Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 06.pdf/520

 Cfte <§mn iSag. Published Monthly, at $4.00 per Annum.

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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, facetia, anec dotes, etc. THE GREEN BAG. OUR readers are familiar with Judge Bleck ley's poetical ability, and will read the fol lowing communication with interest : — Atlanta, Ga. Editor " Green Bag." Dear Sir, — It is so seldom that the dry and hard details of judicial opinions arouse the slumbering muse in a judge's breast, that even a short couplet in such a connection is not without interest. In the case of Railroad against Roberts, reported in the 91st Georgia, page 513, one of the points under consideration relates to the competency of a juror by reason of the fact that his step-daughter had married the plaintiff's brother. The decision holds him competent, Chief Justice Bleckley rendering the opinion. The discussion of the question is closed with the following couplet : — "The groom and bride each comes within The circle of the other's kin; But kith and kin are still no more Related than they were before." Yours very truly, Alex. W. Smith. Pittsburgh, Pa. Editor the " Green Bag." In an abstract of title to property in this city, which I recently bought, I find the enclosed legal curiosity : — Extract from the Will of Adamson Tannehill. — " In making my will I do not calculate on pleasing every expectant, my great and primary ob ject is to please myself. I have but little to give, therefore it would be attended with the greater diffi culty in mincing it out among all who might expect a little of that little." "In a former will I had directed two busts to be executed and placed in the Court House in Pitts burgh as legacies to two of the most unprincipled scoundrels who ever appeared before a court of jus

tice; one of them is dead in reality, and the other dead to all feelings of moral principle. I now de cline a continuation of that appropriation and direct it to be applied to a tombstone and epitaph for my self as follows, viz. : Adamson Tannehill Was Born the 23rd of May, 1750, Died of , 18 —, Aged years. "lie served his country as an officer during the American Revolution, with the confidence of his superiors," &c, but in the year of 1798, his character was assailed unjustly by the slander of unprincipled men and virulence of Party. Has left this world with the hope of a better — Farewell vain world : I've seen enough of thee, And am now careless what thou sayest of me — Thy smiles I court not, nor thy frown I fear, My cares are past, my head lies quiet here — What faults you saw in me take care to shun — And look at home, enough's there to be done. False swearing and vile slander can't reach me here, Of each, when living, I had my share." Very truly yours, J. M. Stoner.

LEGAL ANTIQUITIES. Among the Romans it was customary to write the name of the testator on the first page of a will, that of the heir or heirs on the second, and the description of the property followed.

The first plea by a lawyer for a client is said to have been made in the year 788, when Ethelbard, a hunter of stags, was charged with claiming the quarry of a rival, which was proven had fallen by the rival's cross-bow. The advo cate asserted that the accused had refused to pay protection money to the keeper of the forest, hence the prosecution.

FACETIÆ. Many years ago the Supreme Court of New York adopted a rule that briefs (there called points) of lawyers, in appeal cases, should be 483