Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 16.pdf/742

 Rh That seemed so easy that the witness laughed as he said: "It isn't what I know that you want to know; it's what you think I know that you're after, and you're trying to make me know it or prove me a liar." Then it was that every one in the court room knew that he had been on the witness stand before.—New York Press. THE Hon. Elihu Root, who has returned to the practice of law in New York city, has engaged a new office boy. Said Mr. Root: "Who carried off my paper basket?" "It was Mf. Reilly," said the boy. "Who is Mr. Reilly?" asked Mr. Root. "The janitor, sir.'' An hour later Mr. Root asked. "Jimmy, who opened that window?'' "Mr. Lantz, sir." "And who is Mr. Lantz?" "The window cleaner, sir." Mr. Root wheeled about and looked at the boy. "See he/e, James," he said, "we call men by their first names here. We don't 'mister' them in this office. Do you understand?" In ten minutes the door opened and a small, shrill voice said: "There's a man here as wants to see you, Elihu."—Cleveland Plain-Dealer. "I—I've bought a farm about ten miles out of town," said the man with the black eye, as he entered a lawyer's office. "Exactly—exactly. You've bought a farm and you've discovered that one of the line fences takes in four or five feet of your land. You attempted to discuss the matter with the farmer, and he resorted to arms." "Yes." "Well, don't you worry. You can first sue him for assault. Then for battery. Then for personal damages. Then we'll take up the matter of the fence, and I promise you that even if we don't beat him we can keep the case in court for at least 25 years. Meanwhile, he'll probably ham string your cows, poison your calves and set fire to your barn, and you can begin a

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new suit almost every week. My dear man, you've got what they call a pudding and you can have fun from now on to the day you die of old age.''—Chicago Law Journal. The late Senator Vest was a clever lawyer as well as an orator and statesman. In his younger days, it fell to his lot to defend a man indicted for murder. There were cir cumstances, not strictly legal, that made the crime less heinous in fact than in name. Vest was sorely puzzled to find a defense for his client, but at length told him that his only hope was that the jury would find him insane, and he instructed his client not to speak from that time forth to the end of the trial. The case proceeded, the State pre sented its evidence and rested. Vest made little defense, and waited for the summing up of the State's attorney. Then he started in with an address to the jury in which he demonstrated that his client was an utter imbecile, entirely incapable of planning and carrying out the crime for which he was in dicted. He made his client out worse than a degenerate—a pitable human wreck men tally, the veriest imbecile. The jury was convinced and acquitted the prisoner. Not so the prisoner. With ill-concealed rage he sought out his lawyer, and calling him to one side gave him to understand that if ever again in trouble and Vest should employ that kind of defense to free him, the lawyer would hear from him in an emphatic way.— The Lan' Résister. CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of THE GREEN BAG : The custom of a belligerent nation pro hibiting all trade with its enemy is of very ancient date. We have records of such a practice as early as the beginning of the thirteenth century. It seems to have been usual in that and the next following century for belligerent nations on the outbreak of war to issue proclamations warning all men not to attempt to import food or any mer chandise whatever into the enemy's terri tory, and, thereupon, to arrest and con fiscate the vessels and goods of any persons