The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-03-26
THE TALE OF A cow
Tangles Up Many Owners
and Drives Them Into
Court.
MAY END in CHANCERY
A Sale, an Informal Repleven and
9 Judgment Worthy of
solomon.
" END in CHANCERY

tAAA ~ ~ 4AeA@
been the cause of a great deal Of con-
fusion and trouble in the last few days.
There is no question as to who has pos
session of her, but the question OF own
ership is one that may be carried through
the lower courts and into Chancery, per-
haps, before it can be settled satisfac-
torily. Justice Douglass has already
been called on for an opinion in the mat
ter, and he has decided that Lynch is
the owner of the COW. Why he reaches
this conclusion will appear later. Per-
haps some of the readers of 1.-THE News
may be able to straighten out the mat
ter n decide upon the ownership of
the animal; perhaps it will have to be
decided finally after the fashion institut-
ed by Solomon, when in a predicament
somewhat like the present one, the poor
beast will be quartered and sold for beef.
Here is the ~story:-Chief Murphy and
Sergeant Archibald and the entire police
department scarcely attend to their reg
ular duties today for worrying over it.
When one person who is familiar. with
the story greets another who is similar
ly informed, they Immediately get into
an argument. Opinion is wide about
equally on the subject. But the story
Patrick Lynch, a milkman of No. 10 Cliff
street, bought the animal for $25 a week
ago of Patrick Lahey, whom he has
known for years. Lahey said he was
selling it for "a third party" who could
not afford to keep it, as times were hard.
The COW was put in Lynch's stables.
Wednesday evening it had disappeared.
Lynch reported the matter at Police
Headquarters, and said he suspected
Lahey, from whom he had bought the
animal. Detectives and policemen were
sent in search of the animal, but could
find no trace of it. Yesterday Lynch was
driving along West Newark avenue when
he met a man with a COW that looked
like his. He examined 1t more closely
and found that it was, indeed, the animal
thai had been taken from his stable. He
claimed it as his property, and the man
that was leading it disputed his claim and
said that the cow belonged to him.. He
said he was James Doyle, of No. 216
were ~disputing over the ownership of the
COW Doyle caught sight of Lahey going
down the street.
Here Lahey," he yelled; come and
tell this man Whose cow this is"
why, that's the fellow / bought the
COW from" said Lynch.
The spalpeen,"" said Doyle; sIll nave
it out Of his hide. Hold the COW till I
get the rascal
Lahey no sooner saw the w men and
the COW than he ran as if Satan were
after him. He has not been seen since
by any of his acquaintance. Doyle re-
turned and he and Lynch decided that
the matter was a proper one for the
police to settle. Doyle jumped in Lynch's
ago and, tieing the cow behind, they
drove to the Third precinct police station.
Sergeant Solomon had a headache when
they got through with their stories, I'M
Detective Keenan, swore that it would
take a "keener I'm than him to decide
the problem.
Lynch told how he bought the cow; all
about it's mysterious disappearance, and
how he finally found it in Doyle's possess
sion.
II ask you now, as an honorable man,
If it's not my cow" said Lynch in con-
When he had concluded Doyle told his
tale. He had had the COW for months.
Last week he decided to sell it and
hired Lahey to take it to Paterson and
leave it with a man on approval. Lahey
returned and reported that he had exc
cuted his commission. Doyle thought it
did not remit or send some word about
the animal. On Tuesday he became i'm
patient and ordered Lahey to go to Pat
erson and get the COW. Lahey promised
to have it the next morning, and, true
to his word, produced the COW bright and
early.
Sergeant Solomon looked weary and
said he did not care to venture an opin-
ion in the matter. He suggested that JUS
tice Douglass be allowed to settle the
matter.
Justice Douglass this morning rendered
the following decision
1T appears from the facts presented
that Doyle originally owned the COW. He
made Lahey his agent and gave him a
commission to dispose of the cow. Lynch
bought the COW of Lahey, therefore the
COW became the property of Lynch. The
cow was stolen and Lynch found it in
the possession of Doyle. He seized it as
his property, which he had a perfect
right to do. AS Lahey was Doyle's agent
and as a principal is responsible for trans
actions made by the duly authorized
agents, the sale of the COW is valid.
Therefore, Lynch owns the cow"
Lynch needed to make his case sure, as
he already had possession of the COW.