This story will give you an insight into Lawrence Greer. Good or bad it is what it is.
The following graphic sketch, written by a friend and cotemporary of Mr. Hardin,* is properly inserted in this connection. It not only abounds in racy humor, but it also affords an apt illustration of his skill as a practitioner:
"Mr. ( Benjamin ) Hardin and myself were once defending a man named Alexander Creason, in the Meade Circuit Court, for killing one Troutman at a shootingmatch. Troutman had been provoking a difficulty all day with Creason, and at last Troutman, with a stick in hand, approached Creason, saying, ' I intend to give you a beating,' raising his stick. At this Creason took his gun from his shoulder, struck Troutman on the head with the barrel, and killed him. Creason was indicted for the killing, and on the trial one Lawrence Greer (whom Mr. Hardin familiarly called Larry) was sworn as a witness for the Commonwealth, who testified that he heard Creason say a short time before the killing that if Troutman crossed his path he intended to kill him. A gentleman in the court room came to us and said, ' You can prove by two witnesses now in the court room that Lawrence Greer, the witness, told the father of the deceased, at a certain time and place named, that he would make the proof above, at the trial, for a gallon of whisky. We had the witnesses immediately summoned. Mr. Hardin called Lawrence Greer back to the witness stand; asked him if he did promise the deceased's father, at the time and place referred to, that he would make that proof for a gallon of whisky. He said he had not. Mr. Hardin said to him, ' Larry, you have been a great sinner and are getting old, and I admonish you, if you did say so, admit it; it is a grave affair.' He still said he did not. Mr. Hardin then asked him if he did not get the gallon of whisky from Mr. Troutman. He said yes, he got a gallon of whisky from Mr. Troutman. ' Did you pay him for it?' He answered, 'That is none of your business.' Mr. Hardin said he wanted an answer. The court told him to answer the question. Witness said he had not. We proved conclusively by both witnesses that Greer had so said to Mr. Troutman, the father, and had gotten the whisky.
* Judge John C. Walker, of Louisville.
" When Mr. Hardin came to argue the case he turned to Greer and said : ' Larry, you and I have known each other a long time. You lived in Nelson county for many years, in which county I yet live. You have done many things you ought not to have done, and left undone many you ought to have done, many, very many. You have been the very worst of sinners. You and I know who took and carried away old Mrs. A.'s geese; these people here don't know ; I don't intend to tell them, and I know you won't! You and I, Larry, know who took and carried away Mr. B.'s hemp one night; no one here knows one word about it. Don't become alarmed, Larry, I am not going to tell them, and I know you won't! You and I know whose shoe fit the track, exactly, that went away from old Mr. V.'s barn, when it was burned ; these people here don't know-perhaps never heard of it; I don't intend to tell them, and it is very sure you won't; yes, I know you won't! Larry, it has been a fact in every age that some man had to be the worst man living. A few years ago, when that inquiry was made, everybody was ready to say Cy Hultz, but Cy has been dead and gone for several years, and some one has had to take his place. I will not say, Larry, who that man is, but I will say this: If I knew that God Almighty had issued His search-warrant and placed it in the hands of the devil and sent him to hunt for and find that man, and I knew he was out on that mission, and I was to meet you on the road, I would tell you to hide-hide quick, or you will be taken !' "
The following graphic sketch, written by a friend and cotemporary of Mr. Hardin,* is properly inserted in this connection. It not only abounds in racy humor, but it also affords an apt illustration of his skill as a practitioner:
"Mr. ( Benjamin ) Hardin and myself were once defending a man named Alexander Creason, in the Meade Circuit Court, for killing one Troutman at a shootingmatch. Troutman had been provoking a difficulty all day with Creason, and at last Troutman, with a stick in hand, approached Creason, saying, ' I intend to give you a beating,' raising his stick. At this Creason took his gun from his shoulder, struck Troutman on the head with the barrel, and killed him. Creason was indicted for the killing, and on the trial one Lawrence Greer (whom Mr. Hardin familiarly called Larry) was sworn as a witness for the Commonwealth, who testified that he heard Creason say a short time before the killing that if Troutman crossed his path he intended to kill him. A gentleman in the court room came to us and said, ' You can prove by two witnesses now in the court room that Lawrence Greer, the witness, told the father of the deceased, at a certain time and place named, that he would make the proof above, at the trial, for a gallon of whisky. We had the witnesses immediately summoned. Mr. Hardin called Lawrence Greer back to the witness stand; asked him if he did promise the deceased's father, at the time and place referred to, that he would make that proof for a gallon of whisky. He said he had not. Mr. Hardin said to him, ' Larry, you have been a great sinner and are getting old, and I admonish you, if you did say so, admit it; it is a grave affair.' He still said he did not. Mr. Hardin then asked him if he did not get the gallon of whisky from Mr. Troutman. He said yes, he got a gallon of whisky from Mr. Troutman. ' Did you pay him for it?' He answered, 'That is none of your business.' Mr. Hardin said he wanted an answer. The court told him to answer the question. Witness said he had not. We proved conclusively by both witnesses that Greer had so said to Mr. Troutman, the father, and had gotten the whisky.
