The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1882-03-11
4 TERRIBLE AFFAIR.
little Rock Gazette.l

r fIl1ttl0 ttOck "AZetSc.j
A rather remarkable case of fraud has
lust been tried before Little Rock
Justice of the peace. John Hedgeotf
was arrested on charge Of selling q
mule three times the same day and
afterward retaining the animal. The
mule, a large red species of his race,
was brought to the courtroom door. He
could not testify. verbally, and as IT,
case was not a jury trial, he was allowed
to remain outside. Bill::Natio., enerted
on crutches aud testified that he pur-
chased the mule. Sand when I got
about half way home, judge" nc said,
ssa sudden revolution took place. When
l regained consciousness owed fifty
dollar doctors bifl.'' - '''
Timothy Whitehead testified from
among numerous bandages that he had
also purchased the animal on the same
day. 81 got on him, your honor, and
stan ted home. The next thing re-
nambess<a wa. ahat. sssasHl' .,eetsr had
u mortgage on my farm" H=<
81 paid fifty dollars for that mule"
said Andrew Benepoint. '""I didn't
like the idea of riding him home, as 1
had been suffering iii my joints for
some time, so led him. I remember
that something took place, and that,
after season of dark mess and troubled
dreams, remember that my son took
me down from The forks 0fSa tree.''
elbow is this Mr.. HcdseOff?' de-
mantied the Justice. O irrrf
"Wall Judge, the first man bought
the mule az he stated. had an under
standing with him that if he didn't
like the animal he wonld turn him
loose and let him come home, and that
I would refund the money. Wall, about
| half an hour after he had gone the mule
came home, and I concluded that he
wasn't pleased with the trade. Just
then the second man came-you see
they had all been arter the critter for
some tlme-and sold to him with the
same understanding. Just about the
time he had got out of sight, the third
man came. I told him that had just
sold the mule, but did not think the
purchaser would want to keep him, and
that if he would wait a few moments
would make trade with him. Just
then the mule, with a sad and detected
air, came walking along up the lane,
stopping occasionally to nible at a bush
or to kick tho horns off a sheep. The
third man agreed to the same arrange
ments, and let him tuke the animal.
Shortly afterwards the mule came
home, and l concluded that none OF
them would stick to bargatn'
Just then tho mule made Il sudden
movement, and the constable shot into
the room and ran over the judge, and
pied on his cOrns. Order was finally
restored and the constable was taken to
the hospital. a colored washerwoman,
with basket of clothes and paper
sack full of eggs, came along. The
mule winked, and, ina SECOND the court
room was filed With flying forlSed gar
ments and shattered eggs. Court ad-
,journed for dinner, but the mule would
not allow anybody to go out.
Y Finally the justice. told HetlgeoH to
remove the animal. HcdgeoT went
out, mounted the mule and rode away.
Tho escape of tho prisoner caused great
excitement, but no one followed him.
The justice was so Inundated, and
showed it SO plainly, that when he
went home his old COW backed him
against the fence and kicked him until
supper time. The whole affair Is rather
remarkable. 1t is said that Hedgeof' =
mule was ridden by II Congressman dur
ing the war, and that at one time, by
complimentary enactment, he was
allowed to preside over Il State lPGisla'
tnre.
'Ss.THE SWEET BYAND n.y."