The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1911-11-24
A FAMOUS
LAWSUIT
BY M. QUAD
Copyright. 1911. by Associated Lit
erary Press.
BY M. QUAD

, 50 VI a. tuS 6uuuk. lille ne COD
tended that it was old and rusty and
ready to break. be offered to buy q
new one to replace 1t. Much to bis
surprise. he was allowed to do SO, and
he went home to say to his wife:
Martha. I've known Deacon Hard.
man for thirty. years and have just
found him out. Hes a human hog,
and If he ever goes to heaven ! want
to 60 somewhere else"
For two weeks after that the two
deacons nodded coldly to each other
whenever they met. and it gradually
became known to Bidwell that their
relations were strained. Then one
morning Deacon Goodhue set out to
drive FIVE hogs over to the weighing
scales. He had to pass the other
deacon's house. and as he came along
the gate was open. and all the hogs
made rush for 1t. He was trying to
drive them out Of Deacon Hardman's
yard when the latter came out and
raid:
by gum. Deacon Goodhue. but this
Is goin' too fur-too fur! You opened
that gate and driv' your hogs in on
me a-purposew
Il never did. and you know /
didn't"' retorted Deacon Goodhue as
he paused In his running.
Yes. you did,"
NO. didn't.'
do you call me a liar?"
Eyes. ii you call me one"
Take It back or Ill mop the ground
with your
Come out here and III make you
see stars!''
| Then and there the deacons clinched
and rolled on the ground together. and
they were choking each other and
breathing hard when Moses Schemer-
horn came along and separated them.
Deacon Hardman went straight to JUS
tice Somerfield and swore out a war.
rant for assault and battery
Both men had their friends. and the
public was divided. The only person
who had Witnessed the fracas was
Deacon Hardman's wife. but there
were other witnesses sworn.
Old Mrs. Taylor swore that she had
always suspected Deacon Goodhue to
be man Of violent temper and that
he only needed to he kicked to become
murderer. Moses Hunt was a mile
away that morning looking for his
COW. but he swore that Deacon Hard.
man was the sort OF man to lose his
temper and do awful things II he
found n strange hog roofing up his
hollyhocks. Abner Crossman, who
had known both parties for thirteen
years. swore that be had known Dea-
con GoOdhue to fall of haystack,
get mired In swamp and fight bum
blebees for half an hour without losing
the smile on his face. and he could
not believe that he had begun this
fuss. Opposed to him was Trueheart
johnson. who said he had seen Deacon
Hardman kicked head over heels BY
COW. run over by hog and knocked
down by ram and that he preserved i
humble spirit throughout and even !.
asked the cow to forgive him II he
had hurt her feelings.
Mrs. Hardman's testimony was that
she was washing the dishes after
breakfast when she heard her husband !
give grunt and rush from the house.
She followed him to the door and
heard and saw all that subsequently
passed. though In such nervous state
that she could not be sure of any
thing. She felt almost sure that
Deacon Goodhue said "by gum" and
devil" and "old crank" but she
be positive of 1t. She was
almost as sure that her husband
started to sing hymn and made some
scriptural quotation. but she might
nave been mistaken. She was not sure
VINO grabbed the other first. but she
'ouid> swear on the living Bible that
hey mad trodden all the cucumbers
htO the earth and broken down most
# her tiger lilies.
1t took two days to try the case, and
meanwhile all business was suspend.
q, including the sawmill. There was
y jury. and when almost everybody
town had sworn on one side or the
Their Justice Somerheld put on his
lost dignifed look and said:
This case seems to go back to the
oe and to Deacon Goodhue's garden.
Vas there any need OF the deacon
'orking In bis garden that dayi
What had become of his own hoe?
fas the borrowed hoe rusty In the
lank or was 1t not? r
Then there were the hogs. ANY
an who had ever set out to drive
le hog along the road. to say moth.
8 about FIVE. knew that the animal
ouldn't go straight for rod at a
me. He wouldn't be a hog to pass
open gate without making 4 rush y
r the opening. AS to whether the a
was actually given and who gave =
first Is a matter of doubt. The
me Is true as to who grabbed first.
'e there can he no possible doubt
Mt many cucumbers and tiger lilies =,
ere destroyed and that Deacon Hard d
IN emerged from the conflict with a g.
lnned nose. Taken full and by and Dc
OK and forth. 1t was about an even g
ing. The costs will be divided be- m
cen them. business resumed Mt 7 te