Show BENJAMIN His III to n a Taunt Over the Ibe Disfigure Disfigure- merit ment of Ills II re l. l Here Iere Is an al account account told by Henry J. J Erskine of Philadelphia of tho the only instance instance in which Benjamin IL Brew Brewster ter attorney general of tho United States during Gen Gao Arthurs Arthur's administration was ever taunted taunted in incourt incourt incourt court of the tho tho disfigurement of his hb face laco It occurred during the the trial of an important t suit sui Involving certain franchise rights o ot the Pennsylvania Pennsylvania railroad In Philadelphia Mr Brewster Brewster was wa then tho the chief counsel of the Pennsylvania company Tho The trial was wa a 0 bitterly contested affair and Brewstor Brewster Bro at every evor point got so BO much the tho best of the tho opposing counsel that that by the time arguments arguments' commenced his leading adversary tas 3 3 in a white heat hoat In denouncing tho the railroad company this lawyer lawor with his voice tremulous with anger exclaimed lisle Ibis grasping rasping corporation la Is i as dark devious and in Its Us methods as a is i tho the face fac of its is chief hief attorney Brewster and and- henchman Benjamin This violent outburst of rago rage and cruel invective was followed ved folo by a breathless stillness in crowded courtroom that was painful Hundreds Hun of pitying eye were riveted on the tho poor scarred Ec face faco ace of Brewster expecting to see sea him hie spring from from his chair chr and catch catch his hi heartless adversary adversary ad ad- by the tho throat throat Never f-Never before had anyone referred to Mr Brewster's misfortune in such a way wy or even in any terms in his presence Instead of springing at the the man man and killing him like liko a do dog as as' as the audience audience thought was his desert deser degel Mr Brewster and liko something slowly arose spoke this this to the court v our our honor in all aU my career as a 0 lawyer I have havo never dealt in personalities nor did I over before feel called caled upon to explain the tho cause cause of or my physical misfortune but I vi Ivi will do so now v. When a boy boy boy- and my mother God bless bloss her said I Iwas Iwas Iwas was a pretty boy boy when when a little boy while playing around an n open fire fre one ono day with a little sister just beginning to t toddle toddle she fell fel into the roaring flames fames I rushed to her rescue rescue pulled her out before sho she was wa seriously hurland hurt hurl hurt and fell feU into the the fire firo ro myself When they took me mo out of tho the coals my face laco was as n black as that mans man's heart heart iho he last sentence was spoken in a voice whoso whose rago rage was that that of 01 a lion lon It I had an electrical effect and the applause applause ap ap- that greeted it was superb superb but butin butin butin in an instant turned to the the most contemptuous con con- hisses directed at the lawyer law law- yer yet who had so cru cruelly wronged the tho great and lovable lo That lat lawyers lawyer's practice in Philadelphia afterward dwindled to such an insignificance that he ho had to leave the tho the city for a new field |