The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1909-09-23

upon the idea that lawyer and lay
man are governed by the same laws of
common honesty, and l am of that
opinion still. Perhaps the Tennessean
sees things differently, for its destinies
are controlled by one Luscious Lea, a
very able and far-seeing lawyer lie
could see farther into the telephone
business than Bell, himself, In 1907
he saw that it was necessary to have
some legislation before he could put
teeth into a new telephone system for
Nashville, and he got behind the
"Talbert Law " with all the vigor
in him, and it passed both
houses and went to the governor.
Then it was that someone else wanted
my good offices, and the first intima-
ton | had that | had ''pull" was
VIII en- the vivacious and energetic
Loollas Lea telephoned me from Nash
Vile to wire Governor Patterson to
sign the bill, but could not see as far
into the matter as the promoter, and it
appeared to me as so unworthy that |
refused to comply. 1t became law,
however, and then the Home Tele-
phone Company, of Nashville, made
the welllin "ring" for connection. The
Cumberland Telephone Company, al
ready covering Nashville, prides itself
on "quick service" and Immediately
issued S240, 900 in bonds for extensions;
and the Home Telephone Company,
with the right Honorable Luscious Lea
at the phone, "rang OFF, and the Cum.
berland is still doing business without
a rival in Nashville, badly as one was
needed before, when the same Luscious
was demanding a franchise before the
city council. AS the active Luscious
did not have a 'family to support
perhaps his newspaper hobby, the Ten
nessean, needed the money. If the
Cumberland Telephone Company is
satisfied, and as Luscious is lawyer,
it is closed chapter, unless the Ten
nessean wants to write about twenty
five pages about it,
Let's see about the trial that has
called for column or two of slush.
Judge Kirkpatrick brought suit to re-
cover his fee, and the case came on for
trial the third Monday of August, the
10th ultimo. | was subpoenaed on the
part of the plaintiff that morning by
telephone did not go to the court
house in the morning, and was not
called, although my office was in hail
ing distance. In the afternoon |
started to the courtroom and met AT
torney f. }. Vaught, who told me the
case had been continued until next
term. This was mistake; ii had been
pat off only until Friday, but | did
not know any better until Thursday
afternoon, when counsel for the defend
ant had a conversation with me and
stated that | would not be needed by
them. Friday morning Judge Kirk
patrick telephoned me at my residence
to come to the courtroom when | came
TO town. | came to my Office about
the usual time, attended to some du-
ties and went to the courtroom and sat
in the magistrates office adjoining the
clerks office for some time. If the case
was on, | was not called, and left there
for my office just before II o'clock,
the noon hour for my employees |
attended to some other duties and
went to dinner between twelve and
one o'clock. When | returned in the
afternoon the case was ended. The
instanter subpoena issued Friday,
August 20, on the part of the defend
ant to bring any papers in my posses
sion, and returned to office the day
after the trial was over, as shown in
the Tennessean, was not served on me
at all, to which fact Sheriff w. p.
Jones cheerfully certified as follows:
"This is to certify that the subpoena
issued on August 20, 1909, in the case
of Kirkpatric, Johnson & Miller, VS.. A.
Isenberg, ct al, ror Cy FL. Lyle, COM
manding him to bring with him all
papers in his possession bearing on the
case, was never served on Mr.. Lyle by
telephone or otherwise; and, if the re-
turn shows otherwise, it IS a mistake;
which mistake will be cheerfully cor
rected so soon as the papers are re-
turned to the office of the Law Court
clerk of johnson City, in which court
they belong.
"Given under my hand this Sept q,
1909. W. f. JONES,
"Sberitf Washington county, Tenn. y
The papers referred to were not from
Governor Patterson, and did not in the