Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 04.pdf/206

 Ctje


 * 1) reen

Published Monthly, at S3.00 per annum.

Bag. Single numbers, 50 cents.

Communications in regard to the contents of the Magazine should be addressed to the Editor, Horace W. Fuller, 15^ Beacon Street, Boston, Mass. The Editor will be glad to receive contributions of articles of moderate length ufion subjects of interest to the profession; also anything in the way of legal antiquities or curiosities, facetiar, anecdotes, etc. THE GREEN BAG. OINCE the " Green Bag" came into existence, ^ our contemporaries, appreciating the good ex ample set them, have gone more or less extensively into illustrations. First the " Chicago Legal News" fell into line, and was speedily followed by other journals, until at last even the " Albany Law Jour nal " has decided to give its readers portraits of eminent lawyers. The '-Central Law Journal" still holds back, but we expect soon to be able to record its entrance into the pictorial field. We, of course, feel extremely flattered that our brother Editors recognize the good points of the '-Green Bag," and strive to imitate them.

We wish every reader of the " Green Bag" would send in one or more of the best legal anec dotes which have been brought to his attention. Our '. Facetire " column might in that way be kept filled with the brightest and wittiest say ings and doings of the profession throughout the country. Whenever you hear a good story, jot it down and send it to the Editor.

In- the sketch of Caleb Cushing in the January number of the " Green Bag," among his charac teristics were noted his omnivorous reading and unwearied industry. As an illustration, it has been learned that when a young lawyer in Newburyport, be made an arrangement with the lead ing bookseller of the place to take all his new books at nine o'clock in the evening, and return them at eight the next .morning. In that time, usually devoted to rest, he would gain a clear idea of their contents, and his wonderful memory always retained what he had once learned. 24

The following communication will be read with interest : — Albany, March 19, 1892. Editor of the " Green Bag " : In preparing " The Giant Brakeman " for your peri odical (published in December number, 1891), it oc curred to me that it would have been a shrewd move on the part of the defendant's counsel to offer to measure the plaintiff as he sat in court. This. I learn, was done at the new trial : and the result was that he fell one inch short of the average height! It did not hurt his case, however; for he changed his testimony to conform to the altered facts, and swore he was walking forward to find a brake that would hold, when he was struck. Result, an increased verdict for plaintiff! Yours truly, Irving Browne.

LEGAL ANTIQUITIES. Any one who had prosecuted a man to death for a criminal offence used to obtain a " Tyburn ticket," which conferred upon him and his heirs male future exemption from serving on a jury. These tickets passed, like a freehold estate, from father to son. Joseph Wood and Thomas Underwood were condemned to death for stealing, neither being fourteen years of age, and the prosecutor no more than twelve. The judge decreeing it was neces sary for the " public safety," and as an example to other " little boys," to cut them " off," they were accordingly executed at Newgate, July 6. 1 79 1. A few weeks later, another child, hardly fifteen, was brought to the gallows for purloining if. bd. It is remarkable that the oldest book of law in the German language is entitled " Spiegel." or "The Looking-glass," which answers to the English "Mirror of Justices." It was compiled by Eckius