Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-13

A Man Kept Out of the Use of His Farm
for Twenty Years Because of a Minor
Law Suit-Regular Picnic for the
Lawyers.
This story is all about chicken, and it
rivals in interest the narrative of Squire
Wilson, of SewickleY, concerning two pros
porous farmers who wrecked themselves
fighting over two joints of stovepipe worth
80 cents
Some 90 years ago J. B. Wilson, of Moon
township, owned life interest in farm of
1O2 acres in that township, the property
falling to his wife and children at his DEATH
He was also the proud possessor of fine
chicken cock, breed in the lapse of time for
gotten. One day this rooster strayed away
from his owners premises, and whether
rightfully or not, Mr. Wilson blamed q
neighbor, James Mccormick, with the
wanton and willful murder of the fowl, and
as Mr.. Mccormick refused to pay for it,
Wilson sued him for SO damages before a
Twelfth ward Alderman, and got judgment
for the amount claimed.
Animated by the spirit Of John Hampden
and that other fellow, who was willing to
give millions for defense but not one cent
for tribute, Mccormick appealed the case
to the Common Pleas, where it will be
found numbered 1,142, June term, 1869.
Wilson hired Robert Woods & Son to pros
ecute his claim, and the defendant, McCor-
mick, employed N. w. Shafer. The jury
rendered verdict for defendant, and as
sheriff sold his farm.
Sometime previous to this Wilson had
assigned his farm to his wife, but Samuel
Shaner the Diamond Market restaurant
man, had previously secured Judgment
against Wilson for $50, and he bought the
farm at Sheriff's sale for about twice the
amount of his Judgment. There were some
other trifiing claims against the property,
and Shaner told Wilson that as soon as he,
(Shaner) had recouped himself that he
(Wilson) might have the property back.
1t consists of 112 acres and improvements.
Wilson rejected the overture and brought
suit in -ejectment to recover, and Shaner
resisted and employed j. x. P. Duff to
fight Wilson's claim. Wilson engaged
three attorneys, John Robb, Snively and
Mccormick. Shaner simply offered the
record in the previous complication and on
it won with hands down, so another bill Of
costs settled on Wilson. T.
Shaner, having no particular use for the
property, next sold his life interest
in it to man named Ketterer for S400, and
Mr.. Ketterer has had the use of it for 16
years at S25 year and taxes, and as Wilson
shows no signs of shuff1ing off this mortal
coil for many years to come, Ketterer's pros
poets of future emolument appeared quite
good. Wilson year after year made spas
modic signs of making trouble, but as no
further suits were entered, it was finally
supposed that he had accepted the inevita-
BILE and the matter was gradually falling
into oblivion.
Within few days, however, fresh
cloud has arisen on Ketterer's horizon.
One day last week he was visited by a
deputy sheriff, and as he had no pitch hot,
there was an exciting time, and now there
is another ejectment suit on hand. 1t seems
likely to be somewhat complicated affair,
as Shaner's judgment has never been |
marked satisfied" on the record. The |
trouble is certain to outlast some of the |
parties in interest, and, like the Rattigan |
over the Grant street property, |
may outlast all those originally engaged, |
either as principals or attorneys.
The story contains a moral for the guild |
lnce of aldermen and justices of the peace
Had the alderman either given judgment |
or the defendant or for the market value |
If the chicken, leaving "smart" damages
'ut of sight, Mr.. Wilson would probably
lave abandoned the case and have been in
of his farm all these 90 odd
-ears, but then the legal profession would
lot have made as much money.