The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1910-09-01
WITNESSES TOO READY
TWICE THE RAILROAD PAID AND
THEN LEARNED ITS LESSON.
Missouri Farmers Scheme for Avoid
ing Lawsuits a Good One to
Begin With.

Missouri right Of way, Jonathan Cae-
sar I'll call him, who could beat any
man in these parts swapping horses
or anything else,'' said J. G. Yutz,
real estate agent of this city. Seems
like nobody could get ahead of him,
he was that smart. In the course
of time he noticed that the railroad
would rather settle small damage
suits than to go to law. So one day
when the sparks from an engine
burned up a little patch of meadow
that you could cover with a pair of
horse blankets he went around to
two or three neighbors and asked
them if they'd like to take a trip
down to headquarters at his expense.
This was easy money for 'em and
they all said, You bet"
This darned road burned up my
meadow over yonder," said Jonathan,
land want to see 'em about it. You
boys know that forty over there?"
"Of course they did, and though
they hadn't seen what the railroad
had done to it they were willing to
take Jonathan's word for it, being as
he was paying their way.
when they reached town Jona-
than took 'em to nice quiet place
on a side street, where they had a
good dinner, and afterwards he call
ed for drinks all around. They
went down to the Office building.
Jonathan put one Of his men to walk
ing up and down the platform, like
he was waiting for train, and post
ed the others up street ways look
ing into the show windows and gaz-
ing about like country fellows do
when they come to town.
with his company drilled 80 they
would know exactly what to do Jona-
than goes up stairs and asks for the
claim agent.
ST live up on your road, a ways,
says Jonathan, "and ship a lot OF
stock over your road; never had any
trouble till this, when your injines
burned up my meadow forty over
there on your right of way; the fire
spread and burned up seventeen pan
els Of fence and some trees wouldn't
have took g. lot for. I'm q poor man
and don't like lawsuits, so just
thought I'd call around and talk it
over with you
.The claim agent liked this sort
of talk and Immediately began to be
social. He took down Jonathan's
figures, suggested a reduction here
and there, which reduced the amount
slightly, and Jonathan very pleasant
.ly assented.
"Now," said the claim agent,
well have to have little proof on
this, you know; sorter matter OF
form. Do you reckon there's any
body from your neighborhood in
town to-day?"
Jonathan said he didn't know.
He walked over to the window and
began looking up and down the plat
form. Suddenly he spied his picket
and exclaimed:
There's Bill Hargis; lives right
adjacent, I'll call him"
BILL was summoned and entered
the office, cap in hand. The claim
agent interrogated him and he
promptly corroborated Jonathan's
loss; not only that; he said there
were several more men from the
neighborhood in town that day and
volunteered to fetch 'em. When he
brought 'em in Jonathan said:
Boys, remember the big fire over
on my meadow t'other day when the
wind was blowin' so. The gentleman
here wants to know about what you
think that stand" was worth; what
ever you say goes; I only want to do
what's right
"They gave the figures as Jonathan
had previously given .nem, making
such natural variations as would pre-
vent suspicion of frameup. The
proof seemed so overwhelming that
the claim was settled. Jonathan gave
his boys another drink all around
and their supper.
Next year about time things were
in good condition to burn Jonathan
was down with another claim for
fire damages. This time it was about
twice what it was before and includ-
ed part of a productive orchard and
a barn. Just by accident Jonathan
managed to find in town enough
witnesses to make the claim good
and that bill was paid. 1t never oc-
Cured to the claim agent that they
were the same witnesses