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OLD
MEMBERS OF THE CALHOUN AND KALAMAZOO
COUNTY BARS BY A. D. P. VAN BUREN
His power over that court and jury was a masterly achievement of argument and oratory. He often had them in tears, and we remember that the sturdy old pioneer clergyman, Rev. Mason Knappen, one of the jurors, cried like a child. The whole court and attendant crowd hung with breathless attention on every word he uttered, and when he had finished, it seemed to us that » there were no higher forensic honors in his profession for him to win, and that he could then retire with fame enough. He won the case. His opponents were N. A. Balch and James Wright Gordon. As this was a case of malpractice, the highest medical or surgical authorities in the west were summoned as witnesses. All the noted physicians in central Michigan were present, besides Dr. Zina Pitcher, of Detroit, the learned and erratic Dr. Lamborn, Prof. Meeker of the La Porte school, and President Brainard of the Rush Medical College of Chicago, who were on the witness stand.
Fitch and Gilbert, of Marshal], had attached Judge Lee's goods for debts, and in taking out the attachment Gilbert had made a great mistake, in. swearing that Judge Lee was about to defraud them of the debt in removing his goods. This was not true, and Pratt, Lee's law partner, had Gilbert indicted for perjury. The case now became serious, as Pratt's hatred of Fitch, who was a radical abolitionist, now took a more violent political turn. Gilbert, alarmed, speedily secured Gordon, Bradley, Van Arman, and Stuart as his counsel. Bradley and Gordon withdrew, and Van Arman, whom all wished to retain, was considered too aggressive to get along with Pratt, for the case was lost unless Pratt was pacified.
Michigan
Page 16
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