Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 80, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 June 1899 — Bencb AND Bar. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Bencb AND Bar.

“This statement,” says a late opinion, “is a summary of 667 large typewritten pages of what is called ‘evidence,’ but which, for the most part, 1b simply ‘gabble, gabble, gabble;’ thus furnishing a fine illustration of what a curse the art of the stenographer is to the Appellate Courts.” The attorney for the plaintiff In an action for killing a dog said: “Gentlemen of the jury, he was a good dog, a fine-appearing dog, a valuable dog, and it does not lie in the mouth of the defendant to say he was a worthless cur, because it Is in evidence before you that on one occasion he offered $5 for one of his pups.” The trouble with some corporations is described In a late case as follows: “Some are afflicted with what may be called ‘congenital’ insolvency. They are born insolvent, capitalized into insolvency at the moment of their creation, and eke out a precarious existence in an apparent effort to solve the old paradox of living on the Interest of their debts."

“Gentlemen of the jury, have you agreed upon a verdlet?” asked the judge. “We have not,” replied the foreman, “and what’s more we never will be able to. You see, judge,” he added confidentially, “it’s just this way: When the lawyer for the defense got through talking we were unanimously of the opinion that bis client should be acquitted and the prosecuting attorney disbarred, If not hanged, and when we had heard the prosecuting attorney we decided that the prisoner was guilty and bis lawyer ought to get twenty years In the penitentiary as well. Then you gave us about forty-five minutes of instructions and we were up in the air, so to speak, and so confused that we have been unable to agree upon anything except that both attorneys ought.to be convicted.”