The age-herald., 1901-12-25
E. ]. DOOM SEEKS |. ID GET CONTROL OF WH|SKEY STILL Files Petition in City Court Against J. L. Lock-
 wood WANTS PROMISES KEPT Claims Defendant Agreed to Allow Him to Run Plant, But Admits the Contract Was Only
 Verbal.

A petition was filed yesterday morning in the City Court by E. J. Odom against J. L. Lockwood which contains many al- legations out of the ordinary. The plain tiff seeks to gain possession of whisky still and the property on which 1t Is To- cated, claiming that the defendant owes 1t to him for services rendered and also according to a promise made him some time ago that the entire plant should be his and that it be run on a partnership basis.
 The plaintiff claims that he entered the service of the defendant in 1898, and that since that time he has been working for him and that the latter owes him many thousand dollars for said labors. To pay this debt the plaintiff claims that the de- fendant promised to buy some land and erect whisky still on it. The land and still was to have been given to the plain tiff. and he was to run it, dividing the proceeds with the defendant
 Contract Was Verbal.
 The plaintiff asks that the defendant be brought to court to show cause why he should not carry out the contract The contract. he claims. was verbal he being young in the ways of the world and hay ing the utmost confidence in the word of the defendant. The bill follows
 Complainant became acquainted with respondent about 1882 and about 1887 the respondent approached him with refer ence to holding possession of certain land in the city of Birmingham to which respondent had some color of title, said title not being sufficient to maintain an action at law, respondent promising complainant that if he would take and hold active possession of said land until respondents title should ripen by ad- verse possession, that respondent would reward complainant for such service; that in accordance with the agreement complainant entered on said land and at much inconvenience to himself remain ed there day and night for a great length of time; and finally, 1t became neces- sary for complainant thus in service of respondent, to defend himself against | acts of violence of certain other parties or their agents claiming title to the land adverse to respondent that so l great was the value of said property and the desire of parties to possess it, that they finally attacked complainant with guns and a fight ensued in which com l plainant wounded three or four of his l antagonists and himself received a gun shot wound in the face from which he has suffered greatly and has partially | lost the vision of one of his eyes; never | theless, relying upon respondents re- peated promises of reward, complainant continued to hold possession for respond ent until after litigation extending through two years finally resulted in fa- vor of the respondent and he became undisputed owner of the tract of land. valued at about s4O,OOO."
 Young, Confident and Ignorant.
 The complainant alleges that he was young, confident and ignorant of the ways of the world, and that he relied | fully upon the promises of the respond ent In conclusion he alleges that the re- | spondent has grown rich upon the land | which he defended with his blood and | he asks the court to award to him the | property which was to have been his un- | der the alleged agreement