Years ago, I heard a story that a lawyer — possibly Clarence Darrow — distracted a jury from the opponent’s argument, impressed that Darrow could create a very long ash with his cigarette or cigar, in the days that smoking was allowed in courtrooms.

Recently, Straight Dope said that insufficient information exists about whether this incident ever happened. At the same time, the column says that the feat may be accomplished b inserting a straightened paper clip or piano wire into a cigar before smoking it.

On further review, it seems that tobacco consumers were in paradise in courtrooms of the past not only for smoking the stuff, but also for chewing it.