Just how clever was Abe Lincoln in Metamora?

Answer: In an 1857 trial in Metamora at which Goings was accused of killing her abusive husband, her lawyer, Lincoln, believed the killing was in self-defense but that Goings was going to be found guilty anyway by an unyielding judge. So, after a court recess, Lincoln returned to the court alone, without her, and explained: “Your honor, I did not chase her off. She simply asked me where she could get a good drink of water, and I said, ‘Tennessee has mighty fine drinkin’ water.’” A year later, Lincoln persuaded the Woodford County state’s attorney to drop the charges against Goings.