The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-02-24
NE LEVIED ON the DINNER.
How q Tennessee 0Asss Collected
Debt.

INV - sGs<V O-Sgs SCsseSs~~
. Debt.
The most interesting levy l ever heard
Of" said Squire Bell to q reporter, was
one that | made some time in 1868 or
1869, when was n marshal of the Meni-
phis municipal court. ! don't remem.
Der the plaintiff in the case, but old Col.
Cockerill. who used to run hotel where
the Peabody is now, was the defendant
The case was tried and judgment given
for the plaintiff. An execution was is.
sued. and in those days the court had
quarterly terms and all papers had TO be
served during the quarter or report
made why they were not served. Well.
l would go out and see the colonel and
begin to urge him to do something
toward paying the Judgment. but he
would always invite me into his room to
take mint julep. Then he would be-
come so plausible and make so many
promises tina, | kept putting off the
levy till the quarterly term was nearly
up. About this time the attorney for
the Plaintiff came to me and said he was
tired of fooling along like that and
wanted to know how many mint juleps
had been drinking with the colonel.
This scared me some, so determined
would do something at once.
II went to see the colonel again. and
after refusing the usual invitation to
take the mint julep. / told him that he
would have to do something. He said
that II l would just wait till Tuesday.
which was the last day Of the term. he
would settle up.
"'Suppose you make II Monday.
colonel I said. for I knew that II
failed to make the levy on Tuesday my
execution was dead, and wanted day
Of grace. Well. the colonel agreed to
settle up on Monday.
"When Monday came the colonel was
nwfully sick. and his three boys. who
were in the office. would let nobody see
him. There were in those days. just as
there are now. lot Of men lying round
and waiting to get on the jury. had
counted the doors Of the hotel dining
room. and I picked out a man for each
door and gave them s1.5O apiece and
took them down to the hotel. When the
gong sounded for dinner l had man
stand NJ each door and not let anyone
go in. There was great deal Of travel
in those days. and the hotel was crowd
ed. Pretty soon the people began TO
fill up the halls and wonder what was
the matter. The doors Of the dining
room were glass, and the people could
see the tables set and the walters stand.
ing round, but they couldn't get in.
This didn't last very long before
the old colonel sent for me. 4 call this
low trick. Mr.. Ball. he said.
"'No low trick at all. colonel said
i. I have done thing never done be-
fore in the world. ! have levied on a
hot dinner. and I am going to hold =
till that moneys paid
1.-THE colonel waxed wroth and swore
he would beat the attorney in the case
Just MS soon as he got we'll. But, find.
ing that his getting hot didn't keep the
dinner from getting cold, he finally sent
for the bookkeeper. who brought ur
about $500. which lacked just $50 OF
satisfying the judgment. The colonel
wanted to get of with this, but de.
manded security. He was lying in bed
and reached under his pillow and hand
ed me watch and chain worth twice
as much MS was still due."-Memphis
Commercial Appeal.