The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-08-15
FORGOT 1.-THE OLD WOMAN"

How a Railroad Lawyer Settled a Bad Case
for His Employers.
A lawyer who halls from the Buck
eye state is responsible for this story:
Three years ago farmer and his
wife living near Alliance, o., while re-
turning from the town to their home
in two-horse wagon, had occasion to
cross the tracks of the Pennsylvania
railroad. A fast express came thunder
ing down upon them, and threw the
old people from the wagon, severely in
juring the woman, killing the two horses
and smashing the wagon into flinders.
Our lawyer friend, who represented
the railroad, knowing that their case
in the hands of a good attorney would
result disastrously for his clients,
swooped down upon them for the pur-
pose of effecting a rapid settlement.
He found the old folks sat hum, but
the wife was in bed, crippled, SO the
physician had said, for life. He asked
after their health, and found the old
gentleman talkative to prolixity. The
details of the accident were again
brought out, though the lawyer knew
them as accurately as the old fellow
himself Gradually the skilled ques-
toner led up to proposition for set
Element, and when the proper moment
had arrived, it came.
''And what do you estimate your
damages at, Mr.. w. he asked with
the most engaging smiles.
wall, reckon the wagon was wuth
nigh unto seventy-five dollars
HAnd the horses"
"Two hundred dollars apiece paid
for them.
Now, Mr.. W, l am prepared to
settle for the damage. He pulled sheet
of foolscap and fountain pen from
his pocket and began to write.
''Seventy-fve dollars you say for the
wagon?" he repeated.
"Ye'd better make that one hundred
dollars. 1t was the best had"
Certainly, certainly; and the horses,
you said, were worth two hundred dol
lars apiece?"
Il paid that fur them, but wouldn' I
a sold them fur less than two hundred
and seventy-five dollars each"
Our company doesn't mind a little
thing like that. We're perfectly willing
to accept your own valuation. Let's
see, that is total of six hundred and
fifty dollars. All right, Mr.. W,
here's your money, and this Che picked
up the paper) viii be my receipt in
full. Just sign here, please"
''Waal, wal, +" CALCULATED the farmer,
as pleased expression stole over mis-
face, you folks is onterprisin, to say
the least. There you are,' and he
wound up the lastletter with flourish.
And continued the attorney, ''as
you are joint owners in this homestead
and property, I'll just ask your wife to
put her name beneath it."
1t was soon done. The attorney put
on his hat and coat, quaffed glass of
hard cider with his host and departed.
Two weeks later another lawyer
dropped in on the old folks. He was a
legal sharp from Canton.
Il see you had an accident a few
weeks ago on the Pennsylvania" he
opened. ''Of course you are going to
sue the company for damages to your
property and wife?'
The old mans eyes glistened. my
wife?" he repeated.
Yes, she is damaged fifty thousand
dollars worth at least"
'B' gosh! Say, young man, jest take
me out in the woodshed and hit me in
the neck I've gone and done it,
You've come too late, and I've made an
ass of myself. / was so dern anxious
to get the full vally o. them infernel
horses and that rickety old dun-colored
wagon that / clean forgot the old
woman. We've both signed receipt
in full for all damages, and you've lost
a case. Detroit Free Press.