Georgia BIOS:  Mr. Doolittle
   U.S. Work Projects Administration, Federal Writers' Project (Folklore
   Project, Life Histories, 1936-39); Manuscript Division, Library of
   Congress.Copyright status not determined.
   
   0001
   
   February 16, 23, 1939
   
   Joseph Eliot Webb (White)
   
   101 1/2 E. Clayton St.
   
   Athens, Georgia
   
   Attorney at Law
   
   Sadie B. Hornsby
   
   MR. DOOLITTLE
   
   JAMES EARL DOOLITTLE, Attorney at Law, caught my eye as I was walking
   down the main thoroughfare of our city. I decided to get a story from
   this promising young lawyer.
   
   After climbing the long flight of steps I found his name on the door
   of his office. I knocked, very promptly I was invited into his office.
   He smiled when I told him my mission, saying: "Now I really don't have
   anything very interesting to tell. I am sure an older person would
   have a more interesting life history than mine. But I don't mind
   telling you a few of the experiences I have had that might be of some
   interest to people who don't know about law."
   
   There are several [DEL: desk :DEL] desks in his office, littered with
   papers, at one of the [DEL: desk :DEL] desks sat a man typing away at
   a rapid [DEL: gate :DEL] rate, apparently not [DEL: consecious :DEL]
   conscious of my presence. Bookcases filled with well -chosen law books
   lined the wall, and a coal heater was going full blast.
   
   "Well, I suppose you would like for me to begin when I was born? I was
   born July 4, 1907 in a small town in Middle Georgia. Both of my
   parents are living, and are still living in the town in which I was
   born. My father has his own business. A modern machine shop, when he
   first opened up his business it was known as a blacksmith's shop.
   
     NOTE: [C.? ? ?]
     
   "My sister and I finished high school, but my parents had to sacrifice
   to send us to college. My mother doing her bit by selling 00022milk,
   butter and eggs. I attended Mercer University for a year and stopped
   to teach school. After a year of this being principal in a small
   country school. I again went to college, this time to the University
   of Georgia in this city. My sister went to college at Bessie Tift.
   After she left school there, she went in training to be a nurse at St.
   Joseph Infirmary in Atlanta. She worked in that city, in the town we
   were reared in , and was nursing in Gainesville during that terrible
   storm, and continued to work there a while afterwards. Than she went
   to Washington, D. C. to take a special course in nursing. Now she is
   working in a hospital in Lynchburg, Virginia.
   
   "Before I finished high school, I had determined to be a lawyer,
   although I did not have the slighest conception of what a lawyer was.
   My only acquaintance with attorneys was confined to the several ones
   in the town in which I lived as a child. However, I believe that the
   following incident decided me on the career I was eventually to
   choose.
   
   "When I was in high school I saw an advertisement for some books,
   stating among other things that they could be ordered on trial, and,
   if the purchaser was not satisfied after inspection, they could be
   returned within ten days. After they came, I found that I was not
   interested in them and returned them. Shortly after this I had a
   letter from the seller stating that I had made a binding contract with
   their company, and threatening suit unless I kept them. At first I did
   not know what to do, and had mental visions of being sued. I was so
   frightened that I did not show the letter to my father or mother.
   Fortunately when it came 00033I met the postman, and they did not know
   that I/ had received it. After worrying about the matter for several
   days I chanced to see Mr. Simpson an attorney who had often visited in
   our home. I told him about my trouble. He laughed and told me not
   worry any more for I was a minor and could not be sued, and just not
   to answer the letter. However, when I told him that I was afraid that
   the concern would write me again and my [DEL: perents :DEL] parents
   would find it out. He agreed to write them for me. I suppose that he
   did, for I never heard [DEL: [any?] :DEL] any more from them.
   
   "This incident cemented my determination to become a lawyer, so when I
   attended the University of Georgia, I enrolled in the Lumpkin Law
   School. Fortunately, I had a good teacher there and especially one, an
   old gentleman, who I will call Dr. Myers. He was very peculiar, but
   managed to instill in the minds of his first year pupils the principle
   of law. This he did by [DEL: scarcism :DEL] sarcasm, cajolery, and
   incessant reading of cases, and by pure luck in the case of some of
   us. He was very fond of telling some unfortunate pupil who had
   forgotten to study his lesson that in his (the professor's) opinion
   the student would make a better farmer than a lawyer. Although this
   professor was not popular with the students of his class while they
   were in school, yet all of those to whom I have talked since they
   finished and began practicing, now admit that they learned more law in
   his class than in any other.
   
