Morning journal and courier., 1890-12-12

NORTH HAVEN ANNALS. Record of Crime, Lawlessness and Litigation in the Early History of the Toyvn-The Overwhelming | Consumption of Ardent Spirits in | the Town Many Years Ago-Fond- ness of Some of the Patriarchs Tor | Alcoholic Beverages.
 NUMBER 57. An ancient writer declares that it is the first and fundamental law of history that it should neither dare to say anything that is false, or fear to say anything that is true, nor give any just suspicion of favor or disaffection."
 In view of this truth, lest some reader should hastily conclude from what has been presented that this community al- ways dwelt in golden age of peace and exemption from the ordinary ills of man. kind, a chapter is added, not pleasant in all respects to think of, but necessary to a just conception of society as it existed hundred years ago.
 Notwithstanding the extreme watchful- ness of church and state, and the zealous endeavors of the officials connected there with to preserve the public peace and pro tect the interests of morality and religion, there was much lawlessness within our borders, and the moral tone of society at large alarmingly low.
 This view from the rear, as it were, is gathered from the papers of Deacon Josh ua Barnes.
 Mir. Barnes was appointed "Justice of May, 1909. His. predecessors under both colonial and state governments were:
 Samuel Samuel sacsett, Sassett i79s-i74s. isss-rs
 Isaiah Futile, 1750-1756.
 l Samuel Sackett, 1757-1n6.
 (Undertermined,) 1777-1601.
 Joshuas Barnes, 1SO2-1S16
 It appears from Esq. Barnes Court Book, kept with extreme neatness, that | in his thirteen years' administration he tried 348 separate complaints. The majority of these suits were for the col lection of claims either on book accounts or for the payment of notes. Trespass, theft, bastardy, housebreaking, assault, card playing, Sabbath breaking, etc., com Il pletes the catalogue.
 The suits to recover debts indicate inan- cial weakness in the community rather than desire to avoid payment. There was but little money in circulation, and this medium of paper was regarded with great suspicion. Only little while be- fore the country had studied the solemn lesson of Continental money" and many a North Havener had gnashed his teeth over it's worthlessness. For instance, in l 1780 Jared Barnes bought seventy Con | tinental dollars" for 5s. 10. In. 1781 Jonathan Munson bought forty shillings "State money" for ten shillings silver. Also in the latter year Joel Barnes sold l 210 Continental dollars at the rate of eighty for one in silver. These by no means were the extremes of depression, but arc cited as single instances.
 Besides this, in the day of which we write, counterfeit bank bills wore flooding the country. Men had no confidence in this currency, but were compelled to receive and use it. They had no means to test its geluinsness. As soon as a bill of this na- ture was discovered the unfortunate hold. CT thereof made oath before justice and swore it upon him from whom he had re ceived it. In 1908 Captain Peter Eastman S 1S10, Lucy, wife of Ely Crockett, of { three dollar bill In 1915 Newbury But ton of ten dollar bill. Samuel Culver ot ten dollar bill. In 1918 Leonard Pier pont of two dollar bill, etc., etc.
 Under such cloud men did not care tt handle any more of this paper money thar was absolutely necessary. Consequently many of their transactions were carried o1 in barter, and long g-time accounts were tn order of the day Settling time'' had t, como nevertheless, and occasionally ther leading business man in the southern sec ton of the town, and from the trial re ports in Esquire Barnes book he brough no fewer than ninety suits against hi townsnen, chiefly for the non- payment o book debts In most of these cases he SC cured judgment. When not engaged il litigation of this nature he was stirring u] his neighbor, Samuel Culver, with cheer full suits of trespass, etc. Nr. Culver, appears, was in no ways averse to an occa sional tilt with MT. Eaton, and frequentl had him arraigned at the bar of justice ol petty complaints. Fines and costs wer
 interchanged very freely, but as both lit
 gants were men of means the state of Cor
 necticat profited by their animosity. Hemingway & Culver, merchants 1 : Muddy river, had recourse to the law
 collect their claims, some eighteen (
 twenty in number. A man could be in
 prisoned for debt at that time, and Jesl
 Barnes, Jesse Ludington, and Jarvis Browl
 were committed to the county goal | l them.
 |, Dr. Joseph Foote was compelled to T
 cover his physicians fees in many case
 this method. In one instance, he SUI z Judah Palmer for a claim of fifty-nil cents.
 'r Futile & Abbott, grocers at Mansfield O. bridge, were plaintiffs in score of la 'e suits with ther customers.
 y Hazard Button is down in thirty-f pr cases for the collection of accounts d t. him. This gentleman was business ml ,h of considerable energy, but in 1910 f IS into hard times and became embarrasse
 A meeting of his creditors granted an C
 tension of five years with immunity fro
 attachment of property or person. T ok consideration asked for, for this act P, clemency, was, that at the expiration oo the period, Mr. Button should satif ITS their claims which they had confidence
 could do. When the time had nearly . ,s ss pired, he made his appearance at the M
 session of the general assembly 16. 'le armed with the following printed dos
 ment
 It. To the Honorable General Assembly to be holt
 at Hartford on the 2d Thursday of May nc rs, l The petition of Hazard Button, of No
 Haven, in New Haven county, hum
 sheweth
 .aThat for many years he was a merch
 doing business in said North Haven. That 1T. losses at sea and otherwise about four years v- he failed, and all his property was attached his creditors. That he has ever since been m ing all the efforts in his power to retrieve his
 fairs and pay of his creditors, but finds i - dustrious and prudent; has Q family consist
 of wife and three children to support and nC man of fair character, is poor and unable to " his debts.
 ar | the case. to order and decree, that on y oh petitioners delivering up all his property (exC es l such as is by law exempt from executions the benefit of his creditors ne may pc & dischar char yu- from all his debts due ana owing al tho date
 this petition.
 PTS PTS A summons was sent to each creditor yiil siH appear and show cause why this pra ter should not be granted. This move on
 part of Button reused their ire and m, rts H ing was called at once, of which Isaac f Stiles was clerk They made short W
 of their victim. They voted
 is1h hat we will remonstrate against said Butt ng. petition, and we will pay expenses in propor
 l to the sums due from said Button
 The autographs appended to this rem T strance indicate the rough and horny ha A. of the signers. Esquire Barnes was che if as their agent to appear for them, but v what result is unknown. Mir. Butt' aJ | place of business was the present F sA place at Montowese.
 sI In other lines of transgression, I Stephen Beach seems to have been a h. sM ened offender For some reason MT. s1 Ter, mentioned above, evidently had :=3 l cured the wrath of the anything Z martyr Stephen. Joel Todd, gr sI inror in that year-1810-having been