Rensselaer Union, Volume 3, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 August 1871 — A Lawyer’s Knowledge. [ARTICLE]

A Lawyer’s Knowledge.

All good lawyers know the value in the practice of their profession of general knowledge or information to be obtained by practical intercourse with the world and studies outside of the law library. In a book just published by the daughter oi an English advocate, Mr. John Adolphus, the following is' told, which will illustrate .the value of the kind of knowledge roa ferred to. The writer says: f*. “A very extraordinary criminal caso *was entirely decided by the knowledge my father had picked up of nautical affairs in his early voyages to and from the West I Indios. Lascars were on their trial for the j murder of the captain of the ship; the evidence of the mate seemed quite conclusive. In the course of, it he said, however, that at the time of tho murder there was great confusion, as the ship was in much peril, and requiring all the attention of the sailors to prevent her striking on a rock. My father, who defended the prisoners, asked so many questions as to thw exact number of. tho crow, and where each man was. ahd what he was engaged in during this perilous time, that at -last the Judge whispered, ‘ I suppose, Mr. Adolphus, those questions are to the purpose? I own I ao notAsee it,’ thinking, doubtless, the time of the Court was being wasted. After a few mdre questions ah to the duty each man was performing, the witness had accounted for every' man bn board, the captaiif being' bhioWand the two" prisoners murdering him. My father fixed nis eyes steudity on tbe Witness, nod said, in a aearckiug and loud voice, ‘ Then who was at the ifceUp ?’ The wretched mate dropped down iu a fit, and soon after con deseed he was himself the murderer. Iu his false evidence he had giveh to each man his position, and forgotten the most jnaterial, or rather left none to fill it."