A Spooner Story.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 203, 31 August 1904, Page 4

A Spooner Story.

0 HOW HE SAVED.A CLIENT

lhe power of a* eloquent attorney i over the emotions of the average American jury is illustrated in -the experiences of Senator John (J. Spooner. He is one of the best i baters in the United States Senate, and he relates the following', which occurred while he was in active prac- i nee of law in Wisconsin, lie had Uee n piofessionaily retained to defend a man who had been indicted and arrested for uttering counterfeit money. At the trial in court the evidence seemed bo strong for conviction there was little hope left of saling-his client. The evidence was clearly against him. ■'Whatever success I have met in such emergencies," continued the Senator, "has 'been largely due to ability to discover the weak points of my adversary, and then concentrate all my strength against them, especially when dealing with the almost helpless side o' a question. I had discovered in this trial that the jury was, like most of our country juiiei, composed of men who could be moved by sympathy. I therefore had to work on their sensibilities. Just before the close of the trial i discovered a fairly good-sized Bible ill a pocket of my client's over-coat. Mhtni came to examine it 1 found this insciiption written on U.e flyleaf of the book : 'Presented to my devoted son, from his allectiouate mother.'

"Tiiis Bible was my clue. With all I the eloyuence and- pathos at my command 1' then pleaded with the jury Unit no bad or wicked man could lie so depraved as allegod in this trial, and at the same time be carrying around in his pocket a copy of the Holy Bible, the gift of his mother. The juryman were soon in tears. It is enough to say t:iey refused, after listening to this appeal, to convict iny client, and ho- was acquitted. "Subsequently ho called and settled his account by paying double the amount of iny bill out of. gratitude for saving him from a long sentence in prison. Before taking his, linal leave of my office, he handed me again that some Bible, saying : 'You had a good deal to say about it during the trial. I wish you would make a little more careful examination of it than you did in court, and if you can discover anything peculiar about it.' "I took the Bible and did as requested. I handled it (back and said, ' I see nothing unusual.' He then ripped oil the cover, and, to my astonishment, revealed embedded therein several kinds of saws made of watch-springs and other miniature tools. 'Now you see,' said my client, 'had I been convicted no one would ever deprive me of the pleasure of taking my Holy Bible, the gift of my mother, into my cell. You see I would have had tools sufficient to saw my way out of prison, ami thus escape.

"I regret to say," in conclusion said the Senator, "that the money given mo by my client in settlement proved to be all counterfeit moneyTribune.