The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-11-03
ALL OVER A WIRE.
How j. p. NOrman'S Little
Scheme Failed.
He Didn't See Why His Brother
Should Receive Legacy When
Not Entitled Thereto.

j. p. Norman is the name of a gentlem an
who not only set a trap for his own broth.
er. but who, when that failed, continued
| 10 take it out upon no less consequential
institution than the Western Uuion Tele.
graph Company.
1t was all an action for the non-delivery
enough 10 tell the whole story to Judge
Slack yesterday, as soon as he had gol
through taking the oath.
Then Norman told his tale. Re was a
clerk in the employ of the Southern Pacific
Company. Some little time ago he re-
ceived notice of legacy from some rela-
tive in England. There had been left tc
him and his brother. a resident of Eng.
land, a sum of ESQ apiece. The only
condition placed on either bequest was
that neither legatee might marry girl oil
different religious faith.
Now this particular Norman went to
thinking. He put his finger to his nose
and bethOught him how he could with
ease corral both legacies-his own modest
sum and that bequeathed to his dear
brother living in far-Of land they Gale
home. Norman set to work and made in
QuirieS, the result OF which was thai he
heard on good authority that his brother
was about to marry, or had already mar.
ried, Christian girl. He told The brother
what he knew, ard how that all was dis
covered, and then this brother offered to
compromise. He said he was determn ed
to marry the girl, so what would his Cali
fornia brother say if he gave him ESQ out
of his legacy and reserved the GlO0 bal.
ance for himself. Surely that 95U ought tC
purchase his loving California brothers
silence. This was the proposition sub.
t,1ift rod 70 m MI in ~,
English brother
Blood is thicker than water, but times
were hard and this particular Norman did
not rush into his brothers arms without
due consideration. He bethought him
that it might be we'll to employ a 60
appreciation of what was best Norman
chose his own father. He cabled home &C
the old gentleman to inquire whether his
brother had really married Of was only
contemplating marriage. Because" as
Norman haively explained, ''lf he is found
to be already married | don't accept nc
compromise, do /? But if he only wishes
to be married then | take ESQ and let him
keep the el00." And Norman winked
knowingly.
Norman made arrangements with the
Western Union Company that the answer
to his cabiegram was 10 be delivered tC
IN orman, San Francisco" Then be sat
answer came. Seeing this, Norman hastily
notified his brother that he accepted his
compromise, and the ESQ was sent To him
in due course. lie wouldn't let the grass
grow under his feet, would Norman,
But to his infinite dismay, in the course
of events it turned out that Norman's
father had as in duty bound sent an an.
Swer to his sons loving message. The
answer was to the effect that the brother
in England had actually married this
girl; but the wires got mixed and the
long expected cahlegram was delivered
not to the right Norman, but 10 another
man of the same name, whose initial was
W., and u OF j.
j. saw how be had lost clean 500 by
his rash action, and when he had recov-
cred he brought an action against the
Western Union Company to recover $500
damages. He stated in the complain
| that owing to this mistake Of the company
he had been induced TO accept com.
promise of legal rights" And Norman
told his story on the wituess-stand yesteI
day as If he were the most injured person
alive. Somehow or other he got judgment
for the gum he demanded.