* Judge John C. Walker, of Louisville.
" When Mr. Hardin came to argue the case he turned to Greer and said : ' Larry, you and I have known each other a long time. You lived in Nelson county for many years, in which county I yet live. You have done many things you ought not to have done, and left undone many you ought to have done, many, very many. You have been the very worst of sinners. You and I know who took and carried away old Mrs. A.'s geese; these people here don't know ; I don't intend to tell them, and I know you won't! You and I, Larry, know who took and carried away Mr. B.'s hemp one night; no one here knows one word about it. Don't become alarmed, Larry, I am not going to tell them, and I know you won't! You and I know whose shoe fit the track, exactly, that went away from old Mr. V.'s barn, when it was burned ; these people here don't know-perhaps never heard of it; I don't intend to tell them, and it is very sure you won't; yes, I know you won't! Larry, it has been a fact in every age that some man had to be the worst man living. A few years ago, when that inquiry was made, everybody was ready to say Cy Hultz, but Cy has been dead and gone for several years, and some one has had to take his place. I will not say, Larry, who that man is, but I will say this: If I knew that God Almighty had issued His search-warrant and placed it in the hands of the devil and sent him to hunt for and find that man, and I knew he was out on that mission, and I was to meet you on the road, I would tell you to hide-hide quick, or you will be taken !' "
This story will give you an insight into Lawrence Greer. Good or bad it is what it is.
The following graphic sketch, written by a friend and cotemporary of Mr. Hardin,* is properly inserted in this connection. It not only abounds in racy humor, but it also affords an apt illustration of his skill as a practitioner:
"Mr. ( Benjamin ) Hardin and myself were once defending a man named Alexander Creason, in the Meade Circuit Court, for killing one Troutman at a shootingmatch. Troutman had been provoking a difficulty all day with Creason, and at last Troutman, with a stick in hand, approached Creason, saying, ' I intend to give you a beating,' raising his stick. At this Creason took his gun from his shoulder, struck Troutman on the head with the barrel, and killed him. Creason was indicted for the killing, and on the trial one Lawrence Greer (whom Mr. Hardin familiarly called Larry) was sworn as a witness for the Commonwealth, who testified that he heard Creason say a short time before the killing that if Troutman crossed his path he intended to kill him. A gentleman in the court room came to us and said, ' You can prove by two witnesses now in the court room that Lawrence Greer, the witness, told the father of the deceased, at a certain time and place named, that he would make the proof above, at the trial, for a gallon of whisky. We had the witnesses immediately summoned. Mr. Hardin called Lawrence Greer back to the witness stand; asked him if he did promise the deceased's father, at the time and place referred to, that he would make that proof for a gallon of whisky. He said he had not. Mr. Hardin said to him, ' Larry, you have been a great sinner and are getting old, and I admonish you, if you did say so, admit it; it is a grave affair.' He still said he did not. Mr. Hardin then asked him if he did not get the gallon of whisky from Mr. Troutman. He said yes, he got a gallon of whisky from Mr. Troutman. ' Did you pay him for it?' He answered, 'That is none of your business.' Mr. Hardin said he wanted an answer. The court told him to answer the question. Witness said he had not. We proved conclusively by both witnesses that Greer had so said to Mr. Troutman, the father, and had gotten the whisky.
* Judge John C. Walker, of Louisville.
