Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-08-12
.P[GG.ASHER CASE
70 SUPREME COURT
Learned Judges Must Say
Whether Mrs. Asher Was
Wife or Housekeeper
FORTUNE is INVOLVED
Woman Claims Title to Iowa and Can
adian Land and $4,000 or More Of
Personal roperty-Brothers Of Elias
w. Pegs Say She Was Entitled to
Wages Only.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Aug. 12.-The supreme
court is to be given the opportunity to
say whether contract signed by
Elias w. Pegg and Margaret Asher
of Harrison county, was strange
marriage contract or a contract mere
ly of wages. Margaret Asher claims
to be the widow OF Elias w. Pegg and
because of that fact claims title to his
home farm in Harrison county and
some 500 acres of Canadian land be-
sides $4,000 or more of personal prop
erty and money. His brothers dispute
the claim and convinced the Harrison
county district court that the contract
they signed was contract whereby
Elias w. Pegs agreed to pay Margaret
wages.
Elias Pegg died Aug. 7, 1906. 1t
seems that some time in July, 1855, the
two were arrested for living together
and the contention of his brothers is
that she was his housekeeper and to
set the record and relationship right
he entered q contract to pay her wages.
She alleged that to set the relationship
right they entered into a contract of
marriage. She produced what she
claimed was a copy of the contract al
leging that his brothers had made way
with the original. j. C. Crombie signed
the contract as a witness. He now
lives in Council Bluffs and at the trial
of the case testified that when he
signed his name he was told that it
was a marriage contract tho he didn't
read it over himself. He says it was
read to him.
A daughter of Mrs. Pegg testifies
that she wrote the contract which was
very brief and in simple terms. 1t
read:
Logan, Iowa. July II, 1885. The
undersigned make and enter into the
following agreement and contract:
Elias w. Pegg this day takes Margaret
Asher to be his legal wife and agrees
to live with her as such Margaret
Asher this day takes Elias w. Pegg
to be her legal husband and agrees to
live with him as such during life"
Signed Elias W. Pegg, Margaret Ash
er. Witnessed to by ]. c. Crombie.
Joe Smith, a justice at Logan, and
Combie, both claim that the contract
was made in the justice office of Smith.
But other evidence was brought in to
combat all this and the district court
decided for the brothers Of Pegg. The
case has been appealed to the supreme
court and will come on for hearing
inside the next term or two.e
All the big American breeders and
importers of horses are to exhibit at
the Iowa state fair this year. There
are 65 Shetland ponies and rs head of
horses that have to be taken care OF
in temporary quarters, and where to
put the temporary quarters Is more
than the management of the fair can
we'll decide The Shetland ponies will
be taken care of in the old swine pa
vilion. which will make an admirable
place for them. Last year a temporary
horse barn had to be erected on the
grounds. 1t held about 30 head of
horses This year all the old barns
and the new barn built to accommodate
1O3 head of horses are full and there
are IS head left over. 1t will take
more than two barns the size of last
years temporary structure to accom-
modate the overflow this year.
There is no question but it will be
the finest exhibit of horses Iowa has
ever had. and one of the strong fea-
lures will be the Iowa and American
bred stock There are scores of ex-
h,1t to in
imals to show. Many farmers with |
but one pure blood mare are exhibiting |
them this year, which is the thing |
that the management of the fair has |
been for some years endeavoring to en-
Bob Burgess, of Winona, ILL.,, will |
show the shire horses purchased from |
King Edward of England. Singmas-
ter, Mcmillan, Masdam & Wheeler.
Charles Kirk. will all show Percherons. /
Leffebure will show Belgians. w. v.
Hixon and A. G. Soderburg will show
Clydes Mclaughlin Bros, G. w. Pat
terson. S. B. Fry of Ames w. W. Car
ner of Des Moines, Ray Bros. of Ar
lington, will all be among the fore
most exhibitors.
The American Saddle Hore Breeders
has this year taken an in
terest in the Iowa state fair and expo
sition to the extent of offering a silver
trophy worth SIS for the best five
gated mare, gelding or stallion. The
trophy has been received and is now at
-he office of Secretary Simpson at the
state house.
The printed proceedings of the Du-
puque convention of the Iowa depart
ment. G. A. r.. makes a book of 235
pages, and was turned out from
printing shop in Des Moines
Ice Cake Cuts Off Fingers.