OCR Text |
Show DELICATE BUT KEEN THRUST English Lawyer's Method of Handling Witness 8o as to Discredit Him Vlth Jury. Said John B. Curtis, the well known lawyer and " president of the Indiana Society of New York, Bpeaking about the recent heckling of Detective Burns when he was on the witness stand in a memorable 'case: "I'm afraid that sometimes we get a little too personal and severe with witnesses. How much better was the' handling of a famous detective who was testifying in a London Lon-don court. It was a divorce case and Mr. Prank Lockwood was the opposing counsel. The detective witness oamai to the stand dressed in black broadcloth, broad-cloth, wore a gold fob and seals and looked much more like a respectable middle-aged solicitor than a member of the police force. The man's testimony tes-timony was likely to be damaging to his client, so Mr. Locfcwood began hia cross-examination very gently and was excessively polite. " 'I believe you are John Blank of the firm of Blank & ipo., the eminent detectives?' " 'Yes, sir,' said the witness, 1 represent rep-resent that firm.' " 'And I presume,' continued the counsel, 'that in the course of your duties as a detective you have, at times, to' assume many disguises?' '"Yes, sir.' " 'Then,' said Lockwood, smiling, "will you have the goodness to tell the court Just what you are disguised as now?' " |