" When Mr. Hardin came to argue the case he turned to Greer and said : ' Larry, you and I have known each other a long time. You lived in Nelson county for many years, in which county I yet live. You have done many things you ought not to have done, and left undone many you ought to have done, many, very many. You have been the very worst of sinners. You and I know who took and carried away old Mrs. A.'s geese; these people here don't know ; I don't intend to tell them, and I know you won't! You and I, Larry, know who took and carried away Mr. B.'s hemp one night; no one here knows one word about it. Don't become alarmed, Larry, I am not going to tell them, and I know you won't! You and I know whose shoe fit the track, exactly, that went away from old Mr. V.'s barn, when it was burned ; these people here don't know-perhaps never heard of it; I don't intend to tell them, and it is very sure you won't; yes, I know you won't! Larry, it has been a fact in every age that some man had to be the worst man living. A few years ago, when that inquiry was made, everybody was ready to say Cy Hultz, but Cy has been dead and gone for several years, and some one has had to take his place. I will not say, Larry, who that man is, but I will say this: If I knew that God Almighty had issued His search-warrant and placed it in the hands of the devil and sent him to hunt for and find that man, and I knew he was out on that mission, and I was to meet you on the road, I would tell you to hide-hide quick, or you will be taken !' "
The following graphic sketch, written by a friend and cotemporary of Mr. Hardin,* is properly inserted in this connection. It not only abounds in racy humor, but it also affords an apt illustration of his skill as a practitioner:
"Mr. ( Benjamin ) Hardin and myself were once defending a man named Alexander Creason, in the Meade Circuit Court, for killing one Troutman at a shootingmatch. Troutman had been provoking a difficulty all day with Creason, and at last Troutman, with a stick in hand, approached Creason, saying, ' I intend to give you a beating,' raising his stick. At this Creason took his gun from his shoulder, struck Troutman on the head with the barrel, and killed him. Creason was indicted for the killing, and on the trial one Lawrence Greer (whom Mr. Hardin familiarly called Larry) was sworn as a witness for the Commonwealth, who testified that he heard Creason say a short time before the killing that if Troutman crossed his path he intended to kill him. A gentleman in the court room came to us and said, ' You can prove by two witnesses now in the court room that Lawrence Greer, the witness, told the father of the deceased, at a certain time and place named, that he would make the proof above, at the trial, for a gallon of whisky. We had the witnesses immediately summoned. Mr. Hardin called Lawrence Greer back to the witness stand; asked him if he did promise the deceased's father, at the time and place referred to, that he would make that proof for a gallon of whisky. He said he had not. Mr. Hardin said to him, ' Larry, you have been a great sinner and are getting old, and I admonish you, if you did say so, admit it; it is a grave affair.' He still said he did not. Mr. Hardin then asked him if he did not get the gallon of whisky from Mr. Troutman. He said yes, he got a gallon of whisky from Mr. Troutman. ' Did you pay him for it?' He answered, 'That is none of your business.' Mr. Hardin said he wanted an answer. The court told him to answer the question. Witness said he had not. We proved conclusively by both witnesses that Greer had so said to Mr. Troutman, the father, and had gotten the whisky.
* Judge John C. Walker, of Louisville.
" When Mr. Hardin came to argue the case he turned to Greer and said : ' Larry, you and I have known each other a long time. You lived in Nelson county for many years, in which county I yet live. You have done many things you ought not to have done, and left undone many you ought to have done, many, very many. You have been the very worst of sinners. You and I know who took and carried away old Mrs. A.'s geese; these people here don't know ; I don't intend to tell them, and I know you won't! You and I, Larry, know who took and carried away Mr. B.'s hemp one night; no one here knows one word about it. Don't become alarmed, Larry, I am not going to tell them, and I know you won't! You and I know whose shoe fit the track, exactly, that went away from old Mr. V.'s barn, when it was burned ; these people here don't know-perhaps never heard of it; I don't intend to tell them, and it is very sure you won't; yes, I know you won't! Larry, it has been a fact in every age that some man had to be the worst man living. A few years ago, when that inquiry was made, everybody was ready to say Cy Hultz, but Cy has been dead and gone for several years, and some one has had to take his place. I will not say, Larry, who that man is, but I will say this: If I knew that God Almighty had issued His search-warrant and placed it in the hands of the devil and sent him to hunt for and find that man, and I knew he was out on that mission, and I was to meet you on the road, I would tell you to hide-hide quick, or you will be taken !' "
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