The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-04-18
SHE FLOUTS LAW
Woman Holds Up Deputy
>Sheriff's Mules.
The Seizure of a Sow and Five Pigs
For Taxes From a Man Leads
Woman to Unheard of
Action.

also, q woman who snaps her fingers
at the law, a deputy sheriff given
the ha! ha! and two boys in the thick
of the scrap about taxes unpaid ard
paid are some of the live features in
a hot serio-comic situation worthy OF
going into opera-bouffe.
And the serious part of this COM
plicated complication is yet to be
reached, for after the dance the fid-
der must be paid. There is Sc
rious situation ahead for the woman
for claim and delivery papers and a
warrant issued for fOrcible trespass
are now in the hands of officers who
step to the front in this performance
in Wake county of THE Law and
the Lady"
To unravel these tangled threads for
the public which wants it's nerves
iostled with new sensations, its blasc
languor stirred, its jaded the-same-
old-thing given a fresh twist, is the
purpose of this true story, which re-
veals situation of affairs right here
at home that has no equal in his
tory.
Now to the unravelling. There ar
rived in the city late yesterday after
noon Mr.. A. j. stevens, of Holly
Springs, who is deputy sheriff OF
Wake. He has been doing duty lately
prodding delinquent taxpayers and
Selling assets where taxes were not
more or less promptly coughed up
when he served the papers from Sher-
if Page. The deputy did story UNI
told, and in its unfolding narrated how
his personal property: to-Wit, two
mules two sets of harness and q
wagon, were held out from his stables
by an irate woman because he had
followed the injunction of the sta
toots."
1t appears that Mr.. F. NJ. Wood, of
Holly Springs, had failed to pay his
taxes, and power to seize some of bis
goods was sent to Deputy Stevens, that
the county and state might come into
its own. Deputy Stevens went to the
home of Miss Ida Shepherd, with
whom Mr.. Wood lives, and getting no
taxes levied on q SOW and her litter
of five pigs, the property of Mr.. Wood.
These he hauled away and carried to
his home for safe keeping.
The next scene is that in which
Mr.. Wood, having hurried to Raleigh,
pays up his taxes and gets a receipt
some two hours before the sheriff is
notified of the seizure, this having oc-
CURED on last Tuesday, the taxes be-
ing paid on Wednesday. Armed with
his receipt Mr. Wood departs for his
due time Deputy Stevens is notified
that the amiable SOW and her five
frisky offsprings are TO be returned
to the pig-sty, in the yard of Miss
Now it happens that at this time
the deputy was engaged in some case
before a magistrate and as the trial
kept him away he sent the SOW and
the pigs homeward by his two young
Iae. on Il on
being used in conveying the porker
and the porkerettes to their nest. Up
the road went the team, and finally
into the yard of Miss Shepherd, where
the SOW and pigs were returned to
their happy home which they had
left, when lifted by the Sheriff's war
rant
Then appears Miss Shepherd, who
locks her gates, and tlouting the law
in the face gives notice to the boys
that they must not dare to touch the
fence or break the gate, that she gave
these orders by direction of Mr. Wood.
The boys are in quandary. The
younger leaves the yard to start after
his father, the deputy, and as he gets
outside the older, wishing to give
further instructions joins him, leaV-
ing the mules and the wagon inside
the Notifications of Miss Shepherd.
She rises to the occasion and Tor
bids the boys to re-enter to put
foot back in the yard or to trespass
ON her land, and the young fellows
had to obey. Off they hurried TO their
father, while Miss Shepherd took
charge of the mules, the harness and
the wagon.
1t was at this juncture lhat the
game was up to Deputy Stevens, AMI
forthwith he hurried to Raleigh TO
take advice with Sheriff Page. A
council of war was held and lcga!
remedies were studied, at last some
being found which it is hoped viii
restore the mules and appurtenances
to Deputy Stevens. This was the hope
of the Board of Strategy assembled
last night.
AS Miss Shepherd has the mules,
etcetera in her possession, the thlng
first to be done was of course TO get
them back. To do this it was found
necessary to take out "claim aus. de-
livery papers This was done and
these put in the hands of the officer.
Next, a lesson must be taught Miss
Shepherd and Mr.. Wood, so against
the lady papers charging forcible
trespass in locking in the mules and
wagons were filed, the proper war
rants were sworn out, and Mr.. Wood
was included as an accessory, he hdV-
ing given instructions to the lady II
the matter.
incidentally in the case appears Mr.
Herbert Norris, attorney, of this city
He was in Holly Springs or legal
business and learning from Deputy
Stevens of his troubles, goes to Hiss
Shepherd as a peace maker lie adj
viseS her to surrender the fort and
return the mules and equipments, but
the lady is obdurate. She had put her
foot down and kept it there. lsumor,
which at times plays sad and scurvy
tricks, has it that the lady nail a pis-
toll which looked towards Mr.. Norris,
and rumor has it again that Mr.. Nor
ris exclaimed You needn't show your
pistol, you can't scare me, but dont
hold it SO high.
The papers in the case are TO be
served bright and early this morning,
and then The Majesty of the Law will
take it's perch, and lie case OF Miss
Shepherd, the SOW aid the pigs. the
mule and the harness, the 2ig-sts and
other interesting impedimenta at
tached to the opposing forces will &C.
cupy the centre of the stage, with full
calcium light effects
A PLEASING LAST NIGHT.