The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-08-12
FALSE TEETH BEFoEE THE Law
A Suit That May Determine How They
are to be Classed as Property.
From the Bangor Daily News.1


are to be Classed as Property.
from the Bangor Daily News.l
A queer case is now pending in the
\ Calais municipal court. Some months
ago man named Smith, well known
in the county who has boarded at diff
ferent places on both sides of the river,
selected a hotel in Calais as a resi-
dence, and for some weeks kept his
name good by paying his bills Satur-
day nights. The landlord, believing in
the good faith of the man, was not at
all anxious when informed one night
that he had no money to pay with
So he told Smith to take his time
which he did with great ease. Four,
five, six, seven weeks went by, and no
money came from the jolly guest, who
was from all appearances enjoying life
in the highest degree; but the hotel
man now appeared at times nervous,
even sometimes murmuring at Smiths
remarkable appetite and mode of mas
tication.
AT about the end of the eighth week
| the hotel man met Smith on the hall
steps, and with his own peculiar ex-
preston of determination said Glow
do you suppose Pm going to feed you
without pay for it?" With soothing
|, smile, showing his teeth, Smith prom
ised to settle things satisfactorily that
very night and left the house whistling,
SO things went along again all right.
Night came and so did Smith happy as
lark, but no money did he give. Now
this Smith, who was slightly delin-
quent In paying his board, was not only
queer about this, but was quite odd in
other respects. He was free smoker,
treated the boys occasionally, dis
played a bill now and then, and had
two sets Of false teeth, thing uncom-
Z mon to most men. One set was kept in
trunk while the other was in use, but
at night he usually removed them.
And here is where the law points be-
gin.
The landlord knew all this and, con-
sidering self preservation natures first
law, decided on plan. So, watching
Smith repair to his room, he listened
at the keyhole for the f1utter of his
lips in the usual midnight sonata to
l confirm the fact that the snorer was in
the land of nod Here at the dead hour
Of night the bedroom door was forced
open, as well as the lid of the trunk,
a and the dreaming slumberer robbed of
\ both sets Of store teeth.
The landlord was about to leave the
& dreamer to his fate when the trunk lid
u fell with loud crash. Smith woke,
\ yelled Murder, help!" and various
q things. "Silence," said the intruder,
tive got you now. I own this house
v and I've been friend to you. I've
4 boarded you eight weeks. You prom
ised me money tonight, but you didn't
II give it, and now I've got your false
II teeth, both sets, and. by gosh, you've
/ got to go and gum 1t now for a while
a You can't use two sets of teeth on my
grub no more, nor nobody's else, till
y you pay your board. Get out of the
Il house,
Poor Smith, turned loose in the cold
streets of Calais, friendless, toothless
n and penniless, courage all gone, walked
4 about till daylight from Ferry Point
4 bridge to Midtown, UP one side of the
river down the other, till the sun rose
from behind the New Brunswick hills
twas eight in the morning when a
# friend was told of the nights horror
Teeth gone, Smith lost control of his
u tongue, and attempted to repeat the
e wrathy words of the landlord. After
II giving the outcast breakfast of grue
his friend advised him to see magis-
81 trate and have writ of replevir
n served to recover the teeth.
This plan was duly acted upon
Smith is an unfortunate man, but says
d he has a rich uncle in Brattleboro, VT.
who intends to push the case for points
81 This question involves the principle OF
n right of attachment of artificial por-
tions Of the human body, such as cork
q legs, glass eyes, rubber noses, &c.