Among the lawyers who traveled the circuit with Lincoln was Usher F.
Linder, whose daughter, Rose Linder Wilkinson, has left many Lincoln
reminiscences.
“One case in which Mr. Lincoln was interested concerned a member of my
own family,” said Mrs. Wilkinson. “My brother, Dan, in the heat of a
quarrel, shot a young man named Ben Boyle and was arrested. My father
was seriously ill with inflammatory rheumatism at the time, and could
scarcely move hand or foot. He certainly could not defend Dan. I was his
secretary, and I remember it was but a day or so after the shooting till
letters of sympathy began to pour in. In the first bundle which I picked
up there was a big letter, the handwriting on which I recognized as that
of Mr. Lincoln. The letter was very sympathetic.
“‘I know how you feel, Linder,’ it said. ‘I can understand your anger
as a father, added to all the other sentiments. But may we not be in a
measure to blame? We have talked about the defense of criminals before
our children; about our success in defending them; have left the
impression that the greater the crime, the greater the triumph of
securing an acquittal. Dan knows your success as a criminal lawyer,
and he depends on you, little knowing that of all cases you would be of
least value in this.’
“He concluded by offering his services, an offer which touched my father
to tears.
“Mr. Lincoln tried to have Dan released on bail, but Ben Boyle’s family
and friends declared the wounded man would die, and feeling had grown so
bitter that the judge would not grant any bail. So the case was changed
to Marshall county, but as Ben finally recovered it was dismissed.”