The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-06-03

Yesterday saw the termination of
Baylor pond legal war; one Of the long
est drawn out litigations that this re-
gion has known. IL Is older than the
Lackawanna county court itself, hav-
ing had its inception in old Luzerne In
1868, ten years before this county was
established, and the record of its va
rious engagements would fill good
sized book
The cause of the contention is nat
ural pond of 1875 acres, situated in
Scott township. 1t was anciently
known as Firms pond, but Is now gen.
orally referred to as Baylor's pond
William Baylor of Scott, who located
in the township half a century ago,
bought the pond in 1860 and proceeded
to assume absolute control of its waters
and the fish therein. The neighbors
and particularly the shore owners did
not take kindly to this and as result
of their determination to fish in the
pond and Baylor's contention that they
were trespassers, many clashes ensued.
Finally in 1888 j. w. Tiffany, who
| claimed ownership to portion OF the
pond, together with several friends who
| fished in it's waters at his invitation
were sued for trespass and after two
years siege in the local and Supreme
court defendants were declared tres
passers and Baylor's title to the whole
pond established.
This it was thought would put an end
| to hostilities, but it didn't. Believing
they could seek cover under various
| technical points of law, several of the
shore owners continued to fish in the
pond in defiance to Baylor and his
| title. More suits were the result and
in each instance where a case was
brought to a elimination Baylor was
| the victor.
BAYLOR AGAINST SCOTT.
Last year Baylor began proceedings
against w. F. Scott, who of all the
shore owners, was the most active in
opposing his right to control the pond,
and named as co-defendants ]. f..
Chase, Daniel Reynolds, Isaac Nefus
and Ira j. Phillips. This was to be
the grand final test and much interest
therefore attached to it. The case was
down for trial yesterday and was
called in it's regular order in the morn
ing After a jury had been sworn Agib
Ricketts, and f. C. Newcomb, attorneys
for the defendants, announced that
}
and admit Mr.. Baylor's undsputed
title, as they were tired of the fight
and the incidental paying of fees and
costs. w. w. Baylor and Alex Farm,
ham, of Wilkes Barre, attorneys for
the plaintiff, agreed to meet the defend
ants half way and after brief consul
tation the following order was agreed
upon:
The defendants confesses judgment in
the sum Of 81, to carry costs, the costs
however to be restricted to sheriff and
. prothonotary fees. No witness fees to bt
entered. This judgment is not to preju
! dice any legal title or, rights that the de
fendant may have under his claim Of
title as to shore owner along said pond
\ plaintiff not admitting share ownership o.
defendant. ...- -..
) For the third time within as man!
years common pleas jury was yester
day called upon to hear the stor!
l of the differences between Edwards
( & Barthold, storekeepers, of Archibald
and one of their customers, Mrs. Mar
l tha Pritchard.
4 The plaintiffs are seeking to collec
n on 5000 note given by Mrs. Pritchar,
for a store bill. The defense is that
was the husband who has the accoun
at the store and that the wife canno
be held for it even though she CAV
g her note.
At both former trials the verdict wa
against the defendant, but new tris
was each time secured on a techni
3 cality. Judge Gunster before whom
it is being tried now sat in the frs
: trial and Judge Edwards In the seconC
: NOTE TAMPERED WITH.
y, A little spice is added to the preser
y trial by a new allegation of the de
: fense. 1t is that the note has bee
tampered with. Mrs. Pritchard swear
that the note she signed made no mer
b ton of interest. The note now bear
the words with interest" written a
=, the end of the body of the note and jus
% above the signature. The words whic
it is alleged have been added are slight
= ly out of alignment and it would al
pear that when they were written thel
was some cause or other from crowdin
lie them into a limited space.
IL The bottom of some of the allege