The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1911-10-06
THE TALE OF A PIC
Chief Justice MarshaIFs First
Case as a Lawyer.
Ne ouTWITTED A DEApBEAT.
When Marshall Sued Old Aaskin
Smiled, When the Case Was Won and
Payment Claimed He Laughed, but
When the Climax Came ho WiItod.

Payment Claimed He Laughed, but
When the Climax Came He WiItsd.
Chief Justice John Marshall's first
case az q 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 a 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 discontinued mo-
ment Cohn, who ran a general store
in Haskin's neighborhood. trusted him
for sugar and coffee to the amount Of
$11. 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
furling of his single to the FauQuier
winds came Cohn with his claim.
Even the callow attorney recognized
1t as a veteran among claims. How
ever, having nothing else to while
away the time, he took the case, COIN
promising him all he could get out Of
it, which showed COINS valuation Of
it as an asset.
Young Marshall promptly brought
Judgment was obtained, Marshall rode
out in person to Haskin's place and
demanded payment, at which Haskin
laughed.
And while Haskin chuckled the keen
eye Of the young lawyer wandered
about the farmyard. He saw n pillow,
which was exemp under the law; also
one harrow. also exempt; also a huge
leviathan of a pig browsing lazily in a
pen-a very G%argantua of a 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
entitled to n pig exempt from seiz-
ure for debt.
The future chief justice rode home
bordering deeply. Next day he was
seer stroIling around the outskirts Of
the town looking into casual pigsties
and keeping his thoughts to himself.
One noon shortly after a 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 n gunny sack. Haskin handed
him out a pone of bread and a chunk
of meat and then demanded a quarter
for the repast. Il haven't got a quar-
ter" replied the youth; thought you
would give q Teller a little snack like
that
"Not much" growled Haskin. What
you got in that bag"
"Nuthin' but Il month old pig an
a 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
one who has driven a hard bargain,
carried the shote over to the barnyard
md spilled it into the pen where lay
the porcine Gargantua. Coincidental-
ly there rose out of the alder bushes
adjacent the forms of young Marshall
and another mantle other man was
the constable. In his hand he held a
writ Of execution. He climbed solemn
ly over into the pigsty and. pointing
to the fat porker. said:
Il levy on that pig in the suit Of
COIN versus Haskin," and he waved
his hand to a maj who was waiting
with an eapty wagon down the road.
"But that pic is exempt exclaimed
the irate Haskin. 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
ed to the man in the wagon to lend a
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. II 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 n
stable. Marshall and the man in the
wagon hustled the complaining porker
aboard and drove away. leaving the
tewildered Haskin to ruminate at lei
sure over the i~ntricacies Of the law
which permits a man to keep even his
religion in his wife's name. but a v
ishes away his choicest pig from un-
1 Aov hts ~,o~~ ,,OCo