Los Angeles herald., 1892-06-18
= GAME WHERE THE WINNER tosT.
He Won Hiq Case. but 3 hIads % His
Mind rhAs There We. 10 Fup n =.

he won Htq Coses uuts y uo4e ~ ~
Mind That There Wa No Fun a y.
It makes the man who would rather
go to law than 60 on a good old time
hay ride mad enough to lose suit, but
when he brings suit, wins his case, gets
damages and then finds that he is ont OF
pocket fine round sum, be can give the
ordinary man points and discount him
besides at the Diogenes game of hating
the world. One New Yorker got q taste
Of legal dose the other day which is
likely to make him hesitate about using
the same prescription again
He wanted damages from man who
he declared had injured his property.
He wanted all the damages he could get
too. He was earnest enongh to insist
that the damages ought to be run up in
the thousands. Nowif he had been con-
tented to take his case into district
court this story would probably never
have been written. But as he estimated
his wrongs not by single, plain, every
day 'cart Wheel dollars, but In blocks
Of 900 each, he was forced to take his
suit into the court Of common pleas.
Everything went swimmingly for his
side. His lawyer proved beyond doubt
that the defendant had caused damages
to the plaintiffs property. The judge be-
heved it, the jury believed it, in fact the
defendant himself and the defendants
counsel believed it.
IF ever there was clear case OF
damages it was right there in the com
~v1<xv x>Ia x~k A<,1 80
got verdict for forty-nine dollars.
But it is one thing to get verdict and
another thing to take what goes with
it. It happened in this case that II the
defendant received a verdict for less
than fifty dollars he was liable for costs
He did not know much about law, and.
though he was disappointed at the
amount of the damages, he looked tri-
umphantly at the other side. He was
disgusted to see the calm smile on the
face Of the defendants lawyer. But a
moment later there was gnashing Of
teeth when his counsel told him about
the costs.
II have to pay the costs, do r. he
snapped.
"Yes."
after have won my case have to
pay costs for the other side"
"That is the law"
"Well, it's q mighty nice law that
makes the winner lose, amt iH What
do you think went to law for2 Do you
think wanted to spend money for funi
Do you think after that fellow has
spoiled my property want to pay him
for doing it2 What do you think am.
anyway-a muddy Drained, cross eyed,
half hearted lunatic? How much are
the costsS"
"Three hundred and sixty dollars"
"Three hundred and SIXTY dollarsi
win case and get damages and lose
$311, do l? can substract the amount
of the damage from the cost and make
out check for the balance, can
Well, l suppose can 50 long as have
to, But want you to understand that
themext time go to law it will be be-
cause 1 am candidate for Q lunatic
asylum. The next time have you fol
. lawyer it will be when I'm the de-
| fendant in q case like this and want K
| acee.
do you hearr' he screamed. "Wher
want to isse III have you, I say, *
that I can come out ahead of the game
And the next time man damages mJ
| property I'll invite him to como in and
knock the roof off the house. I'll have
him use my piano for a toboggan on the
hall stairs I'll invite him to play Q
| game Of tenpins in my dining room and
will use my great-grandmother's tea
service for pins, and if he wants to jump
through our 5000 japanese screen like q
.circus rider he can do it.
'sThen maybe he'll want me to sue
him, 80 that can get stuck for cost
again. And I'll sue him; oh, yes, III
sue himl" and he snorted so loudly that
the court usher'e afternoon nap was dis
lturbed. New York Tribune,
s 4