Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 24.pdf/300

 The Editor's Bag

269

"Y-e-s, your honor." COMMON-SENSE LAWYERS "That will do. Now take this paper THE most eloquent advocate is not back to the commissioner of jurors." always the most successful jury The man did so. When the commis lawyer. Jeremiah Mason of Boston sioner examined the certificate, it bore was not an orator, yet few lawyers the following endorsement in the jus could cope with him in a struggle before tice's handwriting: — the twelve men of the jury-box. He "The deceased, appearing before me never declaimed; his mind was too logi in open court, insists, under oath, that cal for that, and he cared little for he is not dead. Please investigate, and rhetoric. But he talked to his jury as if if his testimony be false, have him he and they were engaged in a friendly indicted for perjury." arbitration, in which both were anxious to get at the facts of the case. James OUR LIBERAL MARRIAGE LAWS Scarlett was the inferior of Henry Broug A CORRESPONDENT in Kansas ham in the art of oratory. Yet he won City writes to us as follows: "Re five verdicts to Brougham's one. A cently I tried a divorce case here, where countryman, who had served as a jury marriages and divorces were much in man in several cases in which the two evidence. In August, 1910, my client great lawyers were opposing counsel, on married a man. At that time he had being asked what he thought of them, another wife in Missouri and one in said: — Kansas. In September, 1910, wife No. 1 "That Lord Brougham is a wonderful obtained a divorce. In January, 1911, man. He can talk, he can; but I don't wife No. 2 procured an annulment of her think much of Lawyer Scarlett." marriage, on the ground that he had "Indeed," rejoined the questioner. another wife living. The decree pro "You surprise me. Why, you have been vided that the decree should not become giving Scarlett all the verdicts." absolute until after six months after "Oh, there's naught in that," replied such entry. the simple-minded countryman. "He's "In February, 1911, wife No. 3 had lucky, you see; he's always on the right her much-married husband arrested here side." charged with bigamy. He pleaded Scarlett won compliments and ver guilty and was sentenced to two years dicts, too, which were better than praise, in the penitentiary. Wife No. 3 there by his habit of conversation with the upon mortgaged her property, retained jury. Instead ofad dressing them col new counsel, had the plea of guilty set lectively, as most lawyers do, he would aside and husband admitted to bail. select one or two, usually one, and rea She remarried him, however, which son with him on the subject until the marriage took place within the six man apparently was convinced. The months. Case here was dismissed. one whom he selected was not always r>"Wife No. 2 had him arrested and the foreman, but the juror who seemed brought to Kansas, on another bigamy the most intelligent, and therefore most charge. He pleaded guilty and was likely to have influence with his col fined $500. "Wife No. 3 obtained an absolute leagues. Sometimes he would change his tactics divorce, so he is now a single man again. and select the juryman who seemed the Can you beat it?"