The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-07-27
AcURIoUs CASE.

A CURIOUS CASE.
81 am sorry 10 say, Blake, that | am
under the impression that you will lose
that case, said Dodworth TO me as he
entered my store and took seat.
Dodworth is not only my lawyer, but
also my trusted friend. We sat side by
side in town school and graduated from
Princeton in the same year.
The case he referred to was one of long
standing between myself and shoe
manufacturer named Fairfax. Some six
months before Fairfax had supplied me
with large quantity of uppers of sn in
ferior grade from those which had or
dered, and now he was trying to make
me pay for them. had demanded re-
duction on the invoice price from Fair
fax one day when / met him on the
street, and to this he had made an oral
agreement, but now he demurred and in
tended 10 sue for the full amount.
"But can prove that he agreed TO a
reduction Of Is per cent" replied rath-
er nettled to find that my friend did not
think had clear case.
"How can you prove it?" hessked dry
ly.
"Why, he said so himself, at all events.
THAT is no proof If you tax him
about it in court he will, of course, say
you are entirely mistaken, and there you
are. If there was some outside party wit
ness to the bargain"
There was"
"Who was it p
"Ah, that was the truth. Ever since 1
had defied Fairfax to 90 to law and coll
lect the bill / had been trying to think
Of the gentleman who had been with me
on that occasion. 1t was some one did
not know very well, and had forgotten
him within the hour, and now try my
best could not recall either his face or
his name.
'Tf you can tell me who this party is /
will call on him and see if he reeollects
the matter" went on my friend. "If he
does you are safe, if not your case goes to
pieces"
Fairfax must know him." l replied.
THAT isn't the point. Do you know
him?"
ayes; but can't recall him now"
swell, try your best to do so during
the day. 1 viii call again late this after
noon"
With these words Dodworth passed out
of the place, leaving me very busy with
my thoughts.
had a mass of figuring to do that day,
bat cast it all aside, and did my best
to follow his instructions. But though l
smoked up half dozen cigars and near
IL stared the plaster off heceiling. / ar
rived at no satisfactory conclusion. Once
or twice fancied 1 had the name of the
witness on my tongues end, but it slip
ped back before I could utter it. Finally
l threw away three-quarteTs Of the last
cigar and turned to my work, resolved to
lose half dozen cases rather than to
think myself into an insane asylum.
Dodworth came back at ) o'clock and
cheerily asked what luck.
None" 1 replied. Il ceuldn't think
Of that mans name if my life depended
omit
"Then you had better pay up and have
the case quashed."
aNot a bit of it" l said stubbornly. II
want you to fight him all you can. Put
him under the closest cross-examination
you possibly can devise"
"Oh, Of course I'll do that, if you insist
on going ahead. I only want you to be
prepared for defeat, ifit comes"
81 will be-"
"I've got another plan," he went on,
rubbing his chin slowly. Suppose you
put a personal in the leading papers.
The witness may possibly see it."
l shook my head. was under theim-
preston that the witness was business
man himself, and ifso, it was not likely
that he was in the habit Of perusing the
personal column OF any newspaper.
'EWell, suit yourself" said Dodworth,
Struggling his shoulders. 81 only thought
you wanted to do all that,could be DONE"
@Well, go ahead and write out the per-
sonals." l returned, simply to please
him.
Writing up the advertisement was no
easy matter. Both of US tried our hands
at it and made number of failures be-
fore we produced the following:
WITNESS WASTED.-Will the gentleman
who overheard certain business trans
action concerning a reduction in the in
voice prize of quantity ofuppers kindly
communicate with Dealer" this office?
aFairfax may see that and then he will
know Just how weak We are" said !,
when the writing was finished.
"That is true" replied Dodworth, "but
there is nothing else to do, and If isyour
last hope"
"when shall we insert them pr
"Have your boy take them to the
different offices at once. then they viii
appear in to-morrow's issues"
did as he advised. Late on the fol-
lowing day had received two replies
one from paper in which the personal
had not been inserted, advising me to
try its columns, and one from private
detective, who.was willing to work up the
case for proper fee