Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 December 1888 — His Face Acquitted Him. [ARTICLE]

His Face Acquitted Him.

There used to be in practice in one of the southeastern cities of Massachusetts, says the “Listener” in the Boston Evening Transcript, a well-known lawyer who had a considerable degree of success at the bar in spite of an infirmity of speech that he never could get rid of. His stuttering appeals in behalf of his clients were sometimes fearful and wonderful deliverances oratorically, but'his opponents used to say that they really gained in effectiveness from his stuttering, because the jury not only sympathized with hi n, but had tirhe to take in and digest all his points. One day he Was called to th i Bristol county court room' before Judge Pitman and a jury to defend a very tough looking citizen, who had been arrested on a charge of selling liquor without a license. The man had a bad reputation and a bad face; whisky had been found on his premises, and if ever a man was convicted before he was tried it seemed to be this one. But his stuttering lawyer was equal to the emergency. He cross-questioned the policeman who made the seizure: “You s-s-say you found li-ii-li-liquor in this map’s house?”

“Yes.” s . “W-w-w-hatrkihd of li-liquor w-w-was it?’ “Whisky." < 7. “Um. Now, h-h-how much w-h-hisky did you f-f-f-find?” “About half a pint, sir.” “H-h-h-haif a pint, yes. Now, g-g-g-gentlemen of the j-j-jury, I want you to take a good 1-1-1-long look at my c-c-c-c-lilient.” , j - The jury took a good look at him. He wasn’t a very pleasant sight to see; his nose was a sort of purple vermillion and considerably exaggerated in its proportions at that; his brows were low and shaggy and his eyes bleared. “Now, g-g-g-gentlemen of the jury,” tfie lawyer went on, “I want you to ; t-t-t-tell me if my c-c-c-li-lient looks like j a man that would s s s-sell a half pint of whisky if it was all he had in tie j house.” „ ; j I The jury acquitted the man without leaving their seats.