New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1879-12-10
Stealing 8 Geese.

i
ONE Of the traditional Judges whose
wit supplies the lack Of legal learning
lives In Aroostook County, Maine. The
following account Of the way he decided
complaint against one Filchum,
charged with stealing geese. is ANUS
ing:
Mr.. Filchum laughed the poor COM
plainants to scorn. He had hundreds
OF geese Of his own, but never . goose
on his place belonging to anybody else.
He would like to see them prove their
property.
Aye there was the rub. In q flock
Of four to i've hundred geese it would
bevery difficult for the unfortunate men
to select their own, even allowing them
to be there.
The case was brought before the
Judge, and when he had heard the
stories of the losers, and had questioned
them sufficiently, he was inclined to the
belief that they told the truth. He re-
Elected upon the subject, and finally
laid down the course he would pursue.
He ordered that the man in change
OF Mr.. Filchum's geese should gather
together all the geese upon the place,
and repair with them to an open piece
of cleared pasture land, on rising
ground, at q point about half way be-
tween the two localities-the farm OF
Mr.. F. and the farms of the complain.
ants.
The thing was done, and the whole
flock was there fed with q quantity of
prepared dough; but only food enough
given to keep them quiet. As might
be expected large concourse of people
had assembled to see what wonderful
thing the Judge would do; for he had
declared that he would at that place
give his decision.
Well, evening drew on very shortly
after the geese had eaten the last of
their meal, and the Judge then directed
that every person, saving alone the
four parties in the suit, should withdraw
behind thick copse of birches and
naples, and when they had gone, the
farmers were to call out to the geese,
as was their wont when gathering them
for the evening meal, and then each
was to turn toward his home and we
will say that from the elevated position
where the gathering had been held the
farm buildings of all were in sight
those of the three complainants being
in one direction, and those of Mr..
Filchum in q direction nearly opposite.
The thing was done just as the Judge
had directed, and the result was magi-
cal. A little old Kanuck, named Tobit,
was the first to call to his brood: s. III {!
hi! Alloas! Allo,as! ve,aez avec morn
and thus calling he waved his hand to-
ward q patriarch which he had quickly
recognized, and which had a. quickly
recognized him.
The keeper of Mr.. Filchum yelled
with all his might, and gesticulated
furiously; but in spite of all he could
do the geese separated themselves into
four tribes; about twenty of them wad-
died off after old Tobit, fifteen moro
followed his neighbor Bunkum, while
another fifteen, or thereabouts, took to
the heels of Pierre Sabot.
The beholders saw and understood.
The cause was decided before their
very eyes, and when the Judge rendered
in sentence that Mr.. Filchum should
pay over to the complainants one
young, healthy goose for each and
every one he had certainly purloined
from them, the multitude applauded;
and the discounted husbandman the
goose-lifting Filchum-could only DOW
In shame, and submit. IN. 7. Ledger.