The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-01-10
St. Louis Canine CheWs Up
$50 Meant for Rent
To It's Owner.
LEGAL QUESTION A POSER
SHALL THE TENANT BE RE.
QUIRED TO REPAY THE RENT,
OR MUST THE LANDLORD
STAND AS THE LOSER,

st. Louis, Mo-, Jan. 1O-If a land
q tenants $40 bill, with which the ten
ant had hoped to pay his rent, shall
the tenant be required to make good
the loss or shall the landlord return
him the difference between the $50
bill and the rent, which is 81, and is
the landlords dog responsible agent
to receive money? These and other
questions will have to be decided by
Justice of the Peace George w. Riech-
mann.
The landlord involved is Mrs. Emma
Madsen, of No. 4,25SA, Natural
Bridge road. and the tenant Joseph
Bauman, who lives upstairs at the
same address. The dogs name is
Spitz.
She Files Suit.
Mrs. Madsen brought suit in the
court Of Judge Thomas P. Stanton to
force Bauman to pay $11 rent, due No
vember II. Bauman refuses to pay
the $11, declaring Spitz grabbed a $50
bill which had been given his three
year-old son Meta with which to pay
the rent. Spitz chewed the money
and swallowed it, Or in some other
manner caused it's disappearance, Bau-
man asserts. He insists that instead
of him owing Mrs. Madsen $11 she
owes him 50, the difference between
the amount of the rent and the $40
bill. The Baumans have refused to
move until the case Is decided.
Bauman was granted a change of
venue from the court of Judge Stan
ton to that Of Judge Reichman, be-
cause Bauman declared he could not
get an unbiased judgment in Judge
Stanton's court.
Mrs. Bauman, accompanied by her
son Meta, went to the downstairs flat
to pay the rent on November II. She
had in her hand the $50 bill. Before
she knocked on the door, according to
the story of Mrs. Bauman, she gave
the bill to her little boy. who asked
her to let him pay the money.
II gave the money to Meta" said
Mrs. Bauman, land when Mrs. Madsen
opened the door I was nearly scared
out of my wits by her pet dog. Spitz,
who jumped at the face of Meta. Aft
err l scared the dog away the boy hol-
Tered to me to catch the dog, who had
the $40 bill in his mouth.
chases the Dog.
II followed the dog down the back
steps into the yard and after a chase
captured him. pried open his
mouth with my apron but found no
trace of the bill. 1t was a windy day,
and If he dropped it anywhere in the
yard, of course the wind would have
blown it away"
searched everywhere but failed to find
the bill. The dog was then given a
dose of ipecac, but all to no purpose.
Mrs. Bauman said a few days later
Mrs. Madsen came up to her and told
her she would allow her credit for the
$50 bill. which would go toward pay.
ment on two months rent up to Jana.
airy II, If Mrs. Bauman would give hel
50 more, making the sum SO, equal to
the two months rent. Later Mrs
Bauman says her landlady refused tc
assent to this, giving as a reason that
she had changed her mind after talk
ing with some one else.
Mrs. Madsen said she did not see
how Spite could in any way be held re-
sponsible for the $50 bill.
Never Saw the Bill.
Il never saw the BILL" said Mrs
Madsen. Her little boy made the
statement that his mother had the
money hid somewhere about her.
did not agree to allow her two months
rent if she would pay me 50, but al
first I did tell her I would allow hel
the one month free If she would pay
me S11 December II. I will let then
stay if they pay me $11 and COSTS
Mrs. Madsen declared Mrs. Baumar
told her that she had $50 more which
she had saved up but refused to use
in paying the. rent. Mrs. Madsen is
a widow and is said to own consider
able property. Her nephew is propri
etor of an ice company. Mr.. Bau
man is a carpenter.
Spitz. a white Spitz dog is quite {