The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-10-22
THE STORY
OF A NOTE |
Brought Out Before a Commissioner in
Law Suit.
LITTLE KATIE GOT THE COWS
Farmer Evans and His Wife Disclaimed
Having signed a Judgment Note
When Sued and Their Young
Daughter Frankly Says
She Signed the
Names.

An interesting case was subject of in
quiry this morning in the office of r. X.
Beddall Esq. The point involved in the case
is the execution of II judgment note. The
amount is small-only S29-but the man
from whom payments sought claims he never
signed the note. Mr.. Beddall appears as
attorney for the plaintiff and NJ NJ. Burke,
E.q., for the defendant. A. A. b. Lewis, of
town, was appointed commissioner 10y the
court to take testimony.
The plaintiff in the suit is Sias Hufnage
ard the defendants are William NJ. Evans
aud his wife, Mary j. Evans. Hufnagle and
Evans are farmers living near Brandonvile
When on the witness stand this morning
Evans said he could not write; that he never
signed note in favor of Hufnagle, or
authorized any person to sign it for him.
He admitted that his cattle one time got into
Hufnagle's field and destroyed crops of corn
cabbage and oats but declared that he did
not know whether the cattle broke into the
field, or the fence was down. He denied that
he afterwards met Hufnagle in Justices
o flee and that an agreement was reached by
which he was to execute the note, or allow
somebody to do it for him, in consideration
thai Hufnage, who had impounded Evans
cows for the damage they had done, should
elease the cattle.
Katie Evans a daughter of the defendants
was the second witness. She threw consider
able light on the question at issue and throw
a bomb of surprise into Hufnagle's camp.
She opened her story by saying that she was
IL years old and that she signed the note
upon which the suit was brought. She was
fifteen years old at the time. She signed the
note at the home of her parents. She was not
nstr tod nj tn In en- hU all he pf
her parents, or anybody else Her mother was
in Mahanoy City at the time. Her father
was also absent, but she did not know where
he was. When the witness signed the note
only her sister, Mamie, was in the ROOM So
far as witness knew, neither her father nor
mother knew of the signing OF their names
to the note until after it was sent to Huff
| nagle. The witness added MY mother
brought the note to the house from Mr.. Huf-
nagle. | signed it because l wanted to get
the cows from Mr.. Hufnagle's barn, where
| they had been penned for three days. /
| signed mama and papa's names to the note
and Mamie took it to Mr.. Hufnagle. l never
signed any note before or after for papa or
mama. We had raised all the cows, they
were our pets, and l wanted to get them
back, so l signed the note.
Mamie Evans, 15-year-Old sister of the last
witness, confirmed the latter's evidence and
said she did not sign the note because hel
sister was the better writer.
Mr.. Beddall asked, "Do you mean to tell III
that, after your sister had forged your papa
and mama's names, that you deliberately
carried the note to Mr.. Hufnagle anC
deceived him ?"
Mr. Burke objected to the use of the wort
forged" but Mr.. Beddall said he woulC
| insist upon using it if Mr.. Burke would no
e admit that the signing of the names wa
t authorized.
9 The witness answered yes" She said sh
4 took the note to Hufnagle and he took it an,
# sent the cows home with her.
Mrs Evans, one of the defendants, testife,
that Hufnage told her that appraisers hat
, fixed the amount of his damage at 500. H
a said that if her husband gave him a note 70
the amount he would release the cows
the note was not forthcoming he would holt
:. the COWS ninety days, and then sell them. IL
!. made out note and she took it home, bu
' her husband refused to sign it, because
had been allowed no voice in selecting til
k appraisers. Mrs Evans said she put the mott
fl unsigned, in the kitchen cupboard. One da
10 she went to Mahanoy City and when 81
s. returned home the COWS were there. Mr.
l. Evans swore she did not tell, or authoriz
her daughter to sign the note,
Mr.. Beddall What authority had you
daughter to sign this note?
!" Witness She was only a child. She di
it, not knowing what she was doing. 81
" did not know the consequences of a not
A She thought it would be all right if she g
= the COWS back. never said that had m
daughter sign this note and that / woul
show Hufnagle that he couldn't collect tn
judgment.
~, ,y,s - EXPERIMENTATION,