The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1911-08-25
The TALE OF A PIG
Chief Justice MarshaIis First
Case as a Lawyer.
He OUTW!TTED A DEADBEAT.
When Marshall Sued Old Haskin
Smiled, When the Case Was Won and
Payment Claimed He Laughed, but
When the Climax Came He Wilted.

Chief Justice John Marshalls 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
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 Haskin's neighborhood. trusted him
for sugar and coffee to the amount of
81. 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
on. Swiftly following Marshall's I'M
furling of his shingle to the Fauquier
winds came Cohn with his claim.
Even the callow attorney recognized
it as q 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
suit, at which Haskin smiled. When
! 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 one plow,
which was exempt under the law; also
one harrow, also exempt; also huge
leviathan of pig browsing lazily in a
pen-a very Gargantua of pig.
That's the only pig ! got" volun-
teered Haskin, reading the lawyers
thought, for Haskin. also law wise,
knew that under the statute he was
entitled 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
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
bite to eat Over his shoulder he car
ried gunny sack. Haskin handed
him out a pone of bread and chunk
} of meat and then demanded quarter
for the repast. 81 haven't got quar-
ter" replied the youth; Thought yor
would give a Teller a little snack like
that"
"Not much" growled Haskin. "Wha
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 thu
pig and Wen call it square"
81 reckon you stole that pig" com
mented Haskin, "else you wouldn't sci
it so cheap. Here's your quarter
gimme the pig"
The youth disappeared with the quar-
ter, and Haskin, with the content O
one who has driven hard bargain
! carried the shote over to the barnyar'
. and spilled it into the pen where la.
] the porcine Gargantua. Coincidental
ly there rose out of the alder bushe
adjacent the forms Of young Marshal
I and another mantle other man wa
! the constable. In his hand he held
} writ of execution. He climbed solemn
] ly over into the pigsty and. pointin
l to the fat porker, said:
81 levy on that pig in the suit O
] Cohn versus Haskin," and he wave
his hand to q man who was wal1n
! with an empty wagon down the road.
"But that pig is exempt" exclaime
the irate Haskin "The law allows m
one pig"
4 You've got him there" answere
the constable, pointing to the shote a
he trussed up the big fellow and cal
4 ed to the man in the wagon to lend
D hand. 'You can't make your selet
. ton for exemption after the levy
= made"
"But the fellow that sold me tha
D shote stole him." urged Haskin, grow
!. ing desperate. 81 can't own a stole
pig"
J "All right" put in young Marshal
3 wholly unperturbed. ''Mr. Constabl
h just arrest him for receiving stole
: goods"
, But Haskin had fed to the safety {
3 his back porch, seeing which the col
4 stable, Marshall and the man in IL
! wagon hustled the complaining pork
aboard and drove away, leaving IL
y bewildered Haskin to ruminate at lie
sure over the intricacies Of the la
= which permits a man to keep even b
religion in his wife's name. but "a
ishes away his choicest pig from u
der his very nose