ter they had a contest in the court
over this. But Peter argued in a quiet way, which nevertheless caught
the attention of the judge, who ended the dispute by refusing to
postpone. The judge hadn't intended to act in this way, and was rather
surprised at his own conduct. The defendant's lawyer was furious.
No stone was left unturned, however, to prevent the case going to trial.
Pressure of the sharpest and closest kind was brought to bear on the
Governor himself--pressure which required backbone to resist. But he
stood by his act: perhaps because he belonged to a different party than
that in control of the city government; perhaps because of Peter's
account, and the truthfulness in his face as he told it; perhaps because
the Attorney-General had found it legal; perhaps because of his wife;
perhaps it was a blending of all these. Certain it is, that all attempts
to block failed, and in the last week in August it came before the
court.
Peter had kept his clients informed as to his struggles, and they were
tremendously proud of the big battle and ultimate success, as indeed
were the residents of the whole district, who felt that it was really
their own case. Then the politicians were furious and excited over it,
while the almost unexampled act of the Governor had created a good deal
of public interest in the case. So the court was packed and the press
had reporters in attendance. Since the trial was fully reported, it is
needless to go over the testimony here. What Peter could bring out, is
already known. The defence, by "experts," endeavored to prove that the
cowsheds were not in a really unhygienic condition; that feeding cows on
"mash" did not affect their milk, nor did mere "skin sores;" that the
milk had been sold by mistake, in ignorance that it was thirty-six hours
old, and skimmed; and that the proof of this particular milk being the
cause of the deaths was extremely inadequate and doubtful. The only
dramatic incident in the testimony was the putting the two little
Dooleys (who had returned in fat and rosy condition, the day before) on
the stand.
"Did you find country milk different from what you have here?" Peter
asked the youngest.
"Oh, yes," she said. "Here it comes from a cart, but in the country it
squirts from a cow."
"Order," said the judge to the gallery.
"Does it taste differently?"
"Yes. It's sweet, as if they put sugar in it. It's lovely I like cow
milk better than cart milk."
"Damn th
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