Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-04
THINKS HE OWNS IT.
A Man Who Advertises the Property
of Other People for Sale.
SHERIFF'S BILLS IN TURTLE CREEK
Story of a Gentleman Who Became De-
mented Many Years Ago.
COUNTY OFFICIALS BADLY WORIlEr

| The clerks in the Office of the Sheriff, and
in that of the Register, have become little
bit tired during the past month answering
| questions about the sale of property that is
| supposed to have belonged to the estate of
Margaret McMunn.
1t was about month ago that a man who
| gave his name as John McMunn had posted
up in the borough OF Turtle Creek and there
abouts notices that the Sheriff would sell at
the Court. House certain property owned by
John Shields. The date of sale was given
as January 20, 1891, and John McMunn was
named as the administrator of the estate of
Margaret.
McMunn went to both Offices and tried to
have entered up the fact that the land men,
toned in his statement was land to which
he had title, and that the Orphans Court
had ordered the SALE The boys about the
two offices finally got mad, and told him
that he had better go home and be quiet.
But then came along a new source of worry,
McMunn wanted to enter in the Sheriff's
Office two places for sale-the property that
he claimed belonged to Margaret McMunn,
and that of Robert Caruthers. Both adjoin
Turtle Creek.
THE PROPERTY HE WANTED TO SELL.
Then McMunn took a new tack. Yester-
day he went to The DISPATCH business
office and offered over the counter Sheriff's
sale advertisement to the effect that the
property bounded by the lands of Marshall
NJ. Brinton on the east, Ely Beatty on the
south, Francis Walls on the west and John
In M m fhan hxv Asa,o AL
Shields, would be sold for debt of the
Commonwealth, by the Sheriff, at the Court
House. on the Goth of this month. The sale
OF the property of Robert Cartthers, adjoin-
ing the coal works at Turtle Creek, was also
put in the same bill.
There are some people about Turtle Creek
who, when they saw the posters, understood
1t all, but there were others, and among
them some of those who were most inter-
ested, who had grave fears as to what the
posters headed "Sheriff's sale'' really
meant. They were the people who owned
the adjoining property. They wanted to
know what it was all about, and conse-
quently came to the Court House to find out.
Johnston McMunn Is we'll known at
Turtle Creek and in that vicinity His
people have lived thereabouts for years.
For 20 years past he has been known to
have been out of his mind. His wife, Mar
garet McMunn, keeps a boarding house
there, and it was to her that reporter for
The DISPATCH went Tor information.
When told that her husband was claiming
certain farm property in the neighborhood
for her she expressed no surprise.
NOT RIGHT FOR MANY YEARS.
''To start with, she said, my husband
has been out of his mind for 20 years. For
Is we have not lived together. Many years
ago he was sent to D;xmont, and he would
be there now but that certain people thought
he was sane enough to take care of himself.
What he has done now shows that he should
be there at this time. He is living off and on
with his brothers and his sister, but I have
not seen him for years.
"Why does he claim this property? It is
an old story going back to his fathers days.
The lands, or farms, be mentions belonged
to his father with great deal of other
ground. The greater portion was sold, but
years after, when q resurvey was made, it
was founder at least it was claimed-that
more land had been given to the purchasers
than was embraced in the first survey.
Some years after the resurvey the case was
carried to court and the claimants were de-
feated.
''He often spoke to me about it, but ]
paid little attention to the claim. Finally
nc Decame Weak-minueu upon lne SuDJect,
and upon others as well, and it was then
that we had him put in Dixmont. He
would have been there yet had it not been
for his relatives"
Everybody about Turtle Creek knows
about the Mediums. They are nice people,
and it is said that there is another brother
who lives up the valley who takes great
deal OF stock in the claims of Johnston
McMunn. Some lawyers have told the
brothers that the claim is good, while others
say they have no ground to stand upon.
At all events, Johnston McMunn thinks
he is right, and saws that despite the fact
that the people of Turtle Greek tear down
the bills of sale, the property will be sold at
the Court House at Pittsburg on the Goth
day of January.