memory.
BY RICHARD sPILLANE.


trying one of che greatest fraud cases
in recent times. A group of lawyers
of unusual ability represented the de-
PENDANT. The case was one of re
markable completely. The swindle
had been concealed with a cleverness
that did credit to the master crook
who planned it. The lawyers for the
defense used every artifice to make
it appear that their client had done
no wrong. They befogged the issue,
harried the opposing witnesses, fought
against the admission of various
forms of evidence and did everything
the trained men of the law do in the
cause of their clients.
Against the imposing group of law
yers for the defense was smooth
shaver, mild-looking assistant district
attorney. He never lost his temper,
never got excited, never used a
harsh word. Day after day he met
every attack and turned it aside. Day
after day he tore the veil of pretense
and exposed the fraud that was be-
hind it. Hundreds of documents had
been brought forward to prove the
points he made, Day books and ledg-
ers in which much complicated &C.
counts had been kept had to be re-
ferred to many times. He never read
from the books or papers, but had one
of his associates do the reading. If
the associate had difficulty in finding
the particular entry referred to or
the particular thing desired in some
bit of correspondence, the young as
sistant district attorney told him the
number of the paper or the date of
the letter. On points of law he
seemed to be able to quote from all
the authorities. When one of his OPP
ponents put a wrong Interpretation on
any bit of evidence or a wrong con-
struction on any legal ruling the as
sistant district attorney corrected
him. The young man always was
right.
His Eyes Are SightIess.
When it came to summing up, he
had nc notes to guide him, but went
through all the maze of that intricate
swindle, checking up one fraud and
another laying bare each slip the
swfndler made and exposing trick
after trick in the elaborate system of
bookkeeping the man employed. And
all the while he kept before the jurors
the state of mind of the prisoner. the
intent behind all his acts.
A man who had followed the case
from the beginning took long breath
when the young assistant district at
torney closed his speech.
Goodness" he exclaimed. He's
a wonder! He must have read law as
few men read ii"
He did," said dry-looking man at
his side. HE never looked into law
book in his life"
What do you mean?" demanded the
first man.
Gust what say" responded the
dry one He's blind"
1t was true. The, assistant United
States district attorney was Raymond
Brown, the sightless lawyer, who, al
though not yet thirty years of age,
has represented the government in
some of the most important criminal
trials in the last five years. A United
States judge Of wide reputation and
experience says this blind man is
one of the greatest lawyers he ever has
met.
Became Blind in 5oyhood.
Blindness is terrible affection, but
some men and women have been
spurred to higher achievements
through the handicaps it entails
Brown was born in Dover, N. H., Au-
gust q, 1885. He wasn't born blind
Until he was eight years old he had
eyes as good as any boy. Then he
was stricken with one of those i'll
nesses to which childhood is heir and
the light of day was shut out from
him for all time. The lot of a blind |
boy is a sad one. He is cut off from |
all the games that youth delights in.
He is robbed of half the joys of liv- |
ing.
Young Brown always had a desire
for learning. After he was stricken |
ulllu LIS ICIdtlNCS dllO II lCbO W |
him. He listened intently. Late at
night, or when the house was silent, |
he would strive to recall each and |
every sentence that had been read to
him. At first he could only get few |
sentences complete, but as the years |
went on his memory became so high
ly developed that everything he
heard was recorded as securely as if |
the words had been written and put
away in the safest of places.
Somehow he got a liking for the
law. When the question of a career
for him came to be considered, he |
said he wanted to be a lawyer. No
business requires more of the study
of books, more research than does the
law. That didn't matter to Brown.
He went to a preparatory school and
from that entered Harvard. In the |