Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 25.pdf/52

 The Editor's Bag "Governor," said the visitor, "if you will give me twenty-four hours I will bring here a petition signed by the same men who signed this one, and they will petition the Legislature to hang you. Allow me but twenty-four hours." The stay of sentence was granted, and in twenty-four hours the visitor returned. He handed the Governor a petition with this remark: "Observe the names, and then read the petition." The Governor found that the names were identical with those in the first petition. The body of the petition read as follows: "Whereas the Governor of Maryland is notoriously open and defiant in the violation of law, and whereas he has been found to be guilty of treason, we, the undersigned, pray the Legislature of the State of Maryland to condemn the said Governor to be hanged." This was too much for the Governor; and the result was that the murderer was hanged. W R KM EN 'S COM PENSATION (From the London Chronicle) A/f ARY ANN, while cutting bread, Cut her finger. With elation Mary Ann went off to bed, Claiming compensation. William Jones, while carting coke, Bruised his shin. With jubilation William cried: "A happy stroke! One year's compensation." Charles, the waiter, dropped the cheese Hurt his toe; retired from waiting. Six months' claim. At Brighton he's Now recuperating. Jane, while cooking, trod and slid On some fat, and fell obliquely; Interesting invalid, Drawing two pounds weekly. Jack, the hodman, scratched his wrist, Scratched it with a scaffold splinter;

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On the compensation list, Resting for the winter. On a job at Maida Vale With his hammer, Green, the plumber, Hit the wrong nail (finger nail), . Resting till next summer. Bless the goodness and the grace, And the thoughtful legislation That conferred upon our race, Workmen's Compensation.

AN

ANECDOTE OF HAMILTON

ONE of the qualities necessary to a great advocate is the dramatic sense, which so groups and marshals facts and arguments that they stir the imagination and carry conviction into the minds of a jury. There are occa sions when only by the use of this sense can a lawyer stem the strong popular feeling that runs against his client. About a hundred years ago, in the city of New York, the body of a girl was found in a well. Her lover, a young mechanic of good character, was put on trial for the murder, and Alexander Hamilton was retained for the defense. Popular sentiment against the accused ran so strongly as to give undue force to the circumstantial evidence that was put in by the state. Hamilton, while endeavoring to allay the excitement and to impair the effect of the damag ing facts, reserved himself until the prosecution had concluded the exami nation of the principal witness, on whose direct testimony the state chiefly relied. This witness, a man named Croucher, bore a bad reputation, and Hamilton had become convinced that he was the murderer. The night being well ad vanced when the examination in chief was concluded, Hamilton took lighted candles and placed one on each side of the witness, so as to throw his face into strong relief.