Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 06.pdf/226

 Ctje #rem BagPublished 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 inter est to the profession; also anything in the way of legal antiquities or curiosities, facctice, anec dotes, etc. THE GREEN BAG. THE Editor once again requests the readers of The Green Bag to send him contribu tions of legal reminiscences and anecdotes. Each State has had, and still has, many lawyers noted for their wit and humor, whose bright sayings certainly ought to be preserved. Let every reader send in one or two of the best anec dotes he has ever heard, and by so doing add to the entertainment and pleasure of his brother lawyers. LEGAL ANTIQUITIES.

Terrible as the old methods of punishment seem to us, it is perhaps doubtful whether they would be considered by criminals as severer than those at present in vogue. Here is a case in point : — "At a session of the Court of Oyer and Terminer held at Norristown, Pa., Oct. 11, 1786, a bill was presented against Philip Hoosnagle for burglary, who was convicted on the clearest testimony. He was, after a very pathetick, and instructing admonition from the bench, sentenced to five years hard labour, under the neiv act of Assembly. It was with some difficulty that this reprobate was prevailed upon to make the election of labour instead of the halter .... A convincing proof," the report says, " that the punishments directed by the new law are more terrifying to idle vagabonds than all the horrors of an ignominious death."

FACETI.dE. Mr. Frank Lockwood, the eminent English Q.C, has a well deserved reputation as a humorist, as the following incidents will show : —

There are certain Scotch lairds who take the name of their estate, and usually use that ap pellation in place of a surname. One of these is "Cluny " Macpherson, to whom Mr. and Mrs. Lockwood recently paid a visit. During their stay, Mr. and Mrs. Macpherson and their guests were invited to lunch at a neighboring country house, where a visitors' book was kept. The head of the Clan Macpherson, in accordance with Scotch custom, wrote in the book, — " Cluny and Mrs. Macpherson." Mr. Lockwood was not to be outdone by any northern chief, and was prepared for the emergency, even if he could not claim to be the leader of a highland clan. Underneath " Cluny's " signature ap peared, — "26, Lennox Gardens, and Mrs. Lockwood." In England, when a country residence is some miles from a telegraph office, any telegrams addressed to that residence are forwarded by mounted or foot messenger, at a cost usually varying between eight pence and a shilling per mile. Mr. Lockwood, having been invited to stay for a couple of days at a friend's country house, decided to accept the invitation if his host were willing to extend his hospitality for an additional two days. The genial Q.C. therefore telegraphed, "May I make it four days?" and the message was duly delivered to Mr. X., who, after paying six shillings for its delivery, replied, " Yes, of course, but don't telegraph." Towards evening the mounted telegraph messenger again appeared, a-nd once more demanded a further six shillings for his services. The telegram, when opened, read as follows, " Why not? Lockwood."

The most persistent man at the English Bar is a newly-created Q.C. named Oswald, who enjoyed a large practice as a junior, and is likely to increase it as " a silk." About a year ago, Mr. Oswald was before the