The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1902-04-05
THE BARROW OF DEBT.
Complicated Case 7. B. Reed Wa Called
Upon to Help Solve.

Complicated Case 7. B. Reed Was Called
Upon to Help Solve.
One Of the first cases brought to
Thomas Bracket Reed as a young
and briefess lawyer contained eircum-
stances calculated to tax the maturest
powers of the strongest judicial mind;
and he still alludes toit-and wonders
how it was finally solved, says the
New York Times.
The client, an expert accountant,
had an office in the same building with
Mr.. Reed and wished to obtain legal
advice on a contingent fee.
Estate your case" said the young
lawyer with proper professional dig
nifty and confidence.
The client hitched up his chair. Il
rent a corner of an Office from Smith
across the hail." ne began. Smith
rents half the Office from Jones, who
pays for three-fourths of this space
only. You see, Robinson lets to Jones
and the owner lets to Robinson. Now,
then, l rent to Brown enough space
for a desk and a table, and Brown
rents the table to Wilson. Now, it
began like this: Brown borrowed so
cents from Wilson, agreeing to apply
it on the table, and | borrowed two
dollars from Brown, which | was to
take out Of the rent; but it seems that
Smith owed Wilson $6.25-so he Dor
rowed eight dollars from Jones, which
was to be paid when he paid the rent.
And he would have paid it, he says,
had not the owner of the building
asked Robinson for the office rent on
that day. Robinson reminded the
owner that he owed Jones $14 for
metal signs, and in lieu of rent would
give a receipt to Jones; and he did.
But Jones had made a mistake in the
signs, which were returned, SO that
Robinson owed the rent to the owner,
anyhow; but Jones would not giyeup
the receipt. In the meantime, Smith
demanded the rent from me, but /
couldn't collect from Brown because
Wilson wouldn't pay him, and /
couldn't pay Smith. Now, what hap
pened?"
Hasn't it happened YETI" gasped
the future speaker Of the house.
"Why, no; it is only bookkeepingsO
far-but Wilson makes it a legal bat
tie. Fearing that he might lose his
measly little table, he went direct to
the owner of the premises and paid
his miserable little rental, and told
me he paid him; and | wanted Smith,
from whom | rent, to recognize it,
but he would not, since Jones would
not recognize him, being in posses
sion Of a receipt-and, furthermore,
Robinson would not pay the owner,
ard the owner would not submit
And, as the owner would not recog-
nize me l would not recognize Wilson,
because he rented from Brown, who
rented from me. Very well; on the
day the owner seized the Office furni-
ture for the rent"
Mr.. Reed interrupted. "Is there
more of it?" he groaned, feebly..
my dear fellow, | haven't begun"
said the client, earnestly. "This thing
has been piling up like crimes in a
melodrama for months. Understand
that if Brown had not now com
promised with Robinson for an old
obligation, involving another set of
deb,s all along the line
Watt Waitf' pleaded the lawyer.
"Don't settle it-don't; if it we're
mine shonld not part with it TO be
supreme i%usticel should simply sit
still and turn it round ard round and
enjoy it, And as he fled he con-
Guided: whoever got up the kali