Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-09-10
ERRONEOUS BELIEFS
THAT ARE PREVALENT
Popular ignorance as to Law in Everyday
Occurrences Cashiers Mistakes in Banks
the Finding OF Dead Bodies
Sunday Contracts

IL is an American prrdilcction to be-
lcVe the outre and frcakish stories that
are based solely OH hcnrsuy testimony
and to reject often the commonplace
matter OF fact. y list of the cheerful
lies that are commonly believed would
I'LL Il volume. Only II few OF them are
given below.
How often have You been inflicted
With the story OF the man who was
oNcriaid when c:lshng IL check at the
bank and the cashier telling him that
no mistakes would lic corrected after
The customer left the window? Ac-
cordinS 10 the story, the cashier laid
down the mandate before the cuslicr
knew the mistake WAS in his favor. II
makes an excellent yarn, but diliyrnt
search discloscs that IL never had amy
FOUNDATION in fact. Banks lave no
such rule. II II customer Is undergrad
or ovcrpnid the mistake will appear
when the balance is struck at the end
Of the days business, and the error
will he chccrfnlly rectilicd. But the
majority OF the public believe the ncti-
tlolls story OF how the fellow got the
best of the bank" simply because it is
II good story and they like to believe ii.
Probably the most common error ON
the part Of the public is the belief that
When II dead body Is found no one has
IL right to touch OIL move the remains
until the coroner comes" There never
was any such law. IL not now and
probably never will he. The citizen
who Is of an inuuiring turn of mind
has perfect right to examine the dead
bodies he runs across I'm the course of
his travels. TO move the remains and
even scarch the pockets OF tile de-
ceased, provided, OF course, that his
motives are honest That Is all that is
necessary.
There Is also prevalent belief that
a note signed or contract entered into
on Sunday is void and that either party
can plead the fact OF the sucred dny To
get ont OF II bad bargain. This Is not
true. If man enters into contract
or signs note on Sunday he is legally
bound and can have no defense that he
would not have IL the transaction had
occurred III the middle OF the week.
II had my back against my own
house when | struck this man." saws
The defendant i'll police court. He be-
lIcvcs that his proximity to his castle
gives him more rights than he would
have If he were in the street. This he
lief has been the cause of much can
tankcrous litigation, and it has ever
resulted i'll the ruling that man has
a right 10 defend himself in IL reason
able manner IL lie is attacked, what
ever may be his geographical position,
ana the incidental contiguity OF his
home "cuts no Ice" in the ease.
The public has great confidence in
the magic number three. and without
any reasonable basis for the belief. 1t
is commonly believed that il Il drown
Ing person sinks for the third time he
Is gone for good and ALL The facts
contradict this. Many persons die in
the first sinking, and If one has tho
strength and vitality to rise to the sur
face OF the wafer twice It furnishes an
excellent presumption that he will be
able to do so again. In an eddy or
rapidly moving waters people have
sunk from si.ht. Il half dozen times