INTRODUCTION TO THE MASTER MIND 103One question they asked was:
"How many soldiers did the British send over to subdue the rebel-
lion in the Colonies in 177 6?"
With a dry grin on his face, Ford nonchalantly replied:
"I do not know just how many, but I have heard that it was a lot
more than ever went back."
Loud laughter erupted from court, jury, courtroom spectators, and
even from the frustrated lawyer who had asked the question.
This line of interrogation continued for an hour or more, with Ford
keeping perfectly calm in the meantime. Finally, however, he was tired
of the smart-alec lawyers, and in reply to a question that was particu-
larly obnoxious and insulting, Ford straightened himself up, pointed his
finger at the questioning lawyer, and replied: "If I should really wish
to answer the foolish question you have just asked, or any of the others
you have been asking, let me remind you that I have a row of electric
push buttons hanging over my desk and by placing my finger on the
right button I could call in men who could give me the correct answer
to all the questions you have asked and to many that you have not the
intelligence either to ask or answer. Now, will you kindly tell me why
I should bother about filling my mind with a lot of useless details in
order to answer every fool question that anyone may ask, when I have
able men all about me who can supply me with all the facts I want when
I call for them?"
This answer is quoted from memory but it substantially relates
Ford's answer.
There was silence in the courtroom. The questioning attorney's
jaw dropped down and his eyes opened wide. The judge leaned forward
from the bench and stared at Ford. Many of the jury awoke and looked
around as if they had heard an explosion (which they actually had).
A prominent clergyman who was present in the courtroom at the
time said later that the scene reminded him of what must have existed