Great Stories Told to me by Great People

This is a story told to me about a former Governor of Kansas.

In 1960, I was a freshman at the University of Kansas. John Kennedy was elected president that year. That same year, John Anderson, Jr. was Governor of Kansas. Prior to that he was the youngest Attorney General in the history of the State of Kansas. In the year 2000, 40 years later, I shared an office with John Anderson in his semi-retirement years. In this story, Governor Anderson illustrates an ability to think on his feet and use the information or the facts given to him by the opposition as a basis for establishing his own case.

Governor Anderson lived on a farm in eastern Kansas. On that farm, he had a farm hand named Tom. Tom and his wife lived in a house on that farm also. Tom did “odds and ends” work around the farm for Governor Anderson. One Sunday morning, Governor Anderson was expecting Tom to meet him in the lower part of the farm to do some work. Tom did not show up.

Governor Anderson, being a man of action, went to the house where Tom and his wife lived. Governor Anderson knocked on the door, and Tom’s wife came to the door. They exchanged greetings about the weather in typical Kansas style, and then Governor Anderson asked, “Where’s Tom? I was expecting him to show up for work today.” Tom’s wife replied, “I spoke with the Lord about it, and the Lord said Tom should not work today.” Governor Anderson replied, “What’s the matter, is he sick?” “No, Tom’s wife said, today’s the Sabbath and he should not go to work today.”

Governor Anderson thought only for a moment, and then asked, “What time did you speak to the Lord about this?” Tom’s wife replied, “About 40 minutes ago.” Governor Anderson replied, “Well, that explains it.” Tom’s wife asked, “Explains what?” Governor Anderson said, “Well, I spoke to the Lord only about 10 minutes ago. Do you believe that?” Tom’s wife said, “Of course I do.” Governor John Anderson replied, “Well, the Lord told me, “ John, better go get Tom, looks like rain again and you guys best get the hay put up today.” Governor Anderson promptly turned around and walked off the porch, and Tom joined him a few minutes later.

Governor Anderson was an expert trial attorney. He learned at an early age in court that the best way to launch a convincing argument was to use the evidence that the opposition used for its own defense as part of the offense. When Tom’s wife explained she had talked to the Lord, Governor Anderson didn’t contest that. He simply asked her to confirm her belief in her ability to talk to the Lord by acknowledging that the Lord could have talked to him also. It wouldn’t make much sense for Tom’s wife to believe that the Lord talked to her and her alone; and any other response would reveal that perhaps she was lying about talking to the Lord.

And of course, after explaining to Governor Anderson the details of her own conversation with the Lord, and asking Governor Anderson to believe it on face value, Tom’s wife could hardly contest Governor Anderson’s position that he had talked to the Lord also. Quick thinking, on-your-feet thinking, is the mark of a great trial attorney. In turning the opposition’s own assertion of the facts into evidence that supports a contrary position or the position that you wish to present is a creative way to win any kind of dispute.

I was told this story by Robert E. Lastelic, an attorney and good friend of mine who had been a law partner with Governor Anderson for many years. At lunch on December 27, 2002, I had the opportunity to ask Governor Anderson if this was a true story, and he replied, “Absolutely.” At the time I had these discussions with Governor Anderson, he was still a practicing attorney in the law office of Robert E. Lastelic and Associates in Leawood, Kansas.

Great stories by great people never stop.