The Lawyer's Story.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 241, 11 February 1888, Page 7 (Supplement)

The Lawyer's Story.

To an unobservant mind it often seems that' chance alono has elevated some men to the heights of fame; but it is not so: the opportunity presents itself to all. bub the brilliant man seizes the opportunity, and makeß himself great. Everyone lias heard of- — , the world renowned lawyer ; few men have ever made such a reputation at the bar as he ; the story of his first case will illustrate what to many may have seemed the workings of chance, but what was in reality the ability of a great mind to grasp at a trivial opportunity and by its aid to elevate its possessor. The story I will relate in his own words :—: — " At the time of which yoli J speak I was about twonty-four years of age, and had just been admitted to the bar, I had studied hard, and my preceptor predicted for me great success in the profession I had chosen ; in fact, I felt myself that I was sure of success sooner or later. This feeling was not one of vanity, but only a consciousness of powei*. '■ I must confess I anticipated many years of hard work — not that I have had by any means an easy time in my life, for a reputation has its drawbacks besides its advantages, and one must always be striving to keep abreast or ahead of it ; I anticipated many years of hard work before making any reputation, or even hearing any difficult caso upon which to exercise my ability. " One day I took up the morning paper, according to my usual custom, and was soon interested in the graphic account of a cold-blooded murder and bank robbery. The Fifth National, one of the richest banks of the city, had been robbed of one hundred thousand dollars and the janitor shot. The cashier was found the morning after the occurrence in a small closet in the inner office, and his death was expected hourly — the great wonder being that he had not been smothered. •» Like many others, I took an interest in the case, which was so mysterious, no clue being found except a black mask and revolver which had been dropped in the office. The janitor occupied a room on the lower floor, but his body was discovered in the room adjoining" the office in which the cashier was found, and in which was the sate. "The doctors all agreed that the janitor had lived for at least ten minutes after being shot; that he roust have struggled hard, for his head showed marks of blows from the butt of a revolver. tfhat this could all take place in an adjoining room and the cashier not to be put on his guard seemed absurd, and there were many who claimed that he was au accomplice, had opened the safe and then been locked in the closet without considering the insufficiency of air. "The cashier, contrary to all expectations, recovered and told his story. He stated that he was detained at the bank by some work until nine o'clock. He heard no noise of any kind, but was seated at his desk busily writing when he heard someone exclaim — ••'Look round or make a noise and yon are a dead man 3' '• ' Looking naturally ahead, he beheld in the mirror over his desk a man in his shirb sleeves who held a revolver close to his head. The fellow waa about six feet in j height, quite stout, had on a black mask ' which covered his face to the mouth : his chin was bare, and his revolver was held in the right hand, the left arm being cut off at the elbow. " ' This he caw in the few seconds that elapsed before the robber ordered him to get up, repeating his injunction not to look round or make a noise. He then said : "'I have come for the money in that safe. I have killed the janitor, and will kill you unless you open it. In order to show you that I mean business I have brought the body of the janitor upstairs, and he is in the next room. Walk to the door and look at him. You need not try to escape, for the outer door is locked, and I will shoot you if you attempt it 1' "The cashier walked to the door of the main office, and beheld the dead body of the janitor upon the floor. " ' Now open the safe,' said the robber. •' The cashier, frightened at the fate so surely before him if he refused, decided to open the safe, hoping for an 6pportunity to overpower the ruffian ; but when the safe was open, the robber quietly ordered him to enter the closet. This he was also compelled to do. The closet was so small that a person could not turn round in it, otherwise he would have pushed open the door and grappled with the robber when he heard him drop the revolver, which he was obliged to do to lock the door. He heard the robber at the safe, bub in a few minutes became unconscious from lack of air, and knew nothing more until his recovery. " This story created great excitement— the more so from the fact that the description was almost an exact one of Colonel Coventry, one of the bank directors. The colonel had been an officer in the civil war, and had lost his left fore-arm in the service. The cashier's story was corroborated by finding blood upon the carpet of the janitor's room, and it was found by experiment that a revolver discharged therein could not be heard in the office above. Two lrien informed the reporter that they had seen Colonel Coventry walking by the bank at half-past eight on the evening of the murder. This evidence waa sufficient to cause his arrest, and he was placed in gaol. " As soon as I heard the cashier's story I determined to defend Colonel Coventry, for I saw an opportunity to prove his innocence and make a reputation for myself. 1 ordered a cab,and driving to the gaol, found the colonel consulting his lawyers. Of course, my conduct was in defiance of legal custom and etiquette, but I was determined. I waited bill thoy had departed, then stated my reasons for coming. He looked at me in surprise, and smiling said that he had older and more experienced lawyers. j "'What hope do they give you?' I | asked. , I "He blushed redly, and said in an angry tone :— " ' They say the evidence is strong against mo, and act as if they believed me guilty ; but the rascals are smart.' " ' Colonel,' I said, • they, as well as all who read thepapers, do believe you guilty ; but I know you are innocent, and, what is more, can prove it. "•Prove it?' said the colonel. 'But hew ?' , „, ft . . ,. x r , , * " 'If you will prdmiso to "give me 'tlie case if you are satisfied with my theory, I ■\yill tell it to you, Cplortel'Covehtry.' " 'Of course I will give, you, bhe case if you can prove me Innpcerit. ',,'"', , \ ', " I then related my plan of .defence," and when I had 'finished, the 'colpnel sliook m^ joyfully by the han^ and 'said^— ,",jj ,' }\ ' " • Bl6ss you, my t b6y !,' $oV will sa-v,e me from theVgalloWß 1"' . . ' ' ;"'/., '*' He discharged, the, bth.er lawyers,^no; cheerfully informed them that he would.bo: hung any Way ; that tie h'^d no chance what'-i eye ! r with that young upstajrt t( for counsel, and deserved hanging for having hipa', (/ < •'I demanded an" amm^d'iatetrjal, forwjiich the,G > overnmßnt^wa8 I ;e^ire.ly ready, Ae^you may remenifee^,Jihe f c;ase ;( wjiB the topic of the driy, ! and : C6lbriel Coventry Was* thought crazy, the strongest proof being

