"
A witness of the name of Coyne was called to give evidence of the
recognition of the Claimant by the mother in Paris, and the solicitor
said to Coyne, "You see how she recognizes him."
"Yes," said Coyne; "he's lucky."
There was no cross-examination, and Mr. Hawkins said to the jury,
"They need not cross-examine unless they like; it's a free country.
They may leave this man's account unquestioned if they like, but if it
is a true account, what do you say to the recognition?"
Louie, the Dane, said that while the Claimant was on board his ship he
amused himself by picking oakum and reading "The Garden of the Soul."
There were several _Ospreys_ spoken to as having picked up the
Claimant after the wreck of the _Bella_, and the defendant had not the
least idea which one was the best to carry him safely into harbour.
The defendant's counsel, notwithstanding, had told the jury that he,
Hawkins, had not ventured to contradict one or other of the stories of
the wreck, and had not called the captain of the _Osprey_ which had
picked him up.
Comment on such a proposition in advocacy would be ridiculous. Mr.
Hawkins dealt with it by an example which the reader will remember as
having occurred in his early days:--
"'We don't know which _Osprey_ you mean.' 'Take any one,' says the
defendant's counsel, reminding me of the defence of a man charged with
stealing a duck, and having given seven different accounts as to how
he became possessed of it, his counsel was at last asked which he
relied on.
Pages:
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249