Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-01-06
A PECULIAR LAW SUR.



The case OF Pearl Steel against H. $.
Terry, which was filed yesterday before
Squire Wright. is an interesting suit,
involving a peculiar transaction.
Some time ago the Terry Dry Goods
company advertised that It would give
horse and buggy valued at $50 to
the holder OF the lucky ticket in a
drawing to be made by the purchasers
Of goods Among other customers
was the old negro woman, who is the
plaintiff In this case. According to her
statement she bought some dress
goods and the package was sent to
her house with a ticket, the same as
to other customers. The package was
sent TO dressmalyer's and the ticket
lost. When the drawing came on SO
1t Is said, the old uegress held the lucky
number and the horse and buggy were
sent down to her house to be deliver
ed, but when 1t WAS ascertaincd that
she could not produce the ticket they
refused TO deliver it. The old woman is
paralyzed, and her friends including a
number OF policemen have interested
themselves In her behalf. They say it
can be proved that she held the ticket.
u. $. Terry was seen last night and
gave his version Of the affair, which is
the most interesting part of the story.
He says that no less than half dozen
Pearl Steels living in the city have
turned up. three Of whom are white
and three colored, since the first claim
was made by the Pearl Steel who lives
on Twelfth street and who is the plain
tiff in this case.
He says that in addition to having no
ticket TO show IN support of her claim
she showed him goods which she claim
ed she had bought from him which he
had never had IN his store. He says
that Mrs. Il. X. Specr of No. COZ LeudA
street, states tat she has been making
dresses for the Twelfth street claimant
for the past FIVE years and all that
time she had on her books a name
different from that Of Pearl Steel. Mr..
Terry also states that 1t was lntimated
TO the dress maker that II she would
say that she had the ticket OF Pearl
Steel and lost ii that Il would be mon
ey in her pocket. In addition 10 the
seven Pearl Steels in the city two more
have been heard from outside, one near
Arlington Nights and the other at Ard
more, Indian Territory.
The one who he thinks has the most
probable claim IL negro woman nam
cd Pearl Steel, who lives on Jennings
avenue. lie says that she came Into
the store and pointed out the lady who
sold her the goods. to the amount of
50 and that the tabs OF the tickets
written by this lady We're afterwards
found in the big basket where all the
tabs. nearly $4,000, had been kept and
these were the only three tabs found
This woman, who lives on Jennings
avenue, can also prove that she showed
the tickets to a lady FOR whom she
was working, but she did not preserve
them. Now. as a matter OF fact, Mr.
Terry claims that he is not Obliged TO
give up the prize to any one of these
claimants If ne did not wish to do so,
for the following Is the copy of the con-
tract which was printed plainly on the
ticket which drew the price
mo. 1908 Terry Dry Goods Co, cor
ner Fifth and Houston streets. Head
quarters for dry goods, shoes. millinery
ana notions. The holder
Of this IL entitled to a chance
in the magnificent horse and phaeton to
be given away by us Monday, Deem
Der 81, 1884,. at p. M
Mr. Terry says that since none of the
claimants had ticket TO show he
would not be forced to give up the
horse and buggy TO any OF them. but
he wants to give it TO the one who is
entitled TO It, Therefore he has asked
for meeting OF the committee to-mor-
row to pass upon the matter and II
they make "A decision the property VIII
be turned over to whom they think is
eAtitlcd to it.