The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1908-04-24

4 nOTDl0g else N1db 4 cUlilu W ~ sup.
port my familp Mr.. Harris lost
/ his siligs by reason Of the fact that
/ it seems there was superior out.
standing title to portions Of the
! lake that he had not acquired. 1
came back and went into the fish
/ business in Union City, handling
! r Re Reflect & axe fish. Mr.. j. e.
Wells, who was Mr.. Harris attor-
ney, always talked frankly and
honestly with me about this litiga-
ton, and seemed to sympathize
| with me, saying that I had an une-
quail break in fighting Mr. Harris.
He frankly told me SO, and told me
that Mr.. Harris had acquired the
other outstanding title and would
1enioin me again from fishing and,
buying and selling Reelfoot Lake
fish, that it was utterly futile for
me to continue the struggle longer,
as the fishermen had shown in the
past that thev would not supports
me in financial way, and as was
not able to carry the burden my
self. | then consulted my friends
and they told me that | was con-
fronted with a serious proposition.
Having given my life to this
business, too old to learn a new
business, there wsD nothing left
for me to do butt ent the privilege
of fishing fNK Mr.. Harris, if 4
could do So My attorneys, whom
| had had for years could not show
me any way which ! could further
resist Mr. Harris. | wish to state
this: That | was offered the very
title that Mr.. Harris acquired to
strengthen his title to the lake, but
declined to purchase it or to 90
into any partnership or corpora
ton for that purpose, as ! had no
desire to control Reelfoot Lake,
and would not be party to such
thing. All | wanted then and now
is the privilege of conducting q
peaceful, lawful and Legitimate
business Of buying and selling fish
whenever | can get them and to
whomsoever | could sell them.
In order to get the benefit of my
rent contract with Mr.. Harris and
carry out his instructions and con-
tract had with him ! rented the
exclusive privilege Of fishing on
the lake but never forbade anyone
from fishing there for their own
use or for pleasure, and ] always
paid the highest maket price for
fish. Before / would make q con-
tract with Mr.. Harris to rent the,
lake / told him that Mr. Ward
who ran the only other fish a
on the lake except Mr.. Hq
himself, would have to be pro
ed; THAI | would not do anyt
to take the living away from
or any other man, and kept
Harris il Union City a day
in order that might get a
and drive to Walnut log
lake and see Mr.. Ward and
him back to Union City.
Mr.. Ward came to Union
had consultation with /
neys and they held the NJ
for some days befoready
definitely. | told Mr..
would 90 ahead and close
tract with Mr.. Harris,
did, but that if after adv
his lawyers | would ALLOW
privilege under my col
running his dock and haI
fish business in Reelfoot a
desired it. After he and
yers had taken the mat
advisement they decided
thing for Mr.. Ward to ID
/ had done, that is, 5oy
for the privilege; be / 10 I'D
agreed to pay me $25 per u
w lille | was paying
per month, this made the $12
per month which was I'D ~
Harris. 1t has been o
this was a put-up job
never paid this rent
checks and vouchers
any man on this p1i
wants to know the tn
made this trade | -
being a traitor to
and this sentiment
by three or four mel
to 60 into the fish - I|||||
had been established
Mr.. Harris. They prd
to work to prejudice th5
against me; starting thd
and under the guise of
to the fishermen induced G
men to sell their fish to iii
Harris, in order to prote
my lease, enjoined thes
from fishing and dealing
foot Lake fish. These in nfi
were dissolved and the defend
put under bond for cost aud 4
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