Editing Abraham Lincoln (section)

===Prairie lawyer===
{{See also|List of cases involving Abraham Lincoln}}
In his Springfield practice, Lincoln handled "virtually every kind of business that could come before a prairie lawyer".{{sfn|Donald|1996|p=96}} He dealt with many transportation cases in the midst of the nation's western expansion, particularly river barge conflicts under the new railroad bridges. As a [[riverboat]] man, Lincoln initially favored those interests, but he represented whoever hired him.{{sfnm|Donald|1996|1pp=156–157|Burlingame|2008|2loc=v. 1 p. 253}} He represented a bridge company against a riverboat company in ''[[Hurd v. Rock Island Bridge Company]]'', a landmark case involving a canal boat that sank after hitting a bridge.{{sfn|McGinty|2015}} In 1849 he received [[Abraham Lincoln's patent|a patent for a flotation device]] for the movement of boats in shallow water. The idea was never commercialized, but it made Lincoln the only president to hold a patent.{{sfn|Emerson|2009|pp=27&ndash;28}} Lincoln appeared before the Illinois Supreme Court in 411 cases.{{sfn|Burlingame|2008|loc=v. 1 p. 186}} From 1853 to 1860, one of his largest clients was the [[Illinois Central Railroad]].{{sfn|Donald|1996|pp=155–156, 196–197}}

Lincoln represented William "Duff" Armstrong in his 1858 trial for the murder of James Preston Metzker.{{sfn|Donald|1996|pp=150–151}} The case is famous for Lincoln's use of a fact established by [[judicial notice]] to challenge the credibility of an eyewitness. After a witness testified to seeing the crime in the moonlight, Lincoln produced a ''[[Farmers' Almanac]]'' showing the Moon was at a low angle, drastically reducing visibility. Armstrong was acquitted.{{sfnm|Donald|1996|pp=150–151|Burlingame|2008|2loc=v. 1 pp. 345&ndash;346}} In an 1859 murder case, he defended "Peachy" Quinn Harrison, the grandson of [[Peter Cartwright (revivalist)|Peter Cartwright]], Lincoln's political opponent.{{sfn|Burlingame|2008|loc=v. 1 p. 560}} Harrison was charged with the murder of Greek Crafton who, according to Cartwright, said as he lay dying that he had "brought it upon myself" and that he forgave Harrison.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Mitgang |first1=Herbert |date=February 10, 1989 |title=The law; Lincoln as lawyer: transcript tells murder story |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/02/10/nyregion/the-law-lincoln-as-lawyer-transcript-tells-murder-story.html}}</ref> Lincoln angrily protested the judge's initial decision to exclude Cartwright's claim as [[hearsay]]. Lincoln argued that the testimony involved a [[dying declaration]] and so was not subject to the hearsay rule. Instead of holding Lincoln in [[Contempt of court#United States|contempt of court]] as expected, the judge, a Democrat, admitted the testimony into evidence, resulting in Harrison's acquittal.{{sfnm|Donald|1996|1pp=150–151|Burlingame|2008|2loc=v. 1 p. 560}}