The Adair County news., 1911-08-23
THE TALE CT A PIC
Chief Justice MarshaIi's First
Case as a Lawyer.
He OUTWITTED A DEADBEkT.

Payment CLAIMED he Laughed, but
When the Climax Came He WiIted.
Chief Justice John Marshall's first
case as lawyer was tried in Eau
quier county, Va. 1t was the suit of
Cohn versus Haskin. and the descend
ants Of the great interpreter Of the
constitution delight to this day to tell
Of the subtle strategy whereby the
budding jurist achieved victory over
that case hardened deadbeat of Has
kin person.
| This same Haskin, it appears, was a
man possessed Of property. But he
was also possessed of a shrewd knowl-
edge Of the law. He kept all he had
in his wife's name, excepting what the
statute exempted from seizure for
debt
In an evil and absentminded mo-
ment Cohn, who ran a general store
in Raskin's neighborhood. trusted him
for sugar and coffee to the amount of
S11. This was years before the erup-
ton of young Marshall into the law.
! and in the interim COhn had given the
claim for collection to every young
! LAWYER in the county to cut his teeth
on Swiftly following Marshall's I'M
/ furl;ng of his single to the Fauquier
winds came Cohn with his claim.
! Ever the callow attorney recognized
/ it as # veteran among claims. How
/ ever. having nothing else to while
away the time. he took the case. Cohn
/ promising him all he could get out Of
! it, which showed COINS valuation Of
! it as IN asset.
Young Marshall promptly brought
| suit. ut which ,Haskin smiled. When
| Judgment was obtained, Marshall rode
out in person to Haskin's place and
demanded payment. at which Haskin
| laughed
AID while Haskin chuckled the keen
eye Of the young lawyer wandered
abo1t the farmyard He saw one pillow,
which was exempt under the law; also
one harrow. also exempt; also huge
leyisthan Of a pig browsing lazily in a
pen-a very Gargantua of q pig.
That's the only pig l got" volun
teered Haskin, reading the lawyers
thought, for Haskin. also law wise,
knew that under the statute he was
emitted to one pig exempt from seiz-
ure FOR debt.
The future chief justice rode home
bordering deeply. Next day he was
seen strolling around the outskirts Of
the town looking into casual pigsties
aid keeping his thoughts to himself.
One noon shortly after youth,
trudging along the big road in front of
Haskin's house, stopped to ask for a
bite to eat. Over his shoulder he car
ried a gunny sack. Hasllin handed
him out a pone of bread and a chunk
of meat and then demanded a quarter
for the repast Il haven't got quar-
ter" replied the youth; Thought you
would give a Teller a little snack like
that
mot much" growled Haskin What
you got in that bag?"
"Nuthin' but a month old pig" an
swered the youth. Say. if you gimme
quarter in money I'll give you the
pig and Wen call it square"
Il reckon you stole that pig" COM
mented Haskin. "else you wouldn't sell
it so cheap Here's your quarter:
gimme the pig"
The youth disappeared with the quar-
ter. and Haskin. with the content Of
Ole who has driven a hard bargain,
carried the shote over to the barnyard
and spilled it into the pen where lay
TIE pnrciAe Gargantua. Coincidental-
ly there rose out of the alder bushes
adjacent the forms of young Marshall
aRd another mantle other man was
the constable. In his hand he held a
writ of execution. He climbed solemn
~ over into the pigsty and. pointing
tn the fat por!ier. said:
g! levy on that pig in the suit of
Colin versus Haskin." and he waved
his hand to a man who was waiting
with ~ empty wagon down the road.
But that pig is exempt" exclaimed
the irate Haskin. 1.-The law allows me /
one pig"
you've got him there" answered /
the constable. pointing to the shote as
he trusSed up the big fellow and call
Ell 10 TIE NAN III the wagon TO lenu
hand. you can't make your selec- /
ton for exemption after the levy's .
made
But the fellow that sold me that
shOte stole him." urged Haskin. grow
ing desperate. Il can't own a stolen
pig"
"All right" put in young Marshall,
wholly unperturbed. "Mr Constable,
JUST arrest him for receiving stolen
GOODS
But Haskin had fed to the safety of |
his back porch, seeing which the con-
stable, Marshall and the man in the
wagon hustled the complaining porker
aboard and drove away. leaving the
bewiIdered Haskin to ruminate at lei
sure over the intricacies of the law
which permits man to keep even his
religion in his wife's name. but raw
ishes away his choicest pig from un-
der his very nose