The Lawyer Who Spoke 'Jargon' to Save a Man from Prison

CHINOOK JARGON WON Attorney Clark Secures the Acquittal of a Client.

Every member in Tacoma or in fact in the State of Washington either remembers or has heard a good story with Attorney Frank Clark. Clark has been dead some years, but during a conversation yesterday between attorneys his name came up, followed by the narrative of this incident in his career:

"Twenty years ago," said the lawyer telling the story, "Clark had as client a man arrested on the charge of cutting timber on government land. The United States was represented by two federal attorneys, brought from a distance, either Portland or San Francisco, if I remember aright. When these lawyers came into court there followed in behind them a porter who unloaded upon the table, fronting the judge's bench armful after armful of law reports (the clerk threw in three volumes of law under his arm). The Jury seemed entirely of loggers and ranchers.

Opening the case the two federal lawyers delved deep into the turnings of law before them and cited decision after decision leading on the case up to trial. The argument was in a language, one-half of the terms being legal, one-half of the words were too strange for the Jury's understanding. The jury looked blank.

Then Attorney Clark arose picked up one of his law books and, without opening the volume, threw it aside. The next book shared the same fate. The third was turned only to be cast aside. Clark inquired himself to the Jury.

'NeskaMulllicunia!' he commenced and the jury in a flow of Chinook Jargon soon heard his client's cause. There was not a man in the Jury but what understood every sentiment Clark conveyed, whereas the high-toned language of the imported attorneys had been lost to last of them.

In vivid Chinook, Clark painted a word picture of the trials and tribulations of the settler in the forests of Washington and the desperate effort necessary to feed his wife and family. And because his client had hauled a wagon load of cordwood to the village store for food, he had been arrested, imprisoned, and his family deprived of his means.

There was possibly not one in the Jury but what had at some time been in the position Clark pictured. Every sympathy in them was aroused. Tears trickled down their rugged cheeks as Clark's eloquence flowed on.

The lawyers from afar were awake to the point, they were insulted and under. An objection was entered to Clark's use of Chinook or any other language but his own. 'The opposing counsel could not understand,' said the prosecutor.

"'On my honor,' answer Clark, 'the Jury here is to decide this case. The government gentlemen for the prosecution have used language so grandiloquent that not one of the Jury has understood its purport. I am speaking to them in the simple talk of the western frontiersman, understood alike by both Indian and white man who traverse and have been instrumental in the development of this northwest. My language, call it Jargon if you wish, explains to the Jury, and if I mistake not, also your honor, the situation. I have said in a few short words to any, and, with the court's permission, will continue in Chinook.'

The permission was granted, and Clark's client was acquitted without the Jury leaving their seats.—Tacoma News.