   00044
   
   "Finally, in July of 1929, I received my Bachelor of Laws [DEL:
   degreem abd :DEL] degree/and was shortly afterward admitted to
   practice before the courts of my State.
   
   "I determined to start practicing law in the city where I finished
   college, although there were some thirty or forty lawyers practicing
   there when I finished. I therefore rented an office, bought furniture,
   supplies and books, and put out my shingle.
   
   "Unfortunately, I entered into partnership with another young man who
   was a resident of this city, and whom I had known around town when I
   went to school. Naturally I thought he too had been admitted to the
   bar to practice in the State, so we printed [DEL: stationary :DEL]
   stationery and begun business. At first we handled only collection
   matters, small claims upon which we usually received fifty per cent of
   the amount that we collected. We were doing fairly well and was making
   enough to pay expenses of our office. However, we had not been in
   partnership long when someone informed me that my partner did not have
   a license to practice law. Naturally, I did not believe anything of
   the sort, but asked him about it anyway. Finally he told me that he
   did not, but that he was going to stand the State Bar examination
   again shortly and was sure that he would pass. However, this occurence
   led to other misunderstandings and we shortly desolved our
   partnership.
   
   "Now, I was on my own and really began practicing in earnest. I had to
   learn step by step and by experience. I had only been practicing a
   short time, several months, when I got my first big case. The man and
   woman with whom I was 00055boarding had a disagreement which finally
   led to divorce proceedings. He determined to contest her application
   for alimony and also was determined to gain control and possession of
   his two children. Since he and I were close friends he employed me in
   the case. I was young and over confident and would not associate an
   older lawyer with me, when the case first started although the wife
   had employed two of the best lawyers in the city. We had hearing after
   hearing and trial after trial. Finally after months of litigation the
   judge awarded one child to the wife and one to the husband, so
   altogether I could not say I won my first case of importance. I did
   not lose it either.
   
   "After ten years of practice, I do not feel that I have accomplished
   very much. At least I have survived, and have now built up a
   sufficient practice to support myself and family. I married in 1929,
   soon after I begun practicing law and now have three children, two
   girls and a boy.
   
   "Practice in a small town is not confined to any particular (?) bond
   of law. Small town lawyers do not have either the money or the
   opportunity to specialize in any one particular branch of the law.
   Criminal and Civil practice has been [DEL: incriminately :DEL]
   indiscriminately mixed with my practice.
   
   "[DEL: Surmmoned :DEL] Summoned by small county courts. I try,
   criminal cases, suits for land, divorce cases and all kinds of
   collections work. usually when the city and county courts concerns
   several lawyers having business there [DEL: will :DEL] they go
   together. The legal profession in small southern cities is a free and
   congenial body, fraternizing together, as is not, the case in larger
   cities and other 00066sections of the country. Then too, procedure and
   practice in the average country courts is informal, free and easy. Of
   course there are exceptions, but very few. During chamber hearings,
   which are usually held in the Judge's office (Superior Courts) on
   Saturday in each week, all the lawyers and parties are allowed to
   smoke, chew tobacco and very few rules of procedure are enforced.
   [DEL: day of each week all the lawyers and parties are enforced. :DEL]
   
   "The greatest trouble that lawyers in small courts have to contend
   with is getting their cases to trial. Usually, if one or the other
   side does not want a case tried it goes on from term to term and from
   year to year until it wears out -- parties [DEL: dies :DEL] die, get
   together, or a case is finally dismissed for want of prosecution. The
   main cause for this is the fact that attorneys in small places have to
   depend upon the good will of fellow attorneys and of the judge in
   order to make a brotherhood, and they do not care, except in
   exceptional and rare cases, to incur the displeasure of their
   associates by insisting upon a trial in the face of a motion for
   continuance from the other side. Of course as procedure is being
   constantly simplified and "stream-lined" this objection is being
   overcome by these reforms.
   
