378
The Green Bag
receive some discussion. While many of them are undoubtedly liberal in their attitude toward scientific research, in the law as well as in other fields, we believe we are safe in saying that too
The next case I have, I will come to you again, and between us we will run
that court right or bust ourselves a-try ing."
many of our universities, particularly
THE JURYMEN'S AVERAGE
of the younger or smaller institutions, are handicapped by inadequate endow
FAMILIARITY with the simpler problems of arithmetic is desir able even in the jury box, a fact that
ments or by that utilitarian spirit which hesitates to make any expenditure with
was brought home in striking fashion
out the prospect of an immediate return.
to a Cincinnati lawyer not long since.
And doubtless there are too many profes
This gentleman was counsel for plain tiff in a suit brought to recover damages caused by a runaway horse. His client had been knocked down and slightly
sors of law in every way fitted to perform valuable research work, who are forced to spend a disproportionate share of their time in teaching and administra tive duties. The American bar, while it has no institutions like Inns of Court
injured, just enough upon which to base a suit.
to endow legal scholarships, may well
The lawyer had a very strong case. In fact, there was practically no de
interest itself in the cause of legal research to the extent of urging that
fence, and the defendant was a rich
our law schools make from time to time more liberal provision for it as
thousand dollars, hoping to get half
circumstances may demand.
When the jury came in, they rendered a verdict for the plaintiff, with damages
RUNNING THE COURT RIGHT OT long ago a country justice of the peace in a southwestern town called upon a retired attorney, and, after presenting a statement of facts, asked,
as a matter of friendship, for a legal opinion upon them. This the attorney gave. When he had finished, the "squire" rose, deposited three dollars and seventy-five cents upon his aston ished friend's desk, and said: "Well, those are just the facts in a case I am a-going to try next Thursday in my court, and I knew you would
man; so
the lawyer asked
for
two
that amount.
assessed at eight thousand six hundred and eighty-seven dollars. The judge, of course, promptly set the verdict aside as excessive, and the lawyer had to
begin over again. Some days later the lawyer met the foreman of the jury, and asked how on earth the jurors had arrived at such a
verdict. “It ain't quite clear to me, myself," said the foreman. “We all agreed for the plaintiff on the first vote, but each fellow had his own ideas as to the dam age. I was in favor of one thousand
give me the right kind of an opinion,
dollars, another man thought it ought
which is why I came to you.
to be two thousand dollars, and another stuck out for seven hundred dollars, and we were getting all tangled up, when some one suggested that we strike an average.” "But you couldn't have done that,” said the lawyer.
The costs
in that case will be just seven dollars and a half, and I am willing to divide
with you. When I was a candidate, some of the people in my county said I didn't know enough to run this ofiice so I intend to show them that I do.
