West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1897-04-29
TmG SECOND CIVIL YAR-
or a Book Agents Defeat Dy the
Old Veterans.


The Justice Court here has been
very lively for some time and sew
eral interesting cases have been
tried. The biggest suit for "a long
time outside of Circuit Court has
been the book agent bus iness, and
it attracted IL larger crowd and
more interest than most of the
cases in the higher Court. fhe
plaintiff in tho ease. Prof. S. w.
llardes'y, who represents pnb.
fishing house in Ohio, has been
operating around here for several
months and taking orders for books.
Ills speciality is a history Of the war,
and ii IS to contain IA personal
sketch Of the old veterans. Most
OF them signed for 1t, and there is
II serious misunderstanding as TO
whether there was to be one or two
volumes and about the price.
Many of them claim they were TO
have the two volumes in one book
for $40, but Hardcsty claims
there are two books at $3.50 each a.,
or so ia all, and that this Is what
the contract called for. lie has
been trying to deliver the book cr
first volume and collect $3.50 for
it, claiming that he would deliver
the second volume next pension
draw, and that it would be $3.50
also, and would contain the per-
sonal sketches, Us none Of them are
in the book he is delivering now.
Quite a number refused to take
the book, claiming that it was to
be all in one and have their history
and for 81. 80 for the whole bust.
ness. Mr.. Hnrdesty sued several
before Squire Miller at Tunnelton,
and won all the cases up there but
one. Then he sued several here,
ex-SheIiff Shaw, Edmund Messen
ger, d. II. Jackson, ID. r. Beavers
and others. These parties EN- ploycd
Messrs. p. j. Crogan and Neil j.
Fortney as their lawyers. while
Hardesty bad Brown & Hyde for
counsel. The suits were before
Miller here and test case was
made of Messenger. The trial was
held in the Court House two weeks
ago to day and was not com pleted
till the next afternoon, when the
Justice decided IN favor Of the de.
PENDANT, leaving unrdesty he costs
to pay, which amounted to consid
cradle.
Quite rumher Of witnesses were
examined on both sides and the
Court room was crowded all the
time. Mr.. H,rdrsty's lawyers did
all they could for him and made a
splendid fight and were highly com
plmented by the genera public,
but 1t was a losing case and they
advised the plaintiff that il was no
use 10 60 on with the other case -.
SO they were withdr wn. and a
complication then arose about the
cost. llnriesty's nttornevs claimed
that the justice entered Judgment
before assessing the costs and r.
fused to pay all Of It. so Miller
then brought suit before Squire
Flynn for the costs aud the case
was tried Tuesday Of this week
and llardcsty lost again and had to
pay additional costs.
Our advice to him now is. to tyy
some other section, rs his business
will not ply here any more. There
Is IA strong prejudice against him
and his usefulness in Klngwood is
way below par. Quite mum Der
thought he would win his suits.
owing to the contracts lie had
which had been signed by most Of
the parties, and it IS a good lesson
to them about being taken in" by
every stranger that comes along.
Hardesty has made himself very
unpopular by his remarks and ac-
tons about the parties concerned
with the suits. and which were en-
tirely uncalied for and unnecessary
and only gives him advertising Of
an unavoidable nature.