SOME CHOATE STORIES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 171, 17 July 1918, Page 2

SOME CHOATE STORIES.

Mr Theron G. Strong -has included many_ humorous stories and smart retorts in his book on "Joseph H. Choate : Great Ambassador. Mir Choate, who was United States Ambassador, to Great Britain, was celebrated as an after-din-ner speaker. He had many stories to tell of his legal experience, sometimes with the joke against himself.

(Referring to a will case, he said : "I was endeavouring to uphold the will, \nd wag examining ah old lady, who was chief witness against me. She testified that the testatrix was a pal and crony of hers, and. that she had talked with her just before making the. will, and that she looked as if she did not understand what she was doing. The wit.no«<» was an illiterate person, and I tried, by questioning, to get from her just, how she looked. Finally I said to her, 'Well, did she look just as I v am looking at you how?' After scanning me "carefully she replied, 'Well, yes.' " Choate had given Russell _ Sage .a "gruelling" in a law;, case which arose out of an attempt urjon that financier's life. On being told"' that Choate , was going to tho English court, Sage looked "lip-i veil ward- and exclaimed "fervently, "Well, God' save the-Queen." ■On one of his visits to Washington Ghoate was a guest of Senator Wolcott, of Colorado, as was also fhe late Thomas B. Reed, Sneaker of the House of Representatives. "The conversation turned upon what some would consider vices and other frailties of mankind, and Mr Choate remarked : 'I have never smoked a cigar, never played a game of poker, and never attended a horse race in my life.' Senator Wolcott looked pathetically at Speaker Reed and said: 'I wish I'could say that.' Mr Reeds characteristic and witty response, was : 'You can ; Ghoate did.' "