The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-13
SHREWD HETTY GREEN.
Some New Stories Concerning This
wealthy and Eccentric Person.

Some New Stories Concerning This
Wealthy and Eccentric Person.
New York Tribune.
Some new stories of Mrs. Green's
shrewdness came to light yesterday. Her
son Edward owns and manages a rail-
road about two hundred miles in length
running into Waco. Tex. The railroad
runs through a stock grazing country,
n for several years Mr.. Green had
been subjected to petty lawsuits on the
part of people having cattle killed by
the cars. The railroads are not fenced,
it being cheaper to pay for cattle killed
than to fence in the track. Cattle are
really worth only about $12 a head on
the plains OF Texas. but whenever the
railroad was sued for killing stock the
mpan would be mulcted about $50 a
head. 10
"A year ago last summer a drover
got into deep water financially and
offered to sell his entire herd to the
company. Mr.. Green bought it. 1t was
at this time that Mrs. Green was in
Texas. and learned from her son of the
price Of cattle killed by the cars. She
advised buying the stock. The cattle
were then turned loose on the railroads
land and allowed to multiply. While
Mrs. Green was at Waco a man who
had had a 'beef" killed by one of Mr..
Green's locomotives threatened to bring
suit for $40.
Let me fix it," said Mrs. Green when
she heard Of it. and, taking the COM
plainant out to her sons herd, told him
to pick out a cow and tal.s it along.
The man reluctantly did so. and Mrs.
Green tramped back to Waco delighted.
This custom has been followed since
thai time at a saving Of time, trouble,
lawsuits and legal expenses to the COM
pany.
Repairs were being made 8, year ago
on one of Mrs. Green's buildings in
Broad street, in this city. She kept
tab on every man n the way he put
- - 49,
five n late.
You're around pretty early, amt
you, Mrs. Green?" the man asked.
You're just right. I'm around early"
tened upon his. "If 1 didn't watch you
all the time you'd soon be owning this
building and I'd be doing the painting"
The man was never late after that
A tricky lawyer worsted her last sum-
mer. In company with Mrs. Green's
Chicago lawyer he called on her at the
Chemical Bank. Her Chicago lawyer
was in to consult her about an inn
portant lawsuit. The New York lawyer
asked the privilege of borrowing some
of the papers in the case. claiming to
have 6. case on hand similar to it. Mrs.
Green lent him the desired papers,. with
the written stipulation that he was in
no way to consider himself her lawyer.
This was agreed upon. Then, through
the Chicago lawyer, who thought his
New York friend all right. the latter
was kept informed or Mrs. Green's
movements. One day as she was about
to leave her boarding house in Brook
Ign for Chicago on important business
the lawyer appeared with a bill for
81, 900 for legal services
II don't owe you q cent" said Hetty.
PAY it or I'll get out a writ prevent
Ing you from leaving the State said
the lawyer.
She thourSht of her Chicago mort
cages. III! give you 500 to let me co.
said she. The offer was accepted and
she got a receipt in full for all legal
services.
The l~aughable thing about this lawyer
was that he actually had the audacity
to do the same thing again the follow
ing month as Mrs. Green was again
starting for Chicago. She gave him $25
the second time. He tried "a third time
and failed. Then he sued her for $500
for alleged legal services, but before the
suit came to trial he was chased out of
the city for fraud.
To her washerwoman she said re-
Gently: You needn't mind washing the
tops of my skirts. Wash only the bot
toms, where the dirt shows. and said
J she. when you make out your bin be