   "I joined church quite young, and I couldn't be anything else but a
   Baptist, as all of my people are of that denomination. I have an uncle
   who is pastor of one of the largest Baptist churches in South
   Carolina. Before I finished high school and left home I belonged to
   all the organizations that the boys attended at my church, and taught
   a Sundayschool class. Mother thought I could sing so I took voice, and
   sang in the choir every Sunday. I did this to please my mother. I
   served as deacon in my church in this 00077city and taught a class
   too. However, I don't go to church as I should now, as I am subject to
   call at anytime and I feel it's my duty to serve my clients whenever
   they call on me."
   
   Mr. Doolittle is such a busy man it was necessary to make a second and
   third visit before I could finish this story. One evening I called at
   his home, to finish the narrative. Mrs. Doolittle met me at the door
   and invited me in. "Won't you sit down. I am awfully sorry my husband
   isn't in , one of his clients came by for him just a few minutes ago.
   There is no telling when he will be back. A lawyer's wife is like a
   doctor's, then they [DEL: levae :DEL] leave home, there is no need of
   looking for them until you see them." Mrs. Doolittle is a charming
   person, stout and has a pleasing personality. * [DEL: Their home is
   nicely furnished :DEL] [?], it is a one-story five-room frame house
   painted brown and trimmed in white. [Abelia?], ivy and a climbing rose
   [DEL: bush :DEL] bushs makes up the [DEL: shrubery :DEL] shrubbery in
   the yard.
   
   My last trip to his office I found him very busy there were at least
   ten waiting in line to see him. So I took a chair and waited with the
   others. At last my turn came. "Well," he said, "Where shall we begin?"
   I told him I would like for him to tell me some of his experiences
   during the time he has been practicing. "Oh, just to tell you the
   truth, I have been so busy to day I am afraid I can't collect my
   thoughts on anything that would be interesting just now." I assured
   him whatever he told me would be sufficient. He, continued: "Well
   [DEL: [?] :DEL] let me think a few minutes. Take this one. The
   strangest murder case I ever engaged in or defended occured in 1933. I
   was employed to defend a middle [DEL: age :DEL] aged Negro man who was
   [DEL: indited :DEL] indicted by the Grand Jury for the murder of a
   younger 00088Negro. The murder took place at a Negro "hot supper" [md]
   all were drinking, engaged in a free for all fight and during the meal
   the younger Negro was stabbed in the heart with an ice pick.
   
   "My client went on trial his defence being that although he was
   present, that he did not commit the crime. Without going into all the
   facts and circumstantial evidence adduced at the trial, he was
   convicted and sentenced to the electric chair. I immediately appealed
   for a new trial, went to the supreme court where the judgement of the
   lower court was affirmed. Then I appealed to the Governor of the State
   for executive clemency, and the case was set down before him for a
   hearing.
   
   "On the morning that I was to appear to Atlanta, I came to my office
   unusually early so as to have time to drink a cup of coffee and read
   the morning paper. When I opened to paper the first thing that met my
   eyes was a news item stating that a man by the same name as my client
   was to be [DEL: electricuted :DEL] electrocuted that morning at the
   State Farm. I grabbed the telephone and tried to get the Governor. Not
   being able to reach him I called his secretary and in a disjointed
   manner, for I was highly excited, tried to tell his secretary what had
   happened. Imagine my relief when he laughed and said, "That reporter
   in getting facts for a news article on executive matters. Not knowing
   that his case had been set before the Governor and his Executives
   [DEL: automattically :DEL] automatically [DEL: staged :DEL] stayed
   until it could be heard.'
   
     NOTE: [? ? ? ? ?.]
     
   "So I went to Atlanta, I believe [DEL: that :DEL] the Governor felt
   sorry for me since I had all ready been scared out of my wits, so
   after he had heard the recommendation of my client's chracter and
   00099read the evidence adduced at the first trial, he commuted the
   sentence from death to life imprisonment. So my client was sent to the
   penitentiary for life. He soom became a trusty and was allowed full
   privileges of the camp.
   
   "His wife after two or three years began asking me to apply for his
   pardon. I told her that I thought it was little too early.
   
   "Finally after nearly five years had passed I did apply for a [DEL:
   [?] :DEL] pardon in 1938.
   
   "Just before I could get a hearing before the Crime commission I
   received word that my client had been killed. [DEL: When :DEL] I
   investigated. another prisoner, a trusty, had stabbed him with an ice
   pick [in?] the heart!
   
