Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1893-10-05
A STRANGE CASE.
A Romance in q Tax Title Case. A
Brothers Love and a Brothers. rrcsch-
cry ki1sls Strangely Together.

The suit of Jarndyce VS.. Jarn.
dyce is a part Of the literature of
the age. In his narration of the
history OF the suit, Dickens so APPLY
illustrates the endless chain of le-
gal technicalities that he fastened
the title, "Jarndyce VS.. Jarndyce,"
upon our language. Union county,
in a faint way, has a Jarndyce VS..
Jarndyce suit. 1t started six years
ago, buoyant with the spirit Of
youth. at the foot of the calendar,
but now, with file covers yellowed
aud sered with age, it stands at the
top, greeting the court with its title,
Jorgen Johnson vs.. f. D. Watkins,
as if it were repeating, Il am Of age,
just try ne and see."
Jorgen Johnson is one of the pio-
neers Of the county. He came here
twenty-five years ago, when this
section was a wilderness, and when
the hardships of pioneering bowed
down the shoulders Of stout men
and brave women. Jorgen located
on the quarter section just north OF
the poor faro. He could neither
read nor write, or had he a bright
intellect, but with a vim horn OF
poverty, a determination tempered
in adversely, he titled the soil until
lie received from the government q
deed. After he had become settled
his brother, Ole, joined him and
filed On a quarter on the BOTTOM
Ole was of a different mould oil
mind. He was bright. He was
keen and sharp, but had a falling
like many a keen man before him
| Jorgen was a hard worker while Ole
loved to while away his time in
town. Years flew by and Ole got
in debt, One day he went to Sioux
City and had made out n deed
properly executed, transferring Jor
gems fine farm to himself, represent
ing himself in Sioux City as Jorgen
He sent the deed to the county re.
corder and in the course of a month
got out an abstract and made a loan
of $500 upon Jorgen's land. 81
successful was he with this that ht
proceeded to execute chattel mort
cages upon Jorgen's cattle, horses
etc. Finally fe wound up his. ca
reer with taking a $50 money ordel
belonging to a neighbor and selling
it in Sioux City. For this act Uncl,
Sam had him arrested. He was
convicted and sent to the Detroi
prison, serving the latter portion O
his term in Sioux Falls. The chat
tel mortgages falling due. the owneI
would come out, seize the property
and universally quiet poor Jorgen,
cry THAT'S mine: / never mort
gagged it," with the threat, Swell
send Ole back to prison again" ant
Jorgen silently watched the strip
ping Of his frm Of its live stock
Of such is Jorgen made. The LOAF
company finally began foreclosin,
upon his land, claiming Ole, hi
brother, was the true owner. Til,
court was petitioned for a settlement
and finally alter a year Or more o
parleving, Jorgen won his lant
back, but only to find himself deep
er in the nlire, for a Tux title issues
to Watkins years before showed up
Jorgen claims he paid the none!
10 his brother 70 pay the taxes, AM
thst Ole spent the money in town
This suit 70 set aside the tax It'll
issued 10 r. D. Watkins is the on
sered with age. Jorgen il q bach
elor, liyas ii : little log cabin an
works shs farm ~ be has FOR ove
tssnly yaaEss 6tsAn9e u rslatel d
s!roi|hAasgs olsla q. mshl sls ga