Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1910-12-02
MOST AMUSING
 AND INTERESTING Water Company Secures Judgment Against G.
 w. Richey. HOW TT CAME ABOUT Water Company Did Not Make En- try, Neither Did Plumber
 Ends in Court.
HOW TT CAME ABOUT

Little did Pine Bluffians think that "a man living in this city could escape paying a water bill and plumbers bill for three years, but this is what the evidence in the case of the Pine Bluff Corporation against G w Richey revealed yesterday, when the water company's suit to recover $14S,90 and interest, alleged to be dne it by Richey, was heard before Judge A. B. Grace in the Jefferson circuit court. But the water company's at torneys are of the opinion that all S we'll that ends we'll for the jury re- turned a verdict in the afternoon, af- ter hearing the evidence and argu- ments, giving the water company judgment against Richey for the full amount sued for, with interest.
 The suit though for small amount was most interesting. Richey refused to pay the water company the money, which was for water furnished him at his home, No. 1419 West Fifth ave- nue. for three years. ever since the destruction of the plant of the Bluff City Lumber Company on March %, 1907.
 Previous to that time MT. Richey had been supplied with water at his home from the private water plant maintained by the lumber company on it's property. When the plant was de- stroyed the water plant was also consumed by fire and Mir. Richey or dered Robinson Brothers to make a connection at his home to enable him to get water for domestic purposes The connection was made and the wa ter companys pure fluid was permit ted to flow into the Richey home. A report of the connection was made to the water company by the plumber, but in some manner the ticket was misplaced and the entry was never made on the company's books. At about the same time, though rather singular coincidence, the ticket from which the charge was to be made against MT. Richey by the plumber for his service, was also misplaced in Robinson's plumbing shop and no en- try was ever made on their books. The result was that no bills for the water Or the plumbing were ever pre- scented to MT. Richey.
 Shortly before the first of last April while driving by MT. Richey's s home, General Manager B. C. Fowles, of the Pine Bluff Corporation, observ- ed that the street in front of the R'chey home was being liberally sprinkled and upon his return to his of flee he investigated and found that Mr, Riehey had no meter nor was he paying for water service, nor had he been doing so for some months prev iously. He had a meter placed in front of the iRiehey home and on May 1 bill for water, gas and electricity amounted to about $S.75, was pre- scented to the defendant. The bill was paid and on the check Mir. Riehey wrote in full to May l."
 A demand was made on MT. Richey by the water company for the amount due for water furnished him during the three years previous, at the flat rate of $4S year. Mir. Richey re- fused to pay the amount on the ground that he had never contracted with the water company for such SUD- ply and that he was of the opinion that he was getting water in the old way, either through the old plant of the Bluff City Lumber Company or it's tributary plant at the Citizens Light sand Transit Company's power house He testified that he did not know whether the plumber had made the connection or not, and especially as no bill had been presented to him for the service
 Judge Grace in instruct'ng the jury, held that 1t was not for them to con- sider whether Richey had ever made a contract with the water company for the service. but that If they were satisfied that the connection had been made and that Richey accepted and used the water. he was Table for it's value to the water company. The jury returned verdict, giving the water company judgment for the full amount. with interest.
 The water company was represent ed by Attorney F. G. Bridges and At torney J. M. Shaw appeared for ths defendant
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