The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-25
BONDS.
A FINE LEGAL POINT.
What Is the Value Of a
Mustache as
Property?

is a mustache property?" said a.
guest in the st. Charles lobby last
evening If SO, what is its value :?
These points will be raised in very
peculiar suit which is coming up at the
next term of court in a town over in
Georgia. says the New Orleans Times
Democrat I'D rather not mention anv
names, but 1 happened to be familiar
with the facts, and they are briefly
these: Almost a month ago a well
known travelling nan was staying at
the leading hotel of the place, and went
to the cigar stand one day to get a.
ilSnt. they had a new tangled concern
that spouted out jet of flame when
the lighter was lifted, but on this par
tlcuIar occasion it hung fire. The drum
iner was trying to make it work when
all OF sudden it blazed out like a vol
cano and licked off his long beautiful
Dlond mustache. He was furious. of
course, because the mustache had been
his chief ornament and pride, but the
aitair might still have been off without
trouble If he hadn't been so unmerci-
fully guyed. The upshot of this was that
ne demanded damages, the landlord
Aao6 AAVO at lllII anu ne I0en instructed
a lawyer to bring suit for $780,
The papers will be filed in the next
term of court I am told they make
some interesting allegations. 1t will be
claimed, for instance, that the mustache
was of direct assistance to its owner in
earning livelihood, insomuch as it
gave him a distinguished appearance,
and thus facilitated his interviews with
the trade. Its loss, he holds. was a dis
fgurement which has occasioned ridi-
cule, falling off in prestige and conse-
quent shrinkage of business. He win
also allege that his altered appearance
caused great mental anguish to himself
and his wife, and that that species of
suffering may be reduced, under the
law, to dollars and cents. incidentally
he will try to prove that the absence of
a mustache affected his eyesight. So, as
you may observe, a good many inter-
esting and delicate questions win be
raised, and | dare say the case will at
tract wide attention. l have the particu-
lars l mention from the victim himself.
What sort of defence will be set up re-
mains to be seen"
There is likely to be a litigation il
settling the $4,000, 900 estate left by thu
late Wilson Waddingham who died ii
-NtN L VI n elDOul lllAGE IuOilHS ago. ME-
Waddingham formerly lived in Kansa.
City. and his property included vast
tracts Of land in the west ana south.
west. His will named David T. Beals
and c. H. T. LEXIS, Kansas City bank
ers. as executors. This will was executed
in 1892, and provided for the payment oil
$4,000 annually to his widow and lib
orally remembered many relatives
These executors We're greatly surprised
yesterday when local attorneys filed &
revocation of the will and asked fol-
the appointment Of Cassius M. Gilbert
who has been in charge of the Wad-
bingham interests here, as executor
The revocation wes dated in 1896. anG
had been entrusted to a Philadelphia
attorney. TIE revocation makes nc
provision whatever for the distribution
of the vast estate. 1t simply revokes
the will. Mr.. Waddingham had beer
married twice. and there are many
claimants.
In a letter the Philadelphia attorney
quotes the aged millionaire as having
said of his relatives: "They will gel
the money anyhow, and if the courts
decide the matter, there viii be none
to bear me ill-will. 1t will be bet.
ter way to settle the matter than car
select"
THAT reminds me-" said Chicago
man in a reminiscent group the other
night, ''of an old story that is goo6
enough to repeat. Some years ago three
bookmakers put UP at a Chicago hote
and handed a large package of money
to the chief clerk. They told him thai
they would leave it with him every
night. and were particular in saying
that it was to be delivered only in the
presence Of all three. 1t was evident
you see. that they didn't quite trust
one another. Well. q week or so rolled
around and one morning one of tbs
trio came downsather early and called
for the cash. Without thinking Of the
conditions Of delivery, the clerk hand.
ed 1t over. and the bookmaker prompt.
~ skipped. His two partners were fu.
rious and brought suit against the hote
for $4,000, the amount in the bundle
smart young lawyer volunteered Il
take the defense. which the other law.
yers regarded as hopeless When tht
trial came off. he waited until the book.
makers had submitted all their evl.
dence. and then arose with large bun.
die in his hand.
" We stand ready, he said, to full
I'LL the letter of agreement you have
Just proved. This package contains
$4,000 in cash. AS soon as the three
owners apply for 1t together, we arc
prepared to turn ii over
"Of course. the third man couldn't
be produced, and the case immediate.
ly collapsed. The parcel really con.
tanned an old pair Of pants"
on July %, Judge EstilI, In the cir
cult court at Chattanooga, Tenn, de-