Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 05.pdf/612

 fèreen PUBLISHED MONTHLY, AT $4.00 PER ANNUM.

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 upon subjects of interest to the profession; also anything in the way of legal antiquities or curiosities, facetta, anecdotes, etc.

THE GREEN BAG. THE CHIEF-JUSTICES OF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES.

every, subscriber remitting the amount of his subscription for 1894 BEFORE JANUARY 10, 1894, we shall present a large group picture (24 in. X 30 in.) of the eight Chief-Justices of the United States Supreme Court. The portraits in clude JOHN JAY, JOHN RLTTLEDGE, OLIVER ELLS WORTH, JOHN MARSHALL, ROOK. R H. TANEV, SALMON P. ('HASH, MORRISON R. WAITE, and MELVILLE W. FULLER. WITH this number " The Green Bag " com pletes its fifth year. As in the past we have striven to cheer and entertain our legal brethren, so in the future it will be our chief endeavor to shed some rays of legal sunshine upon the weary lawyer, and to continue to demonstrate to him that there is a bright and enlivening phase to the profession which is commonly thought to be only dry and prosaic.

"THE Green Bag " for 1894 will be filled with all manner of good things. Several eminent law yers whom we have not heretofore numbered among our contributors have promised articles, and our biographical sketches (with portraits) and illustrated articles will be of unusual interest. The series of Supreme Court articles will be continued, and the publication of a number of celebrated "Old World Trials," which is commenced in this number, will be continued during the coming year. A bountiful supply of new anecdotes and bits of facetiae is all ready for distribution.

LEGAL ANTIQUITIES.

THE feeling upon the subject of oaths among the earlier colonists of Maryland is shown by the following extract from a petition of Assemblymen of the Province, addressed to the Lord Proprie tary, in 1649, and " signed by all the members present " : — "We do further humbly request your lordship that hereafter such things as your lordship may desire of us may be done with as little swearing as conve niently maj be. experience teaching us that a great occasion is given to much perjury when swearing becometh common."

FACETIÆ. THE bullying manner sometimes assumed by certain barristers in cross-examination, in order to confuse a witness and make his replies to im portant questions hesitating and contradictory, is notorious; and many are the tales told of " cute" witnesses who have turned the tables on their persecutors. The following relates to a case of this kind : — In a civil action on money matters the plaintiff had stated that his financial position was always satisfactory. In cross-examination he was asked if he had ever been bankrupt. "No," was the answer. Next question was, " Now, be careful; did you ever stop payment?"

"Yes," was the reply. "Ah." exclaimed the counsel, " I thought we should get at it at last. When did that happen?" "After I paid all I owed," was the answer.

BARON DOWSE was on circuit when an accused man could understand only Irish, and so an inter preter was sworn. The prisoner said something to the interpreter, and the interpreter replied to him.