Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-05-19
II is the Craze of Some Be-
nighted Beings.
LAWYERS ALWAYS PROFIT
But the Contestants Most Always
Come OF Second Best.
SOME VERY QUEER LAW SUITS.


After having read and studied War ,
rcns famous novel Ten Thousand
Year" It is hard to understand how
anybody would go TO law as the
saying goes. II they could help 1t; yet
some people never seem happier than
when figuring us plaintiffs In a court
Of justice. The smallest grievance
real or fancicd rs seized upon hs
protcxt for setting the costly ma
chincry Of the law In motion, ana
bringing into play the forensic forces
OF advocate, jury and Judge.
The late deceased Mrs. Paran ste
vens was memorable example IN ms
respect. There was never "A time tlnt
she was not actively engaged In one OF
more suits at law. That she was not
| always successful Is but natural, yet II
| should be remembered that the lady
was as often defendant as plhlntH'
| Mrs. lIetty Green IL another lady who
is never free from an engagement at
| court and IL il "A memorable iact thht
abe has won many legal engagements.
II rs thus that lawyers thrive and grow
fat
| Students Of the daily papers Will not
need to be reminded Of names which,
| by their constant appearance In the
| law reports have been almost as IA
milinr ns household words" But every
pcrtinur.1us litigant is not for various
reusons. hnnored by public ndVer-
tlscmcnt In this way, aud there cunse-
quently remain vast number OF lovers
of litigation OF whom tho general pub
lie hear nothing.
There Is man well known to every
. reader OF the daily press who has
figured AS a plaintiff In n court OF law
something like 100 times during the last
three or four years, and, rs may be I'M
agincd, some OF the actions which he
E has brought have been OF the most
! trivial nature. As an Instance may be
I mentioned one, which was simply a
/; dispute about the possession OF an old
, wooden post to which he In common
| with nclghbor laid claim, and which
? marked the division of property be
longing 10 each The thing Itself wasn't
4 worth a shilling. and not a ghost of Q
r principle was involved In the action
4 hut 1t was carried through three courts
q at n probable expense to each htignn
y OF something like $1,000,
y The most ridiculous things are in thii
o way frequently fought about Not lonl
since an old lady brought an actor
against coal merchant In n western
city, whose carter unwittlugly shot
sack Of Goals on to the mick OF favor
n lite cat sleeping ut the time In the Goa
cellar, lnnlctlng injuries thereby tina
necessitatcd it's destruction. In an
-" other case an irasoihle old gentleman
~ sued man for throwing q lighted fuse
10 among some flowers In his front gar
l. den and burning hole IN choice bu
on which he set especial store.
ia Not less frivolous was the suit OF
IA country Clergyman who instituted a
~ action for Islander against membe
ir OF his congregation who, ON q particu
m lar occasion, In the hearing OF sewers
a. other parlshoners, stlgmatl2ed the rev
IA | arand ,s.utloYnap'a ligcpursps from III
ie pulpit as mot worth listening to-" TIL
r is partly set on by the case OF a woi
tn shipper who claimed damages In u
ia county court for being deprived Of II
Id customary seat in church on the occj
en- sion Of we'll attended special servic
,ls In the same way suits for restitutio
II Of congregational rights often flgul
in the cause lists Of our courts.
n One OF the most curious causes
,is litigation ia to be found in case mel
er, TO the possession OF common hol
ng anuff box. Of the value OF 81, presented
M n certain society by one or Its mer
,st beers. and claimed by some one els
he The costs incurred In the case amour
RS ed 10 $500, and extra expenses we
me- tackled on to tho tune OF $50, all
.as which the unsuccessful claimant hi
his to pay,
on Probably the smallest suit on rcco
, a was one recently tried In Scotland. {
Nv the sum OF half-penny. ri
Of brought against tramway compar
The plaintiff was carried In one
the docondants' cars beyond his des
nation. and compelled 10 pay the ha
-, penny as extra fare, lie sued the col
~ pany In the county court, and, recov'
90 the Judgment. compelled them TO
fund tho coin With costs,
IN AN, The spirit Of litigation was perha
Wv Wv never carried to n greater extent tn
~, in the cause between two potters,
~ ~ the end OF the last century. for a III
'nu OF $40. After being In court for
years, II was put an end TO by bel
referred to arhitrators, who decid
In favor Of the defendant In tho ca
ed. and ordered the plaintiff TO pay
the costs incurred IN the nrooeedin
nan which were assessed at 5000
get As an instance OF the unwlsdom
ow. rushing TO the law to settle every M
dispute may be mentioned the folic