Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-07-28
LOVE FOR CHICKEN
Gets Jno. s. Neblett Before the
Recorder.
The Much Mooted Market House ordi
nance to be Tested in the Circuit
Court Next Term.

Court Next Term.
A LEAF CHRONICLE reporter went
to the market house this mornif1g be-
fore breakfast to see how everything
looked and to beat the natives out of
a few peaches. "I'll make test case
out of that" said the market master
as he shook his finger menacingly at
John s. Neblett, whose love for dom
inecker chickens had led him to
market square. He had nosed
around some time, his head shining
like an oasis, when he ran up on a
coop tied on the hind gate Of di-
lapidated spring wagon. He peered
in cautiously and smiled. His
eyes rested on coop of as
fine yeIlow-e gged pullets as ever
threw straw over their backs. The
fellow wanted to sell them mighty
bad, and proposed to take figure for
them that made Jno. Neblett's mouth
water. He bought them for 1906,
not thinking once that he was mo-
nopolizing anything but the nineteen
chickens in that coop. There is a
law, however, on the city digest
passed April IL, 1888, which reads as
follows:
ANY person who shall be found
guilty of monopolizing, forestalling
the market or regrating, shall be
fined not less than five nor more than
twenty. I've dollars"
The market master concluded that
John Neblett was violating the law,
inasmuch as he had "monopOlized"
that coop of chickens. He was ar
rested, charged with the "crime" and
hustled before Recorder Bailey. A.
r. Gholson was on hand to defend
the chicken buyer. He introduced
witnesses to prove that the
market was unusually large
this morning and that sales
were uncommonly dull and planted
himself on the rock foundation that
JnO. Neblett was building up the
market rather than monopolizing it.
He proved that there were several
wagon loads of chickens on the
market and that the nineteen pur-
chased by Mr.. Neblett did not mo
nopolize anything, as many others
were hauled away by the produce
vendors because they could find no
sale for them.
The law, however, had evidently
been broken, for Mr.. Neblett admit
ted that he bought the chickens for
the purpose of regrating, or selling
them to his customers at an advanced
price. He did not think, however,
that he had "fOrestalled' the market.
He had simply bought some good,
juicy chickens and was glad
to pay the farmer his money and let
him go home. Attorney Gholson
made one of his eloquent south side
speeches on the case, after which the
recorder took up the law and evil
dence. He said 1t was plain to him
that the defendant had purchased the
"chick of coopens." Right here the
crowd had a laugh at his Honor's
expense, and to cut things off short
he fined the defendant $500 and
costs. An appeal was taken to the
Circuit court and this much discussed
law point will be tested.
Recorder Bailey said after the trial
that he was glad an appeal
had been taken, for he had
more trouble over
the market house laws than
any in the digest. There is forever
and eternalIy case of this kind on
hand and the intention Of the law is
a much discussed point. Some hold
that it is meant simply to keep one
man from buying everything the
country people bring to the market
house, and by so doing corner the
market, while others believe, with
as much confidence, that it is meant
to drive city produce dealers out of
market square entirely. Those in
terested in the case will watch the
result of a trial in the Circuit court
pretty closely.
1t always did make Jno. Neblett's
mouth water to look through the
Stats of chicken coop at lot of
ROSTERS, and you might
as well try to quench NesuviuS dur
ing an eruption as to make him let
chickens alone.