Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-09-24
swISDLE.
A Professional Litigant,- and
INSCRIPTIONS Lawyers, Rob-
bling People.

n VI Wv ~sNW LoAA
Sun, writing from Frederick, Nd,
says;
instituted BY DR., Harrison Wagner,
the professional htigant, against citi-
sens OF the county, were settled, the
defendants being compelled to pay
various sums, ranging from $50 70 $40
in each case, The operations OF Wag-
ner are without a parallel IN the
United States. About two years ago
be was generally considered to DO
harmlessly insane. His actions were
calculated to confirm this theory, and
his eccentrioities we're regarded with
indifference by every one who knew
him. In the fall of 1879 Wagner
caused much amusement by going be-
fore an obscure country magistrate
and entering several hundred suits for
damages against leading citizens,
chosen at random in all parts Of the
country, who had never seen or had
any dealings with him. The amount
of damages sued for in each case was
between 500 and 500, the limit for
which suits can be brought before
magistrates in this State. No atten-
ton was paid to the supposed lunatic's
suits, and the cases were soon forgot
ten, but we're several times called to
memory by notices Of hundreds Of
others being brought by Wagner, who
frequently entered as high as 100
claims against one person.
Earlyin 1880 Wagner disappeared
from public notice, but in the fall Of
that year the entire community was
thrown into a furore of excitement
when il was learned that Wagner had
commenced proceedings to enforce
judgments in 1900 of the suits. 1t
was then learned for the first time
that the persons sued, having failed
to appear before the magistrate to
answer, judgment had been entered in
each case for the amount named in
the complaint. Wagner made no eff
fort to collect the judgments until a
year had expired, when by law the
power of appeal had elapsed. In No
vember last, therefore, he was pos
sessed Of 1900 judgments, averaging
$40 each against about three hundred
county residents and corporations.
Each judgment was endorsed, by
default" and mo appeal taker," and,
Of course, they amounted to a lien on
any property owned by the defendants.
During Wagner's absence several
persons against whom he had OBJ
judgments died, and his first
move was to file the judgments in the
Court as claims against the
case. Martin Shank. one Of his vic.
Tins, had died and left an estate val
ned at $500 to his wife and three
small children. Wagner fled judg-
ments against the estate amounting to
1920, and the Orphans Court was
compelled to postpone the hearing of.
the claims several times in order to
avoid the necessity OF admitting their
validity. At length several citizens
employed counsel for Mrs. Shanks,
who filed an application for an arrest
Of judgment on the ground Of fraud.
The same policy was pursued by all
other victims, and since that time the
cases have been dragging along in the
courts, the indications pointing to
Wagner being successful in enforcing
all Of them. The courts ruled that
the failure of the victims to contest
the suits was in law a virtual acknowl-
edgment Of the justice Of the claims,
the further failure to take an
appeal from the magistrate within the
period prescribed by law placed them
beyond remedy.
After he had begun to enforce the
judgments Wagner found the country
too hot to hold him, and went to New
York city, where lie now is. The
proceedings against his victims have
been carried on by counsel here. and
the settlement made in nearly all the
cases yesterday, it is thought, will net
him nearly $4,000. He does not pre-
tend that he ever had any legal claim
for damages in any ofthe cases, but he
has succeeded in obtaining considera-
bic portions of the estates of several
deceased residents OF the county, be-
sides mulcting hundreds of farmers of
hard earned money.