The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-06-12

The United States Circuit Court, Judge
Hammond presiding, and sitting in this
city, is now the center Of attraction to the
legal and insurance fraternitics.
The great suit OF the Mansfield Drug
Company against twelve Of the foreign in
surance companies in which policies were
carried on the mammoth drug establish
ment destroyed on the night Of December
81 last, was begun yesterday.
This includes all the foreign companies
involved, except the Druggists Mutual, OF
Philadelphia. which was satisfied with the
proof OF the loss made out by the plaintiff
company, and settled the claim Of $4,000
against II shortly after the loss occurred.
All the local companies from which poll
cies were taken out are likewise Interested,
though indirectly. the understanding being
that the decision arrived at will govern
throughout. Tho list of insurance compa.
mics figuring directly Is M follows
Fire Association of Pennsylvania zoo
North british aud Mercantile lnsumnoe Com
Girmsn Imcr,c,n Insurance comnsny SSS1
Liverpool London aud Globe ................. 1000
Union Insurance Company. 200
Liberty Insurance Company, Of New York 100
Insurance Company Of North America ........ - SOC
run firc Offices Of London 2bOO
London Tin Insurance. Limited .............. $3.50
We tern Assurance Company, Of Toronto. 400
Georgia Home Insurance Company ....... ...... 800
Lancashire Insurance Company 5000
These cases arc Jumped in the trial,
though each has lis own counsel, Mcssrs.
Metcalf q Walker, and Turley q Wright.
CAN'T 4 Patterson represent the plaintiffs.
Tho jury IL ~ follows X. i. Patterson,
&. L. Byrd, !. n. Snowdcn, A. D.Gwynno,
W. j. Chase, w. II. Woisigcr, John Oakley,
J. W. Nicely (colorcd), T. d. Jackson (col-
ored), T. X Cousins, John A. Denic and
X II. Bryson.
TnR ArrEAL has kept It's readers thor.
oughly informed with this interesting suit
from IFS inception. Insurance adjus,or
have had hold Of Il for the various compa.
MES, and conferences and correspondence
have been held and carried on with fire.
quency and busincss-likc mien on both
sides. The insurance companies prollercd,
flrst, $40, 900 ~ a compromise SIS.
600. Both Of these the plaintiff company
rejected, adhering TO the full claim, ms
shown ON the face Of the policies, insisting
that u was legitimate and Just. An NJ.
tempt was then made 10 arbilratc differ
enoes, but this failed 10 carry aud the suit
followed.
II was distinguished looking crowd mn
ArrrAL reporter found in the courtroom
when he went through tho custom. house
yesterday afternoon. Ii was also an inter.
esting spectacle, when mentally contratscd
with some Of the other courts where more
Bumptuous iornalitics arc enforced. There
were lawyers there In NO way directly Ia.
tercsied In the case; there were insurance
men, local and foreign. aud there were
representative business men in other lines.
IL rcsomblcd, In some respects, u great
-tsSsily reunion, in the midst of which Ger.
tain Of the kinaInon had gotten into
friendly squabblc. The iurymcn had
moved their chairs up very close 10 the
witness stand, and those In the rear nlW
pccrcd through the intervals In their front,
all striving 10 miss not word. judge
Hammond occupied his invoritc chair, that
usually assigned 20 the United States Mar
thal, directly behind aud close TO the Wit
ness chair, and occasionally at unusually
interesting narratives In the testimony,
ionook even this convenient seat and
moved around closer, content 10 stand.
The examination Of witnesses was con-
Quoted, ior the most part, by Col patier-
non ON the one side, aud Judge 5. T.
Walker ON the other A most interesting
disclosure was brought out by the latter
during tho lengthy cross-cxnminalion Of
Mr.. :. NJ. McCallum. president OF the
plaintiff company. II was In response io
the question rs 10 what valuation he placed
upon his stock when returning II for tax.
alton. Col. Patterson objected ON the
ground that the same policy was almost
universally pursued by the business com.
muniiy, was well understood, and was IN
nowlsc reliable index 10 the value ol
stocks. The Judge ovorrulcd the objcc.
lion statink that he hal ,,,,. l.II ~,