The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-01-30
AMUSING LEGAL FREAKS.
SINGULAR CASES STRANGELY HAN
DIED IN LAW COURTS.
a Woman Considered as Personal Prop
erty and Valued at SS.5o-A Horse
Rrouch. Before the Rar-The Wrong
Han Told WHY He Was There.

Brought Before the Bsr-The Wrong
Han Told WHY He Was There.
To a Hooking county court belongs the
remarkable distinction Of passing upon
woman as personal property. The unique
precedent was Laid some twenty-five or
thirty years ago, and before women's
rights had progressed as far as they have
since 4 citizen of old Hooking married
young lady against the energetic pro-
test of her father, and set up housekeep-
ing on his own account It was case
Of "lo7e in a cottage" as q matter Of
fact. During the temporary absence Of
the unsuspecting bridegroom the wife's
father and brothers invaded loves domi-
cle and carried her off.
The despoiled husband repaired to q
ncighoring justice of the peace in search
of law suited to the exigencies of the
case. After thorough investigation Of
Swans Treaties and Cradlebaugh's Con-
stable. il was unanimously decided by
the squire, the constable and the desolate
husband tllt the proper thing to do was
to proceed by an action in replevin!
WOMAN AS PERSONAL PROPERTY.
The. papers were accordingly made out
and tie writ lodged in the hands of the
constable. WHO proceeded at once to exc
cute il, ana rep!evined the woman from
the custody Of her father, who, though
exceedingly ly iv2te, didn't feel like resist
ilc the edict of the court. When it came
to apnraising the property and fixing the
sworn v2lue Of s woman, the constable
was rather perplcxed, but the three free
holders whom he called in to act as ap-
praisers solved the problem in manner
at once off hand and business like.
They sent for her husband, the plain
tiff, and ascertained for him that he had
expended the following sums Of money
upon his property" License, rs cents:
Justices marriage fee, $3.50; one new
dress, ST. cents; one new bonnet, S1s
cents. They furthermore decided that
the woman was "perishable property,
and her value was only to be estimated
theoretically. Whereupon they fixed
the value Of her labor and services for
the mont, at 81, which they added to
the other items, making $3.50.
IN due course Of time the trial came
off and the plaintiff duly and satisfacto-
rsly proved his ownership by producing
his marriage certificate. The defendant
could rct upset this evidence, and the
plaintiff rot Judgment Of restitution and
IS cents damages. His property was
then restored to him in due and regular
form, and the defendant was solemniy
notified that a repetition of his ofense
would be regarded as petty larceny and
punished accordingly The man and his
wife are still living happily and con-
toAtedly together.
But Hooking county cannot lay claim
TO excIusiveEess il 'sprecedents, Over
in her next door neighbor, Perry, a
horse was once restored to its rightful
acichbor under writ Of habeas corpus
issued by Justice of the peace.
AS horse broke into Bs pasture.
vhereupon B put it into his stable,
licked the door and refused to give it
up. = secured the services OF the cele-
brated Shep Tinker as his legel adviser.
Shcp knew that his client could not give
the necessary bail in an action by reple-
vim, so he decided to bring different
sort Of all action.
With this intent he went before JUS
tice OF the peace in old Straitsville, and
took out a writ of habeas corpus and
literally brought the horse into court.
LAWYER Saunders, most brilliant prac-
titioner at the Logan bar and long the
prosecuting attorney of Hooking county.
was called on the other side.
He didn't know the nature Of the case
until the constable made his return upon
the writ
"Why," exclaimed Mr.. Saunders, with
a look of blank astonishment, this court
can't issue such q writ and no court could
issue one for a horse!' Shep was more
than equal to the emergency.
"Your honor" he said, "a wise and
lust court can do anything that is laid
down in the books. The writ of habeas
corpus hes been recognized as sacred for
centuries. TO say that this court can't
issue it is to say that it is ignorant of
Magma Charta."
'fBut this court Kin issue it," inter-
posed the justice, ''and it has issued it
already"
Mr.. Saunders saw lis mistake and
apo,osizcd to the court for having doubt
el its ability to do anything it chose. 1t
IS needless to say that the horse was re-
stored to its owner.
WAT Els BUSINESS WAS.
As funny thing as ever occurred in
a court happened at Napoleon, O., in
1880, before Judge Potter and a jury. A
case was on trial and an outsider seated
himself on one of the puncheons at the
far end of the panel Of jurors, there be-
ing no other available seat. When the
defendants counsel arose to address the
Jury he scanned the face Of each very
closely, and naturally his gaze was
directed to the furthest man from hum,
who didn't happen to be juror at all.
GiaEing at him, lie began:
"Geutlc2lell Of the jury, want to
know what this rlan (referring to the
plaint;!f in the casc) has come into court
for? What is his business? What right
he's he here? What is he seeking Tor:
Again l repeat. gentlemen Of the jury,
why is he here:'
The countrynan imagined that the
question had direct reference to himself,
and when the lawyer paused to give due
weight and emphasis to the question, lie
;;"nlpcd to his feet and howled:
':What am here fer, you cross eyed
for in this hero court? I'll tell you in
short order. YOU wcazen faced old son of
u gun. I've been here three days
a-waitin fer my fees, and nary red lin
I git. Pay nc my witness fees. sir, and
I'll git OFT Of here immesiately.
This unexpected Grafton brought down
the house, and tie lawyer never finished
his able argument.
John II. Morrison practiced law many
years ago ut Findlay ard all through
that section of Ohio. He had some
striking peculiarities, which were in the