Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-09-28

the session Of the legislature Of which
he was member. At that time the
whole up-riVer country was without
railroads and very difficult Of access.
Portage was one of the nearest railroad
points to Grand Rapids and the dis
lance had to be covered by team.
Knowing that Chevallier had lived in
Columbia county before he moved up
the river the thought occurred to the
lawyer that possibly in that section
there might be found something that
could be used to advantage, and his
professional acumen suggested that
this something might be found in the
court records. 1t was a long and
weary search, but at last a Judgment
Of something over 500 against CheVa-
llier was found unSatiStied and for
gotten us thing of no value. The
owner Of the Judgment readily parted
with it for a nominal consideration
and assigned it to John Edwards & Co.
It was Judgment granted away back
in 1913, then dozen or more years
Old, and it was taken to Grand Rapids.
the county seat of Wood county, and
there dOCketed.
SELLS HIS OWN LAND.
In due course of time an execution
was issued and placed in the hands OF
EuZebe LaNigne, sheriff and contest
ant for the Chevallier property, to
serve. LaNigne made his formal re-
turn to the effect that he could find no
property of the Judgment debtor on
which to levy, and then he was TOLD to
| sell the rights of Cheyallier in the
! land in litigation between himself and
the Edwards firm. He protested that
such a sale would be of no value and
| at best mere fOrmality, but the law
| yer insisted that he should do his duty
| as sheriff. ''HiS not to reason why,
! but to do as he was ordered.
HIS LAWYER SEES NO TROUBLE.
! LaVigne posted to PlOver, fourteen
miles away, to lay the case before
Judge Minor Strope, who was his
! regular attorney and one Of the
sharpest lawyers in that section.
Sell it. Of course" said Judge StrOpe,
! you must do it when they insist upon
| it: it is all right anyway: it cannot
interfere with your title" And so
! the land was sold by the sheriff, bid in
coarse of time the purchasers came
for the sheriff'S deed. Again the
sheriff went to his counsel and was
informed that having sold the land on
the execution he had no recourse: he
must execute his deed as sheriff to
the purchaser. The deed was made
! and placed on record.
] When the next term of court came
round Judge StrOpe was present and
casually asked the opposing counsel in
the EdWardS-LaNigne case what pre-
text he would offer this time for a
continuance Of the case to the next
term. To his amaZement the lawyer
who had been so fertile Of eXpedients
in the past replied that he knew of nc
reason why the matter should be de
layed any longer and that he should
put no farther obstacle in the way.
NOW READY FOR TRIAL.
Then I suppose that you intend tC
let me take Judgment by default, >
suggested Judge StrOpe.
by no means. " said the other Smil-
ing. We propose to defend. =
Now, see here" said the Judge.
you may as we'll stop foOling and let
us perfect our title. And you will dc
it, too. | never knew you to go into
court beaten beforehand"
uSI Ine very UnlHg was dUOuI u
suggest to you, judge" said the other
but you were too fast for me-"
"What do you mean?" asked the
judge. You know ours is the better
title"
1T was until we sold the property on
execution and bought it ourselves, >:
was the calm reply.
Judge Strope was still further
amazed 1t was a course that he
might have expected from a shyster,
but not from a lawyer who he had
reason to know was thoroughly yersed
! in the intricacies Of real estate law
and above taking a position that was
not CreditabIe to his legal knowledge.
You are just making game Of me, ;,
! he finally said. You know well
enough that a homestead is exempt