Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1905-08-31


I've stood it Jest as long as I'm going
to. We've got lawyer in town now,
you know"
"Then you keep your hens out Of my
garden or you'll hear from that law
yer I allus thought you'd be pizen
mean if you had chance, and now I
know il"
Don't use violent language, wild
der, or the law will make you suffer
for it.
Horses, cattle and hogs always had
been allowed to run at large in Hills
dale, and the citizens were supposed
to protect themselves by keeping their
fences in repair and their gates shut.
1t was not long after the arrival Of the
lawyer that dozen different neigh
bors we're shaking their fists at one
another and threatening lawsuits for
damages done. In the long before
Jonas Bebee had given the village the
privilege of digging gravel at his
banks, to fill in the mudholes of the
three or four streets. There was no
sale for it at any price, and the more
they dug away his hills the better for
his property. But one day Jonas
rose up at the postOfice to speak.
Gentlemen, he said, this thing
has been goin' on long enough. It's
ridin' free horse to death. If any
more gravel comes out O. my pits it's
got to be paid for at quarter load. "
Whats the matter with you, Jo-
nas?" asked a neighbor.
1--WE jest woke up to realize that
I've got some legal rights in this
world, and you hear what l say about
that gravel. I've made fool of
myself by givin' the town about a
thousand dollars wuth but it stops
right here. "
When one Of the fifty hogs run
ming at large got under the front
steps Of SINNERS grocery in the day
time and grunted away it was Skin
ner's privilege to rouse him out with
pole and then hit him with as many
clubs as he could. This had come to
be considered a constitutional privi-
lege, but Skinner was to have his eyes
opened. One day, after having en-
ioyed himself with a stray hog the
owner of it came along and stopped
before the store.
"By thunder, Skinner" he cried
"lf you ever tech that hog Of mine
agin l Il give you lawsuit bigger 4
house !"
"What p shouted the grocer, as he
opened his mouth and eyes in aston
ishment.
"I'll sue you for damages and then
have you tried for cruelty to animals
I want you to understand that there
is such thing as law in this town
now.
Jim, do you mean it p"
"Of course | mean it.
"Then l want ye to pay up what
ye owe"
A dozen families in Hillsdale had
family wells that is, wells sunk on
the dividing line and used by two
families. No one ever heard Of any
trouble on this account, but the law.
yer hadn't Leen in the village a month
when there was trouble enough over
the wells alone to keep him busy fol
days. People charged each other
with drawing more than their share
of the water and with damaging the
pump or bucket, and hot words always
turned to threat to begin a lawsuit
1t was four miles to the nearest
justice Of peace, but within three
months of the lawyers coming he had
seven lawsuits to his credit and double
that number on the way. Everyone
who had one suit seemed to ache fol
another, and the party who was beaten
was prompt to take an appeal.
The crisis came when Uncle Jerry
Thomas, one Of the most peaceful mer
in the world, suddenly decided that
the Baptist Church, which had bought
g piece of land from him, had cheated
him and should be sued for a greater
price. That took in everybody who
hadn't any lawsuits on hand, and
Hillsdale was preparing for a fresh
campaign, when the lawyer suddenly
disappeared. His law books and MI
furniture were removed at night, and
no one knew of his going until next
day. Then somebody went up to hi
Office to see about a suit, and found
this notice tackled Oh the door:
"Notice.-Gone for good. Nc
matter where. All suits dropped
Don't owe anybody anything. but