   "You know there are two things a Negro will do; that is steal and lie.
   Well, one day two peg leg Negroes from Atlanta came here in an old
   [DEL: ramshakled :DEL] ramshackled [DEL: chevrolet :DEL] truck to
   collect scrap [DEL: rion :DEL] iron. They were [DEL: indited :DEL]
   indicted for stealing. One of the bailiffs called me on the case. When
   I reached the scene I found they had half of the truck filled with
   iron and the other half was bottles of all sorts and [DEL: discription
   :DEL] description. When the next term of City Court came , a man was
   put on the stand who was president and general manager of a plant here
   who [DEL: [?] :DEL] uses milk bottles.
   
   "When he was put on the stand, he was asked: 'Are these bottles yours?
   'Yes, he quickly answered.' 'Well, how do you know they are?' 'There
   is nothing to show they are yours.' Just the same he answered I know
   they are mine.' 'Very well, you sell milk don't you?' 'I do,' 'You get
   13¢ [DEL: [?] :DEL] per quart for your milk,001010isn't that true?'
   'Yes, that is right.' 'Well how do you get them back?' 'I pick them up
   when the milk is delivered next day.' 'Very well.' 'When anyone goes
   by your place to buy a quart of milk what do you sell it for?'
   'Thirteen cents for the milk and 5¢ deposit on the bottle.' 'That
   makes 18¢ for it, does it not? 'That's right.' 'Well do you insist
   upon the person buying the milk returning the bottle?' 'No, it don't
   make any difference to me what the do with [DEL: them :DEL] it, as I
   have the money for the bottle.' 'Well than you don't have a case
   against these Negroes. Unless they went to your place and [DEL:
   deliberitely :DEL] deliberately took them without your knowledge.' The
   case never went to the jury. That man won't speak to me today if he
   can get out of it. I lost about thirty dollars on that case, they paid
   me part of their bill and gave me a mortage on their truck. When I
   checked up on them in Atlanta I could find no trace of them, even at
   the State Capitol.
   
   "All lawyers have trouble collecting their money. Sometimes you get it
   in such small amounts you don't realize when the bill is paid in full.
   
   "Once a woman came to me for a divorce. 'I asked her where her husband
   was she said, ' out of the State [.'?] she was a middle [DEL: age
   :DEL] aged woman. I got the divorce for her. About a year later she
   came back to me and said, 'Mr. Doolittle I want another divorce.' [?]
   'Another divorce I answered who did you marry this time?' 'Your first
   husband, 'I said.' 'Yes, my first husband.' After I was [DEL:
   seperated :DEL] separated from him I married again, than I divorced
   him and married my first husband. Now I want a divorce [?] from his so
   I can marry my second husband again.' 'My heavens can't you make up
   your mind which 001111one you want to live with?' 'Yes, sir, I mean to
   marry my second husband again and live with him the rest of my days.
   They married and left the State, and I lost track of her. I understand
   she lived with him until her death. That was a case where the woman
   married four times and just married two men. Each one twice. However,
   I did not get her first divorce. That took place before I began to
   practice law, but I did get three divorces for her.
   
   "I don't know whether you want me to tell you about a rape case I had
   or not. It was ridiculous, telling this brings out the highlights in
   the experience of us lawyers. A boys father employed me to represent
   his son. The boy was accused of raping a woman much older, who lived
   in another county. When the case came up [DEL: she :DEL] her testimony
   was positive. Stating he went to her home while her husband was away
   and assulted her. They were of low character. My client didn't have
   any witnesses, of course. Her statement sounded logical, so I decided
   to let her come off the stand and do the best I could for the boy. I
   had seen her around the court house several days. I asked her how they
   got down here, she told me she had to pay someone a dollar a day to
   bring her. 'Do you realize what it is costing the State to pay the
   witnesses and and jury?' 'Yes, sir.' 'So you and your husband will get
   $30.00 out of this suit for hanging [DEL: ariyed :DEL] around [DEL:
   [seve?] :DEL] several days [?]?' 'Yes, sir.' ['So your sware out a
   warrant against his boy [? ? ? money?] she had answered yes, to so
   many questions she, said yes to that one. I put my plea before the
   jury. The judge was mad as fire about it. But that cleared the boy.
   The jury [DEL: wont :DEL] was out [?] about five minutes[;?] their
   verdict was ' not guilty. ' Of course it wasn't as easy as it is
   pictured, and it was proven she was mad with the boy for something
   else. And not what she had sworn out a warrant for.
   
