The Mena weekly star., 1910-04-21
POLK CIRCUIT COURT
The Spring Term Opened By Judge James s. Steel in Mena
 Tuesday.


 jurors. Judge Steel has been in very poor health oi late and is barely able 10 assume his duties in presiding over the court. New erthc'ess, lu charging the grand jury he seemed to forget hls physical condition at times and gave the usual strong outline oi the criminal law, urging the spe- cial attention of the grand jury 10 such laws as in his judgment the violalatiou of which were the cause of the greatest uuhappiness. He also urged the enforcement of laws which, if enforced, would tend to put check on other and greater crimes. Among these he dealt with the carrying of pistols, the sale of pistol cartridges, the giving or selling of liquor to minors, or giving away, selling or keeping cigarette papers.
 Theigrand jury is composed of: c. H. Jett, foreman R. II. Templeton Dan Watkins Charles Lofts ]. A. Cobb H. R. Graves E. H. Foe George J. Hazlett Calvin Bates F. l.. Jackson James Quinn w. M. Williams N. A. Gam John Combs G. H. Barnes Dan Allen
 After the grand jury was di- rected to retire and take up Its duties. the petit jury was formed and court took recess until after dinner, when the court took up the trial of the civil cases on the docket.
 While there are are a number of cases on the docket, most of them are not of great importance at least as far as the. dollars and cents involved.
 The first case to come to trial was that of w. J. A. Lewis vs M. w. Jones, which was called up Tuesday afternoon. It | is a case of more than usual in- terest This was the fourth trial aud resulted in verdict for the defendant, Mir. Jones. In 1907 Mir. Jones sold piece of slate land located in the east ern part of the county and owned by Mir. Lewis. for S2,000. Jones turned over $750 to Lewis, retain $1, 250 under the clam that he held an option on the land. Tn the April term of court 1908 Lewis sued Jones for an addition al S1, ,000, claiming that Jones did not have an option but was act ing as his agent and was to re- ceive $250 commission. After the jury had remained out over night without reaching a verdict in the first trial, the judge with drew the case from the jury and gave peremptory instructions in iayor of Lewis. The case was appeal led to the Supreme court and was reversed and remanded for trial.
 Then followed two trials of the case, one at the spring term of 1909 and another at the fall term of the same year, and in each trial the jury failed to reach ver- dict. The present trial is the fourth time the case has been be. fore a jury and the first time a verdict has been reached, which is in favor of MT. Jones. Judge Priekett and E. J. Lundy repre- sented MT. Jones.
 Other cases disposed of were as follows:
 John Pride ys. K. c. R'y.; set tied by agreement of plaintiff to pay costs.
 w. P. Park vs. F. H. Hamilton, K. c. s. garnishee; continued. N. M. Roach vs. Henry C. Bowen; case withdrawn. Hatfield Mercantile Co. ys. Henry c. Bowen; case withdrawn. s. $. Little vs. K. c. s. By; case dismissed, each party paying own costs.
 E. A. Toun vs. K. c. s. R'y.; continued until next term. E. A. Deseve vs. K. c. 5. R'y.; judgment confessed by defendant for Sl8.60.
 ]. A. May vs. K. C. $. R'y., dismissed for want of prosecution.
 Hill Iugham Lumber Co. vs. K. c. s. R'y.; judgment by consent for S5.75.
 J. w. Middleton vs. K. c. g. R'y.; dismissed at cost of defeu- dant.
 W. H. Stephens vs. K. c. $ By; judgment for plaintiff by consent for Sl6.IS.
 Rufus T. Chesney vs. K. c. &. R'v.; withdrawn from jury aud judgment for plaintiff by consent for $250.
 c. E. and c. J. Barnard ys. Farmers X Merchants Bank and $. s. Carder; jury trial and yer dict for the defendants.
 Some parties vs. National Bank of Mena; same verdict. 1 Percy s. Gill vs. Easley Mcars; |