A BARRISTER HOAXED.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 41, 17 February 1879, Page 4

A BARRISTER HOAXED.

Here is one of the " Stray Notes" in the London Examiner ; — " A wellknown barrister, who makes a point of keeping the coneeit of his pupils down by language >qiore forcible tban elegant, recently camelhtd his pupiV room with a 4 * case for opinion' which had given him much trouble and occupied much of his valuable time. He proceeded to read it out in order that such of the young gentlemen who were not too lazy might look up precedents in J point. The case, he said, caiie from a solicitor whose name was unknown to him, but it was endorsed with a respectably fat fee, and despatch was requested. It ran aa follows : — A seaman in the merchant service, who had long suffered from a severe complaint, finding himself in a state of great weakness at a time when his ship was many hundred miles from land, requested the captain to provide him with pen, ink, and paper, in order tbat he might dispose of his savings, which amounted to about £300. The' captain (who is alleged to have been a brutal fellow, and under the influence of liquor) refused his request and ordered the poor man back to his berth. There he was surrounded by his shipmates, who took counsel as to the best means of gratifying the desire of their fast-sinking comrade. In the end, they turned the sick man gently on his face, as he lay in his berth, and one of the number tatooed the dying man's intentions on his back in the manner common to seafaring men, by a few words rubbed in with gunpowder. That will was attested in the same fashion, and soon afterwards the testator died. By sacaificing their allowance of spirits, the men managed to preserve the remains of their messmate in an improvised coffin, and they have now been landed in England. Counsel is requested to advise as to the proper method of obtaining probate of tho above-mentioned instrument, and his attention is particularly directed to the fact (which must be admitted) that tbe will was made behind the man's back. The pupils gravely promised to search the authorities on the subject. But bardly had the learned counsel left the .room when the peals of laughter which arose informed him that he had been