   001212
   
   "Now, I believe [?] have told you about all I know that perhaps are of
   very much interest. I have had these things happen time and time over.
   To tell you about other things would only be telling [DEL: simular
   :DEL] similar cases over.
   
   "One other incident my be of interest. A very young woman and her
   husband came to me to file divorce papers. It was posted and the case
   was to come up in the next term of court. She sued [DEL: [?] :DEL] him
   for alimony, which he agreed to pay. She went her way and he his. Just
   a few days before court was to convene he went for her. They patched
   up their misunderstanding and went back together and the divorce
   procreedings were with drawn. Now they are a happy couple. This was a
   case among many where young people marrying before definitely making
   up their minds as to how it would work [DEL: [?] :DEL] out. Now, this
   is all I have time to tell you to day and perhaps you will find it of
   sufficient interest to use ." [DEL: what I have told you." :DEL] At
   this time four men entered his office, When I left [DEL: [?] :DEL]
   they were busily engaged in earnest conversation.
   
   0013
   
   While she was talking to me I glanced about the room, which contains a
   two piece livingroom suit upholstered in [DEL: gree :DEL] green, a
   mahogany occasional chair done in blue, with a rocker to match. Over a
   console table hangs a mirror, a pretty pottery vase on the table was
   filled with training ivy. A white lamp, [DEL: [?] :DEL] and books
   filled the long [DEL: libary :DEL] library table (mahogany). Two vases
   that had the appearance of luscious bunches of purple grapes. The
   mouth of the vases are the stem and a vine formes a handle on one side
   of the vase. Green leaves make up the decorations on the vases, these
   [DEL: resposes :DEL] respose on a [DEL: spinnet :DEL] spinet desk.
   There are several pieces of pottery on the mantel. Hanging over the
   desk and radio are squares of [DEL: taperstery :DEL] tapestry about
   eighteen inches square. There are two handpainted pictures, also
   several plaques arranged on the wall. A what- [DEL: knots :DEL] not
   was filled with doo- [DEL: dabs :DEL] dads. New curtains at the
   windows. An old fashioned low split bottom chair sat in the corner by
   the fireplace, a magazine stand filled with magazines and several
   scatter rugs places over the hardwood floor. [DEL: [?] :DEL] One of
   the children in the next room called her. "Do lets go into the
   diningroom? We sit in there and it is warmer." I followed her into the
   room where the three children were playing. She picked up the baby to
   quiet her. In this room was a mahogany dinnet suit. A wicker sunroom
   suit a large comfortable chair, fresh criss-cross curtains at the
   window. A [DEL: babies :DEL] baby's high chair, a [DEL: congelouem
   :DEL] linoleum rug on the floor. There are several pieces of china,
   and old fashion shaving set [md] mug, pitcher and brush holder. Vases
   and several other pieces of china on the plate rack around the wall.
   There are a few pictures hanging on the wall. There was a clock and a
   vase on each end of the mantel. The baby wanted water, she asked me to
   excuse her while she went into the kitchen for it. I told her I would
   like a drink too and insisted on her letting me go with her to get it.
   Into the kitchen was a wood range, kitchen cabinet, a table on which
   sat a dishpan full of dishes 00142that was evident they had just
   finished their evening meal.
   
   "You know we don't own this house. We have only been living here a
   short while." Do you mind showing me through the house I asked? "Not,
   at all, I would like for you to see it." She said, "Come this way." We
   went back to the diningroom into a narrow hall there was a wardrobe
   trunk and a cedar chest in it. She opened a door. "This is the
   sleeping porch, I cant wait until summer so we can sleep out here.
   Now, this is our bed room." There was a gray bedroom /# suit, of wood.
   An iron bed and the babies bed. "Now this is the bathroom I am crazy
   about the shower. [DEL: James :DEL] My husband [DEL: perfers :DEL]
   prefers taking a shower instead of the tub, but I can't give the
   children cold showers in winter. There was a clothes [DEL: barket
   :DEL] basket, [DEL: [?] :DEL] towels and bath mat. This is the other
   bed room I have given this room to my oldest daughter, she is ten
   years old. [#?] This room contains a walnut suit, cedar chest , chair
   and several other things . a little girl of that age enjoys having in
   her own bedroom.

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