AMENITIES OF THE BAR.

Evening Star, Issue 4028, 24 January 1876, Page 2

AMENITIES OF THE BAR.

On Saturday, during the progress of the case of Hughes v. Shand, there were some sharp dialogues between counsel, of which the following is a specimen : Mr Smith: Properly speaking, plaintiff should not have been asked about her love affairs • and what must the jury think of the man that stoodbv and allowed a woman to be tortured by counsel and instructed his counsel from time to time to nut such cruel questions. But he, when he allowed the plaintiff to be so tortured, knew that a time of retribu tiou would arrive, and thank God it had arrived Not content with this, Mr Barton himself bandiod wretched jokes, and asked, “Was Mr Wood a nice manP” ke would not dwell longer on the gSw indecency of those questions. 0 Mr Stout: A what man ? Mr Smith: A nice man. Mr Stout: Oh! a nice man. I thought you said a nightman. “ mghtS th 1K “ “ bad - xt i 8 worthy of a Mr Stout: That is not very courteous to the Bar His Honor: It is neither courteous to the Bar" nor courteous to the Court. Such an observation should not be made. “ _Mr Smith: I shall withdraw the word and apologise for using it. • * • Mr Stout in hj a opening address disclaimed the intention of assailimr the plaintiff’s character. K Mr Stout: I never did assail it. Mr Smith: And you have not intended to. Mr Stout: If you wish mo to prove what I sav l" 1 lE .v be i? x > aud I wifi give evidence. * : answer is in keeping with the contemptible way m which this defence has been conducted. Mr Stout: H this is to be a sort of bear-garden, I am afraid the usual courtesy between counsel will not be shown. m Mr Smith: Mr Barton asked the plaintiff if. on °l krs Grant s death, she did not at once hasten out for the purpose of becoming Mrs Gramt No. 2. Thatproduced a different impression on the audience. He was sorry to say that some laughed, but the hisses predominated. Mr Barton: I never heard counsel before do that sort of thing. His Honor said he had not been sure at the time that there was a hiss. lf t BOEt of tliiHgr is to be done, it will be a part of a bill of costs—“ Item—to hire of persons to hiss. ° Mr Smith: There are some involuntary ex. pressious drawn from human beings, which, to sav '£&£.*****’• “ d 1 •"<* “•* *» i—J Mr Barton: There was one hiss. Mr Stout: Counsel has no right to allude to this and it may be a ground for a new trial—so 1 warn Jury 88 ** m^ces suggestions to the ~ ? is ??? or T : R would be a most unwarrantable thing if the Jury were influenced. I think you had better drop the subject, Mr Smith. Mr Smith; I have done bo, your Honor.