the faob that he had engaged me to defend him. I received many a cut from the papers, , and ;altog6ther my name became very well known, though not in an enviable connection. "I enjoyed it all, confident in the brilliant but simple defence I was to make. I knew that the reaction would be powerful, and that those who now reviled and sneered at me would, ere long, be sounding my praises. " When I look back on that time I am surprised that no one thought of the defence I was to make ; but then it is often the simplest points that aro overlooked in the haste to follow an unreasonable clue, whoso only recommendation sometimes is its ingenuity. " The trial came on, the Government first brought forward the two men who swore to seeing Col. Coventry walking up tho bank at half-past eight o'clock on the night of the murder. Then evidence was brought to show that the colonel, although a rich man, was just at that time in need of ready money to complete a speculation in which he Mas engaged. The last and strongest witness was Mr Charles Brand, the cashier, who testified to tho description of his assailant, which corresponded to that of my client, and swore in the most positive manner that the robber had lost his left arm at the elbow. This closed the testimony for the Government, and was indeed a perfect network of circumstantial evidence, " I arose and addressed the Court, saying that I had but one witness to call ; that I might bring many witnesses to prove that it Avas Colonel Coventry's invariable custom to take a walk after his dinner, and that he always came back by way of tho bank ; also many to prove that the colonel could have borrowod on his personal note, and did borrow in that way, all the money he needed for his speculation ; but that the one witness whom I was about to call upon could and would prove beyond tho shadow of a doubt that Colonel Coventry was not the murderer and robber. " All the court-room was on tiptoe of expectation for ray witness, but when I called Mr Charles Brand, the murmur of surprise that rippled out through the room was ludicrous. Of all the surprised ones none was more so than the cashier so unexpectedly called upon as an infallible witness in fayour of the man whom he had only a few moments before virtually condemned. He came forward reluctantly, and stood in a dazed manner while I questioned him. " ' You are positive that it was the right hand in which the robber held the pistol ?' " ' Yes,' he answered, ' I am positive.' " ' Could it not have been his left hand ?' " ' No, his left arm was gone.' " • Is there no possibility of your mistaking the hand V " ' No, I am sure it was the right hand that was pointed at me.' " By this time every one thought that I was only trying to confuse the witness, and there were whispered comments on my sanity. 1 spoke a fow words to my clerk, who went out, returning in a few minutes with a large frame covered completely with a cloth, which I placed in front of the cashier. " *Now, Mr Brand, I wish you to look at that without turning your head till such time as I tell you.' "Having acceded to my wish, he sat down, attentively studying the black cloth in front of him. I signalled to Colonel Coventry, who advanced, removed his coat, pub on the black mask, .which had been brought to the court-room, took the revolver in his only hand, his right one, and stood behind the cashier's chair, pointing the muzzle at his head. Everyone was interested in the dramatic scene. At a sign from me, my clerk pulled away the cloth, and displayed a large plate-glass mirror. When the cashier saw the figure in the mirror, he started from his chair in surprise, but I held him down. " 'Tell me,' I said, 'is this figure like that of the robber ?' 11 ' The identical likeness/ he answerod. " ' Look closer ! Is there no difference V " In a few moments he said,— " f Oh, yes! The figure is holding the revolver in hie left hand.' "At this a murmur ran through tho court-room which I silenced with a wave of my hand.