The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-01-27

der the nimsy pretext that he was an inno-
cent holder. and this last brother COM
menced a suit IN ejectment against the
tenant for possession.
At this stage Mann and wife employed
Crittenden * Cockrell to defend their rights.
giving them one-fourth interest In the land
as a fee. We soon fled an answer to the
petition. admitting possession OF the land
by or through the tenant, asserted the own
ership. and how II was obtained. and
charged that the deed from Elijah Graves
TO John Laffe-ty was false. fraudulent.
forged and spurious, and was never made
by Elijah Graves. never delivered TO John
Laherty and never acknowledged In Texas
or elsewhere. as the pretended deed showed,
and we invoked the equity side Of the court
TO declare such a deed forged and fraudu
lent ard to set the same aside, and to fur
Their find that the said Snow was not en-
titled by any right to the land. and that our
clients were entitled 10 the same by reason
Of the evidence presented to the court -
NEWSPAPER ITEM GIVES "
THE FIRST WORKING CLEW. '
After this the trouble commenced In fac4
Mann and wife wers more and more eou-
WINGED that the deed from Elijah Graves to
John Laferty was forged, but how to ss-
tablish IT was the rub. We fully agreed
with them upon that point. II was q pusxls
to Crittendeu q CockreiI a. great a. any
Chinese puzzle. as they had not at that
time heard Of any forged land titles In
johnson County nor anywhere else ON the
south side of the Missouri River. Weeks
passed, and still no light broke In on their
legol pathway. They had almost dsspaired
OF success and commenced talking family
OF compounds. The Shows stood arm on
their rights and laughed at the propositions
made We mildly said to thsm. He who
nrD 1nss It'll -L - -
would retain our ns.bles until thaA.
DATES FIXED BY THE
FACT OF A WEDDING.
gave notice to take dispositions a Tan
Antonio and Houston. being then msrs and
more convinced that the deed from Elbah
Graves to John LaIerty was . bass for
gerry. The dispositions Of the laughter Of
Elijah Graves. and also Of her husband
and several others. were taken at San An>
tonic; and by them IT was clearly proven
that on the night of the day the deed from
Elijah Graves to John Lafferty was pur-
ported to have been made at Houston. Tex,
SO miles from San Antonio, Elijah Graves
was In an upper room Of his restdencs at
San Antonio confined to his bed with Q
severe attack OF rheumatism. 20 painful and
serious that he could not be brought from
his bed and room to the parior. whsrs Q
wedding was being had Of q OF hfa
daughters to . distinguished lawyer Of San
Antonio. 30
As soon a the dispositions Of this lawyer,
his wife the minister who performed the
ceremony and other noted persona were
presented to tho court. the plaintiff offered
to take q nonsuit but the court denied him
the right st that time. entering . decree
In behalf Of the defendants the real own
ers OF the land. covering fully the prayer
presented In our defense
Thus ended the most intricate and ex-
citing land suit ever had IN johnson County
-one that doubtless contributed to many
OF the gray hairs now found or our heads.
The result OF this lawsuit proves how
often much depends on . little event. ap-.
parentiy OF email importance Had We not
read that article In the Republican va
might not have had the defense 70 had,
and the facts to corroborate that defense
Then those honest. innocent owners would
have lost their land. and we . good round
fee. -
Nothing IL too small to notice and study
In this life. as great events often depend
on the item. the atom. the thing and the
act. -
Kansas City. Mo Y