# Mr. Ferris — Hand and Ring character guide > Mr. Ferris in Hand and Ring by Anna Katharine Green. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** District Attorney Ferris **First appearance:** 0020-xix-mr-ferris ## Snapshot The District Attorney who prosecutes the case with cold efficiency, pressing Imogene Dare on the stand and refusing to let sympathy for the prisoner soften a single question. ## Who they are Mr. Ferris is the state's steady hand in the courtroom, a prosecutor who has 'passed the point where sympathy could interfere with his action' and who methodically extracts from Imogene Dare the admission that she refused Craik Mansell because she was ambitious. He builds a case of 'great strength and seeming impregnability,' and when Orcutt rises to open the defense, Ferris is on his feet instantly, challenging the lawyer's every move. His measured ruthlessness gives the trial its adversarial spine, and his reaction to the defense's surprises becomes a barometer the reader learns to watch. ## Relationships ### [Imogene Dare](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hand_and_ring_se/characters/imogene_dare) _professional_ Imogene and Mr. Ferris have a professional relationship, possibly as client and lawyer or through business dealings. ### [Mr. Byrd](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hand_and_ring_se/characters/mr_byrd) _professional_ Mr. Byrd and Mr. Ferris are colleagues or professional acquaintances, possibly in legal or investigative work. ### [Imogene Dare](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hand_and_ring_se/characters/imogene_dare) _professional_ Imogene and Mr. Ferris have a professional relationship, possibly as client and lawyer or through business dealings. ### [Mr. Byrd](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hand_and_ring_se/characters/mr_byrd) _professional_ Mr. Byrd and Mr. Ferris are colleagues or professional acquaintances, possibly in legal or investigative work. ### [Mr. Byrd](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hand_and_ring_se/characters/mr_byrd) _professional_ Mr. Byrd and Mr. Ferris are colleagues or professional acquaintances, possibly in legal or investigative work. ### [Imogene Dare](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hand_and_ring_se/characters/imogene_dare) _professional_ Imogene and Mr. Ferris have a professional relationship, possibly as client and lawyer or through business dealings. ## In the story ### [I: A Startling Coincidence](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hand_and_ring_se/chapters/i-a-startling-coincidence) District Attorney who dismisses the stranger's theory but immediately suspects him after the attack. ### [II: An Appeal to Heaven](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hand_and_ring_se/chapters/ii-an-appeal-to-heaven) The District Attorney is present, discussing the widow's life with Mr. Orcutt and reacting to her dying words. ### [V: Horace Byrd](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hand_and_ring_se/chapters/v-horace-byrd) The District Attorney who requested Byrd's assistance. He provides Byrd with an update on the inquest, describing the widow's reclusive habits and the lack of clear suspects. ### [Decision](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hand_and_ring_se/chapters/xi-decision) District Attorney who lays out the evidence against Hildreth and facilitates Byrd's hidden observation. ### [Mr. Ferris](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hand_and_ring_se/chapters/xix-mr-ferris) District Attorney who is convinced of Hildreth's guilt but is troubled by the suicide attempt and later by the new evidence against Mansell. ### [XXI: Heart's Martyrdom](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hand_and_ring_se/chapters/xxi-heart-s-martyrdom) The District Attorney, driven by duty, confronts Imogene Dare to extract the truth about the ring, despite his personal respect for her. ### [Craik Mansell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hand_and_ring_se/chapters/xxii-craik-mansell) District Attorney who conducts the interrogation and expresses doubt about Mansell's guilt. ### [Mr. Orcutt](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hand_and_ring_se/chapters/xxiii-mr-orcutt) District Attorney who decides to present evidence to the Grand Jury to avoid exposing Orcutt and Miss Dare to public scrutiny. ### [XXVIII: The Chief Witness for the Prosecution](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hand_and_ring_se/chapters/xxviii-the-chief-witness-for-the-prosecution) Prosecuting attorney who skillfully elicits testimony that reinforces the case against Mansell. ### [XXXI: The Chief Witness for the Defence](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hand_and_ring_se/chapters/xxxi-the-chief-witness-for-the-defence) Cross-examines Hildreth, but his case appears weakened. ### [XXXII: Hickory](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hand_and_ring_se/chapters/xxxii-hickory) The District Attorney, who is the recipient of Hickory's apologetic glances as his testimony undermines the prosecution's case. ### [A Late Discovery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hand_and_ring_se/chapters/xxxiii-a-late-discovery) The District Attorney is uneasy after Hickory's suggestion. He confronts Miss Dare, pressing her on her whereabouts at the time of the murder, and is deeply affected by her intense reaction. ### [What Was Hid Behind Imogene’s Veil](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hand_and_ring_se/chapters/xxxiv-what-was-hid-behind-imogene-s-veil) As District Attorney, recalls Imogene to the stand; is rendered speechless by her unexpected self-accusation. ### [Pro and Con](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hand_and_ring_se/chapters/xxxv-pro-and-con) The District Attorney who is perplexed by the conflicting stories and seeks the detectives' opinions on whether to proceed with the case. ### [XXXVI: A Mistake Rectified](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hand_and_ring_se/chapters/xxxvi-a-mistake-rectified) Reveals the deception to Imogene and attempts to rectify the mistake. ### [XXXVIII: Unexpected Words](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hand_and_ring_se/chapters/xxxviii-unexpected-words) District Attorney who is present at Orcutt's bedside, initially dismissive of Imogene's accusations. ### [Mr. Gryce](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hand_and_ring_se/chapters/xxxix-mr-gryce) The District Attorney, who is shocked by Gryce's accusations and struggles with the implications. ### [XLI: A Link Supplied](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hand_and_ring_se/chapters/xli-a-link-supplied) District Attorney who is dismayed by the evidence against his friend Orcutt. ### [The Widow Clemmens](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hand_and_ring_se/chapters/xliv-the-widow-clemmens) Receives the report and evidence, reluctantly accepting the truth about his friend. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hand_and_ring_se/characters/mr_ferris - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hand_and_ring_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hand_and_ring_se/characters