The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-05-05
a PARSONS HORSE plcKEs.
It Results in a SUIT in Which He is
Loyalty Ba cked by Els Flock.
From the Chicd0o Herald.

From the Chicago Herald H
RACINE, WIS, April 16-Situ4ted fifteen
miles west of this city is the little village of
Union Grove. 1t coatains about 500 inhabi-
tants, composed of all sorts of people, the
majority being of the church-going kind.
Still there are some who love fast hors Q,
and a mile west Of the town is a fine half
mile track, where the owners of fast nags
frequently congregate and wager their rolls
on the merits OF the steeds. Many an K
citing trot as been witnessed on a week
day, and often on a Sunday morning ths
boys have sueakei away from cnurc and
HE'D uhemselves1uo the race track, skvher,
high carnival would reign for a few hours
But who can blame the boys when the lead
ing village parson was a great lover of
horsefiesh, and often was seen on the road
holding the reins over fast stopper
This gentleman was the Rev. E. Duck
worth, pastor of the First Methodist church
whose flock was the largest and embraced
the most prominent and influential people
in the old town. He prayed often, long aud
loud, but, not having all his time occupied
by pastoral care, he gave some time and at
tention to horses Among his string he got
a 4-year-old colt that was handy with his
hind legs. The colts antics tended to dis.
turb connected theological thought, and Sc
the preacher employed professional horse
trainer by the name of Blaine to unload the
vicious colt upon somebody. This horse
jockey soon found a man named Lathemer
of Milwaukee, who had a fine looking mare
that had been driven upon the pavements
until her feet became diseased. Lathemer
was equally anxious to unload. This was a
snap for the jockey, and he soon brought
about trade of horses, and the next Sun
day Preacher Duckworth was driving a
star-gazer to the church, whose stately car
riage excited the envy and wonder of his
flock.
The following week there appeared in the
quiet village Chicago man in search of a
horse. This gentleman was DIR. W C. Clarke,
a prominent physician of the West Side. No
sooner had he struck the town than Elder
Duckworth's Pensioners began to relate
the majestic appearance of the preachers
steed. AS tue doctor knew nothing about a
horse himself. he naturally grew enthusiast
tic over these glowing descriptions He
sought the preacher out, and there in the
sacred precincts of the elders study he was
assured that the mare was years old and
SOUND, except, as the divine declared, with
knowing look of a connoisseur, that she
was "a little over on one knee.n 1t struck
the doctor that the elder must be an honest
man when he was willing to make such a
concession concerning his favorlte beast.
and forthwith he paid the elder his price,
which was the modest sum of 1925. This
all happened in the month of April, 1889.
Next day after the trade DIR. Clarke had
the mare taken to Chicago, and presently
discovered the awful truth that he had been
done up, vict1mized, swindled in the )rse
trade, and that, too, by country preacher
or clerical horse-trader, and that the mara
was practically useless, having broken down
on the road. DIR. Clarke never had the
pleasure of pulling a rein over his new
horse, and as soon as the beast was able he
sent her back to Union Grove. During the
interval the parson lost his fondness for the
horse, and refused to receive her or make
amend. All efforts at settlement failed,
ana Clarke. as last resort, summoned tn )
elder to appear before jury of his country
men to render unto Caesar the things that
are Casar's or, in other words. to
refund to DIR. Clarke the money received
for the ruined Rosinante. The suit was
commenced in the circuit court before
Judge Winslow two days ago, and created
great interest. Prominent legal talent was
engaged, Senator II. A. Cooper appearing
for the preacher and j. V. Quarles Tor the
doctor. Many witnesses were summoned
from the grove, and half the male popula-
ton came to town and crowded into the
court room, and among them was a fair
sprinkling of the gentler sex. They all
seemed anxious to be with the pas or in his
tribulations, and they cast angry glances at
DR.. Clarke for presuming to assail the min
lister in The courts.
DR.. A. l.. Buchan, leading physician of
the Grove and a friend of the pastor, was
forced to testify that the reverend gentle
man cid warrant the mag as claimed by
DR.. Clarke. DR.. Cohen OF Chicago startled
the parson by stating that the mare was
worthless when he was called to see her the
night she arrived in Chicago. Three other
veterinary surgeons corroborated his state
ments as to the diseased condition of the
mares hoofs. The Rev. Mr.. Duckworth
testified that the man sent by DR.. Clarke
for the horse was drunk, but it was proved
by other evidence that the man had par
taken of only one glass of beer and
a sandwich; but the keen sense of
smell and the lively imagination of
the prohibi ion elder made it a plain
case of drunk. Five or six witnesses
testified that the mare appeared all right to
them when the saw her. All through the tes-
timony was interesting, and tended TO show
that the members of the parsons flock were
IN favor of fest horses, horse trading, and
doing man up" when you get a chance.
and the parson was with them head over
heels. In his closing plea the attorneya hit
the nail on the head when he said: "Ths
fable teaches that the minister who would
avoid vulgar annoyance of petty lawsuits
should devote his attention to work of the
Lord and let jockeys deal in fast horses"
Tomorrow morning the court charges the
jury, and it is expected that the village of
Union Grove will have a holiday. so that
the whole population can avail themselves
of an opportunity to come in and hear the
result of the celebrated "hoSs traden of Par
son Duckworth.