Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-01-17
A PATENT CHURN
A Verdict for $4,000 and an Arrest for
False Pretences.

False Pretences.
We tho jury, In the cause Of William 6,
Foster VS.. Charles W. Harrington, return yer
dict of so 900 in favor Of the plaintiff.
The above is the verdict as substantially rem.
dcred by the jury who tried the Foster-Far.
rngton patent right case. which came to a con.
clnsion yesterday forenoon.
In order that the public may duly appreciate
tho following narrative brief outline of the
case which resulted in the above verdict is
herewith given.
The defendant, harrington, together with a
man named Hall, have for o number of years
been engaged at the patent right business at
Rockford. Illinois.
few years since these gentlemen purchased
the right to manufacture and sell m improved
chnrn, which had the reputation of being :
Perlor to anything of q similar nature then
manufactured.
In order to dispose of State rights in the
churn Hall came Vest visiting among other
places the town of Tasting. in this State.
During his sojourn there he first met Foster,
to whom was exhibited the peculiar merits Of
the chnrn.
Tue latter being somewhat familiar with the
patent right business, and being favorably inn
pressed with the churn, was finally induced to
purchase a State right interest paying therefor
the equivalent of $4,000.
"A short time after the transfer had been
made he discovered Tor hought he discovered)
that the patent on the churn was not what it
was represented to be, claiming that the patent
sold him, although similar in appearance to
the one shown him, had been so moditied as to
entirely destroy the improvement
On these grounds suit was brought for OBJ
tanning money under false pretenses. a verdict
having been returned of not guilty, due, it is
stated, to legal technicality.
Suit was then brought in the United States
court for $4,000 that being the alleged value
of the hotel property turned over by Foster in
the Transferable result of the suit being as
above stated.
THE SEQUEL.
1t has been aptly said that troubles never
come singly. Had there been any sceptics on
this point around the United States building
yesterday morning, it is safe 10 say that their
doubts would have been successfully dissi-
psted.
The balef:l words of the Jury had not ceased
ringing in Charles w Farrington's ears when
he was confronted VITA a still costlier humilia-
ton.
The humiliation came in the shape of a man.
The man was Mr.. j. f. Newtoa, sheriff of Da-
kota county. with headquarters at Hastings.
Mr.. harrington.
The latter was informed of the disagreeable
nature of the sheriffs business. The sheriff
was sorry-all sheriffs presumably feel sorry
under similar circums aEces-buJ was acting
IN the performance of his duty. Harrington
was also sorry. He afterwards informed the
reparter-(and sincerely too) that he could not
nave felt more panied had that official placed
revolver in front of his person and discharged
it's contents into his heart.
Sha1lH Newton was questioned rega. ding the
warrant upon which the arrest was made, the
result being tantially as follows: About
year ago, a Young lady, residing at Mime.
apolis named Miss Mary Brown, purchased the
right OF two counties in Illinois, for the sale of
churn', manufactu' ed by the Star Churn COM
pany, paying therefor the equivalent of $500.
1t is now alleged that the churns were not as
represent ed by the com Dany, and suit is brought
oy the father of the lady for obtaining money
under false pretences. A little less then ten
minutes before the Hastings train left last night
tall, ine-looking and middle-aged gentle-
manly pei sonage stepped up to the ticket off &C
and politely asked for q tisket for Hastings.
There's your man, said the sheriff you had
better see him.
The GLOBE presents its compliments, Mr.
harrington, and. if agreeable, would like to
present to the public your side of
the story. Thus spoke the reporter.
One moment, please, was the rejoinder, and at
the expiration of that in6nitesimal portion of
time, the ticket had been purchased and two
heads We're consolidating very closely to-
ge her.
TIE story, as related by Mr. Harrington, is
briefly as follows: He stated in the first place.
that bis former partner, Hall, had sold the
territory to the young lady. receiving no MONEY
IN the transaction beyond what was realized
on very inferior piano.
Since making the trade, his partner had be-
come bankrupt, and instigated by the county
attorney Of Dakota county, who wanted to
make capital out of the suit, the
proceedings had been instituted, on grounds,
that were altogether fanciful. Mr. Harrington
ais" said that Foster was at the bottom of the
whole affair. He assured the reporter in a
manner that was apparently sincere, that he
was the subject of aJralicious persecution at
the hands of Mr. Foster and County Attorney
Searles. He had once before been similarly
badgered, and had been acquitted; the present
action was but the result of an old spite.
When spoken to about the adverse verdict of
59,OOO, he said that the verdict wonld finally be
set aside. He had been SO assured by several
OF the most prominent lawyers in town.
Judge Nelson's charge to the jury he con-
tinued. was considered hagrantly unfair and
partial. prominent lawyer, who had listened
to the charge. had said that Judge Nelson
availed himself of the opportunity offered to
square himself with that portion of the COM
munity whom he had alienated by his charge
in the notorious drive we'll case motion for
new trial would be made, after which the case
would be carried to the supreme court
AS to the present charge, he said it was alb.
solutely without grounds, and could not be
sust aimed.