Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1851-03-19
The glorious Uncertainties of the Law.

The glorious Uncertainties of the Law.
The most htigious fellow ever knew,
was Welshman named Bones. He had
got possession, by some means, OF a bit oi
waste ground behind a public house in
Hogwash Street. Adjoining this lane was
a yard, belonging to the parish ofSt. Jere-
miah, which the parish trustees were fenc.
ing in with wall. Bones alleged that one
corner Of their wall was advanced about
ten inches on his ground, and as they de.
clined to removeit back, he kicked down
the brickwork before the mortar was dry.
The trustees having satisfied themselves
that they were not only within their own
boundary. but that lheyhad left Bones some
feet Of the parish land TO boot, built up the
wall again. Bones kicked it down again.
The trustees put it up the third time un-
der the protection Of policeman. The
inexorable Bones, in spite Of the awful pre-.
sence Of this funclionary, not only kicked
down the wall again, but kicked the brick
layers into the bargain. This was too
much,an Bones was marched off to Guild.
hall for assaulting the bricklayers. The
magistrate rather pooh-poohed the com.
plant, but bound over Bones to keep the
peace. This causa belli, the wall, was
re-edi6ced fourth time but when the
trustees revisited the place next morning, it
was again in ruins! While they were in
consultation upon this last insult. they were
politely waited upon by an attorneys clerk,
who served them all with ''writs' in an &C.
ton Of trespass, al the suit Of Bones for
encroaching on his land.
Thus war was declared about a dirty
piece Of land literally not as big as door.
step, and the whole fee simple Of which
would not sell for shilling. The trustees,
however. thought they ought not 10 give
up the rights Of the parish TO the obstinacy
OF perverse fellow, like Bones, and resol.
we'd to punish Bones for assaulling the
workmen. Accordingly. the action and
indictment went on together.
The action was tried first, and as the evi.
dence clearly showed the trustees had kept
within their own boundary, they got the
verdict. Bones moved for new trial that
failed. The trustees now thought they
would let the matter rest, as it had cos. the
parish about one hundred and fifty pounds,
and they supposed that Bones had had
enough Of it. But they had mistaken their
man. He brought wit of error in the
action, which carried the cause into the
Exchequer Cont. and tied it u7 nearly
two years, and in the mean time he forced
them nolens uolens TO try the indictment.
When the trial came on the judge said that
as the whole question had been decided in
the action there was no occasion for any
further proceedings, and therefore the de.
fendant had better be acquitted, and SO
make an end Of it.
Accordingly, Bones was acquitted; {; and
The very next thing Bones did, was to sue
the trustees in new action, for malicious.
ly insliuting the indictment against him
without reasonable cause The new action
went on 10 trial; and it bieng proved thai
one Of the trustees had been overheard 10
say tina. they would punish him, this was
taken as evidence Of ralice, and Bones
got a verdict Of forty shilings damages be-
side all the costs. EIaied with this victory,
Bones pushed on his old action in the Ex-
chequer chamber 10 a hearing, but the
court affirmed the judgment agains, him,
without hearing the trustees counsel.
The trustees were now sick of The very
name Of Bones, which had become a sort
OF bugbear, so that if friend met trus.
tee in the street, he would be greeted with
an inquiry after the health OF his friend Mr..
Bones. They would then have gladly let
the whole drop into oblivion, but Jupiter
and Bones brought writ Of error in The
house Of lords, on the judgment Of the ex.
chequer chamber. The unhappy trustees
had caught Tartar, md follow him into
the house Of lords they must. And after
another year or two's delay, the case came
on in The house OF lords. Their lordships
pronounced it the most trumpery writ Of
Error ever seen, and again they affirmed
the judgment, with costs. against Bones.
The trustees now taxed their costs, and
found that they had spent not less than five
hundred pounds in defending their. .claim TO
bit Of ground that was not OF the value of
on old shoe. But, then, Bones was con-
demned 10 pay the costs. True SO they
issued execution against Bones, caught
him after some trouble, and locked him up
IN saol. The next week, Bones petitioned
The insolvent court, got out of prison, and,
ON examination Of schedule, his effects ap-
peared TO be 60. Os. 3D.. Bones had in
i.ct heen fiuh,inu the trustees on credit for