The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-12-23
NO DAMAGES
FOR HAIRCUT
Attorney Palmer Lost Unique Suth
Local Justice
Court.
JURY WAS OUT TWENTY MINUTES.
JURY WAS OUT TWENTY MINUTES.

I'd as expert witnesses in the case OF
Attorney John e. Palmer against the
firm of Lenhart G. Spach. The case
was heard before Justice Reigner and
10 Jury Thursday evening. The cause
Of complaint was absolutely unique,
peins perhaps the only time on record
where barber was sued for damages
for giving customer an inartistic
haircut.
The jury found verdict for the de-
PENDANTS, after being out about twenty
minutes. The case created unusual m
terest, the courtroom being crowded
o It's utmost capacity. Palmer was
assisted In his action by Attorney
Braucher, and Jacob Snyder and Will
LIAM Day appeared for the defendants.
Faln,er fled two causes OF COM
plant, the tirst being for damages for
$50 ior an alleged haircut received on
or about December 5, and the other
for what the plaintiff described as an
involuntary shave" which was adj
ministered to hin, on December IL.
which he claimed injured him to the
extent Of $3.50.
In the testimony offered in support
of his first complaint, Palmer endeav-
ored to prove that the barber left q
turf Of hair uncut just over the" phren-
ological organ fphiloprogenitivenes
He said he vent to another shop and
had ths hair cut in more artistic
| manner.
The defer Sc offered as part of their
testimony Two letters. signed with
Painers name. PalIrer denied the
gcnuineness of the signature. The
reading Of these letters created quite
la furore In the courtroom. The let
ters are addressed to Oliver Lenhart.
the first being as follows: II hereby
challenge you to fight duel with
56-11O winchester rifles at 100 PAGES,
you to be 40 PAGES closer to me than
to you. Duel to take place at Meyers
lake, December 25, at 8 a. m. John
Palmer, Notary Public" The second
letter bore the Same date, and read
las follows: "Sir,--I have not vet re-
ceived a reply to my challenge and l
will say to you now II you will not
meet my challenge (as I have heard
you will not) yon are a coward.
Furthermore, l will cay II you do not
meet me on the spot named and st the
Gate named and ready for action, the
first time meet you, no matter where,
4 7 will trim your ha'c In q more ar
tistic manner than Vas known of be-
fore or since the history of ChristO-
pher Columbus who discovered Amer
lea In 1892 Pohn Palmer, attorney at
: law and notary public"
; Tie plaintiffs head, being the object
] in controversy, was subjected to the
{ closest scrutiny by the jurors and at
a ltorneys in the case The BARRIERS
|, cahed in for expert testimony marked
on ON Palmer's head outlines showing
: different styles Of halrcuts.
The only plea ofssred by the at.
G .orneys In the case was that made by
0 Palmer in his own defense. Palmer
Z spoke in part as follows:.
n "Let us consider the facts In thii
o cme. On the 9Th of December the
a plaintiff enters the shop Of the de.
. fendant steps from the chair, view
the remains, and Is greeted with ar
; outbreak Of laughter far In excess o.
, any person attending that great play
n 3f Shakespeare, The Comedy of Err
Q IT'S We have had the comedy Il
IS this trial but the error remains fo
j. this honorable jury to adjust or recti
0 fy.
q Gentlemen, place yourself In tn,
light of the plaintiff. After being rid
: iculed by the proprietor and employs
: of the shop. he goes to the shop of Mr.
J. SCci, and asks what he would charg
= to repair the work done by one of tn,
70 unskilled employees of the defendant
0, On a subsequent DAY Mr.. Palmer re
r enters the shop on professional busi
= tess and is assaulted and placed Il
!, a still more ridiculous position by be
: Ing dragged to chair under the shar
edge of a razor. and while on the chal
)" is insulted and slandered by the us
% Of language wholly unbecoming to an
1t man of business capacity. Gentlemen
le Is this kind of treatment to be accord
,e ed to a gentleman Of intelligence an
" honesty, willing to pay fair remun
, Grafton for honest labor? Where
!, the law to protect Canton citizen
- - from such treachery and barbarou
~ conduct?
" who would submit to the foolish
ness, frivolity and humiliation Of q
ar indiscreet tonsorial artist? Shakes
~ peare says, The evil that me do live
ne after them; the good is often interre
Y with their bones The evil that thl
defendant has done In injuring thl
plaintiff will stand as monument {
injustice and debauchery In the eye
W OF the law.
rs 'The poet Gray In his immort,
y elegy says, The paths Of glory leo
et but OF the grave The path OF glor
In arriving at lust verdict In th
ii case will lead you to honor and dll