Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 December 1883 — Too Quick for Ben Butler. [ARTICLE]

Too Quick for Ben Butler.

An ex-Congressman of Massachusetts tells a story about Gov. Butler "which illustrates his methods with a jury and shows that he sometimes meets his match. He was once counsel in a case before a Lowell Judge and jury, being on the side which was irredeemably weak and wrong. His only chance lay in misinterpreting the testimony of a witness who had spoken in a par ticularly straightforward manner; and in seme way hoodwinking. Lawyer Train, the opposing attorney. So, when Butler’s turn to address the jury came, he began in a plausible and impressive manner to lead his hearers up to the point where his last hope lay. Reaching it, he informed the gentlemen of the jury that even the witness admitted such and such occurrences. Watching Mr. Train, narrowly and judging by his. silence that the course was open, he repeated again and again a very damaging assertion. When he had said it over half a dozen times Lawyer Train, who sat quietly at his desk, little interested, apparently, in the General’s argument, turned his head slowly and remarked in the dry way peculiar to him: “If my brother Butler repeats that a few times more, he’ll make himself believe the witness said it I" This was too much for the gravity of the audience. Judge and jury joined the spectators in a hearty laugh, and Gen. Butler lost his case. I Adams county, Miss., has 1,303 more I females than males.