The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1904-11-10
COURT IS ADJOURNED

OOOAb ~ uOJVOeAtvAU
Greenland Insurance Judgment Set
Aside--Numerous Indictments
Returned--Report in fall.
Judge Towner finished the business of
the present term of the district court
which is the last term for this year, last
Thursday afternoon and returned to his
home at Corning. Thursday morning
he rendered his opinion in the celebrat-
ed case of ]. E. and F. A. Greenland vs..
State Insurance Co., in which Green
lands brought an action to recover on
an insurance policy covering the loss on
their big barn at Grand River couple
of years ago. The case was first tried
to a jury more than year ago, which
returned verdict in favor of Green
lands for $1,000. At the time Of the
trial the insurance company made some
startling claims that the good horses in
the barn had all been removed and old
plugs substituted, after which the barn
was fired SO as to defraud the insurance
company, but they could not make their
case stick and the plaintiffs secured
Judgment for the loss. The insurance
company appealed the case to the SUI
preme court, where it is still pending
and later commenced an action in the 4
district court asking that the Judgment
be set aside, alleging that new evidence
had been discovered since the trial.
The case was heard by Judge Towner
during the first week of this term, and
there was a large amount of evidence
taken, the sensational part being the
evidence of Richard Pray who testified
: that the good horses and buggies were
removed and old ones substituted, and
that the barn was then set on fire by
knew all about it. In his opinion set
ting the verdict aside Judge Towner
scored both sides, saying he believed
that there had been perjury committed
by the witnesses on both sides Of the
case, which was disgrace to the court,
but that the corroborative evidence was
in favor of the insurance company's
claims, and therefore the former verdict
was set aside. The Greenlands will
now appeal to the supreme court from
this ruling. This case has been one of
the hardest fought cases ever tried in
this county, and it is said that the in
surance company has spent great deal
more money in trying to beat the case
than the amount of the loss.
The grand jury made their final report
Thursday morning. In addition to the
indictments reported last week they re-
turned two indictments against Suel F.
Shaw, late cashier of the Pleasanton
bank on the charge of fraudulent bank
ing. Bond was fixed at $1,000 in each
Indictment which was given with Mrs.
L. A. Shaw, Downing Shaw and II. L.
Northrup as sureties. r. A. Bryan was
indicted for the seduction of Mabel
Spidle, and gave $500 bond with ]. s.
Bryan and /. e. Marrick as sureties. c..
Norman and Geo. r. Phillips were in
dicted for larceny of domestic fowls and
gave bonds of $500 each, the sureties
being G. j. Norman and wife. There
were also three other indictments re-
turned, but as the parties have not as
yet been placed under arrest they can
not be made public.
The following cases were disposed of
in addition to those reported last week:
PROBATE.
Estate of John G. McKeeman, final re-
port approved, guardian discharged.
Estate of Horace Brown, will probat-
ed, Mary r.. Brown appointed executrix
without bond.
Guardianship of Leila Campbell, final
report approved, guardian discharged.
Estate Of Hiram L. Peck, final report
approved, executor discharged.
CRIMINAL.
State VS.. Anna Hammond, dismissed
for want Of prosecution.
LAW AND EQUITY.
Mary B. Hidy VS.. S. J. Keeran ct AL,
1,~L e. y
approved.
Chas. Lockyear VS.. Swan & Leach ct
all, motion for change of place of trial
overruled.
A. G. Craigo VS.. Town of Leon and
others. On hearing the town is ordered
to place tile in the alley east of plain
tiffs property to carry off water by
natural course and plaintiff is author
lied to fill in the ditch dug by j. w.
Honnold in the alley and an Injunction
issued restraining the street commits
sioner from opening up the ditch. One
half the costs of the case are taxed to
the town and one-half to S. ]. Fluke.
Bank of Pleasanton VS.. II. Petty ct al.
on appeal Judgment obtained in justice
court is confirmed.
Hattie I. Wingett VS.. James II. Win
gett. On hearing plaintiff has decree
Of divorce with custody of children.
The property rights settled as per stip-
ulation, the defendant receiving the
home farm in Franklin township, the
defendant to pay to plaintiff within one
year sum in addition to the encum-
brance on the property to make total
of $1,000.
Elgin Jewelry Co. VS.. Mrs. E. H.
Mitchell cost bond of $50 ordered.
Matte L. Martin VS.. Frank W. Mar
tin, on hearing decree of divorce grant
ed.
Ed Burnison VS.. Harry Bond, writ of
error refused, judgment in justice co lrt
confirmed with costs.
Maude Potts VS.. John w. Potts, de-
cree Of divorce granted.
j. p. Hamilton VS.. Elmer Brown ct al,
Judgment for plaintiff for 5000, but held
that his mortgage does not take prece-
dence over Decatur countys claim on a
school fund mortgage or on Wa. Alex