The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-12-09

other trophies he won in the war.
He was a man of blunt speech. and
of few words. and when the committee
of ladies went to his tent to present
these spurs, lovely young girl maxi
ing the presentation speech. aglow
with patriotic fervor and admiration
for the great cavalryman, the rugged
warrior was so overcome that tears
rolled down his bronzed cheeks.
1t was a pathetic scene of the con-
queror conquered; of the eagle pleading
for terms with the dove.
His strong hands as we'll as his voice
trembled as ne took them. and, look
ing down on the sweet girl, said: I'm
wear 'em. and If the enemy ever gets
'em it will be when my heels are cold
on the ground
Forest met the enemy time and again
after that, but was invariably the cap
tor, never the captive.
When Gen. Forest died he bequeaJh-
ed his silver spurs to his grandson.
Bedford Forrest, .Ir., who fell heir to
most of his grandsires war relics, and
when young Forrest came to st. Louis
from Memphis to live, the young man
was so careful of his prizes that he
would not risk them in his own bag
gage, but put them, along with num-
Der of silver spoons, knives and forks
into a package and shipped them by
express to St. Louis.
The package was prepaid and mark
ed to 1T. ]. Brady" brother-in-law
of young Forrest
When it arrived in st. Louis, there
being no street address on it, the eX-
press clerk looked into the city direc-
tory for a "T. ]. Brady" of which
there were several.
The clerk took the first one he came
to. and thereby made a grievous mis-
take.
The "T. ]. Brady selected at the
express Office CHANGED to be a barber
at a second class shop.
Straight to that barber shop the ex-
press delivery man drove and found
Brady, to whom he delivered the pack
age.
Luck had come to the idle barber.
He opened the package, saw its valu-
able contents, but, knowing full well
that they did not belong to him, de-
cided to appropriate them.
Young Forrest and his brother-in-law
grew uneasy about the precious relics,
and made imperative demands on the
express company.
An investigation revealed that mis-
take had been made, and the express
company set about to recover the me-
mentoes. After weeks of searching
they were located-that is, the metal
that composed them was.
The bogus Brady, knowing that
he could never dispose of them in
their artistic shape, resolved not to
be created of their gross value.
He melted them into silver slugs and
sold the metal for a small sum to an
out of the way jeweler
Thus had persisted from all SEM
blance of their former value the de-
voted gifts of a band of patriotic wo-
men to one of the South's idolized field
marshals.
Young Forrest and his family were
furious, and grieved at their irreparable
loss, and desired restitution in heavy
amount.
The express company refused to
meet it.
Then began the suit of Forrest
against the company for $4,000. The
suit is a historically interesting one
The origin of the spurs is recounted,
and so is that of the other highly
priced gifts. Aside from the actual
money value of the metal punitive
damages were asked for the senti-
mental value of the relics.
This remarkable case came up for
hearing before Judge Dillon
The express comany demurred to the
sum as excessive, offering to pay the
Forrest heirs the actual value of the
silver metal.
Attorney Hill made an eloquent plea
in opposition to the demurrer, and the
court took the case under advisement
Judge Dillon overruled the demurrer,
and decided that the measure of dam
ages would have to be passed upon by
a jury.
The case came up for hearing, and
the Forrest heirs side of it, at least,
was most interesting to hear, and was
eagerly watched by Confederate vete-
rams, especially the followers of the
matchless Forrest.
The jury, after much haggling, fin
ally rendered verdict in favor of the
heirs of the Southern hero. in part,
allowing them $4,000 damages for the
loss of the silver spurs worn and hon
ored by the now silent sleeper-Gen.
Bedford Forrest.