Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1901-01-17
A YANKEE SOLDIER AT Law.
by a shrewd Move He Won His
Case Before a Southern
Court.

While our regiment, the Second
New York veteran cavalry, was sta
toned in Alabama at the close of the
war, I got permission of the colonel
to stay out with a planter to act as
his safeguard, writes L. j. Groom, In
the National Tribune.
One day his daughter, a Mrs. Kidd,
who lived about mile further up
the road, came to me in great dis
tress. Her husband owned a coal
mine, which he had commenced to
work before the war, but his build
ings had been burned and machinery
destroyed. He was now in New York
trying to engage capitalists in the
enterprise to develop the mines. A
man with whom he had running ac-
count started the rumor that Kidd
had run away, and brought suit
against the estate. The suit was to
not returned, and Mrs. Kidd wanted
me to go and get the case continued
to the next term of court.
"Why," I said, ''NIrs. Kidd, I know
nothing about law in my own state,
and certainly less about the laws of
Alabama" "Oh,'' she said, ''but you
are a Yankee, and I know you are
shrewd enough to manage the affair.
They don't know much about law
over there in Sinclair county, any
way"
$50 much the worse" said I, ''for
I had rather deal with rascality than
ignorance; and, besides, if I am
Yankee, they are all ex-confederates,
and some of them ex-guerrillas over
there, and it would be all my life is
worth to go there, and especially on
such an Grand
''I have thought of that, too,' she
said, ''and have engaged a couple of
eX-confederate soldiers to go with
you. AS they are well known don't
think anyone will harm you. Do,
please, co.
well" I said at last, 'I'n co.
So we started at daylight. My es-
cort were brothers named Ochiltree.
They were very companionable. One
had been an officer and the other a
private in the confederate army.
We crossed the Coosa river in a bat
teau and reached our destination.
Court was well attended. There were
several cases. AS spectators there
and two revolvers each. [ took a seat
ON one of the benches and listened to
the calling of the cases, and when the
name Stegal was called man near
me answered ''here.'' F'Kidd' was
called. [ answered "here."
The judge asked me if I appeared
for Mr.. Kidd. 1 answered I did
'WelI, counsel, you and Mr.. Stegal
had better get together and see if you
can settle your affairs"
1 said: Cali right. Mr.. Stegal, what
have you got against Mr.. Kidd?"
He produced an account book with
a long list of articles. L looked over
the column until came to the item,
"12 saddle trees, $16 each.'' I knew
saddle tree was worth about $3.50, so
I said:
cit seems to me that is a big price
for saddle trees
"Oh,'' he replied, ''these prices are
in confederate money!
"Oh,' said I, and passing the book
over to the judge, ''will your honor
please foot up that account and I'll pay
it, and reaching in my pocket I
pulled out about 81, 900 in confederate
bills. ''That money isn't good now"
quickly interposed Stegal.
81 can't help that. 1 propose to pay
this account in the very money for
which it was made"
Said he: 81 hadcrather put this over
until the next term of court
The judge said [ had better allow it
to go over, SO consented.
Mounting our horses, we returned
T
first and last case as counsel and at
tOrORV-at-Iaw