Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1911-10-12
THE TALE OF A PIC
Chief Justice MarshaII'S First
Case as a Lawyer.
HE 0UTWlTTED A DEADBEAT
When Marshall Sued Old Haskn
Smiled, When the Case Was Won and
Payment Claimed He Laughed, but
When the Climax Came He Wilted.


When the Climax Came He Wilted.
Chief Justice John Marshalls fir
case as a lawyer was tried in Fa
Quier county, Va. 1t was the suit
Cohn versus Haskin, and the descen
ants of the great interpreter of II
constitution delight to this day to te
of the subtle strategy whereby th
budding jurist achieved victory owe
that case hardened deadbeat of Ha:
kin person.
This same Haskin, 1t appears, was
man possessed Of property. But h
was also possessed Of a shrewd know
edge of the law. He kept all he ha,
in his wife's name, excepting what tn
statute exempted from seizure 70
debt
In an evil and absentminded mo
ment Cohn, who ran a general store
in Haskins neighborhood. trusted hin
for sugar and coffee to the amount OF
S1l This was years before the erup
tion 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 Marshalls un
furling of his shingle to the FauquieI
winds came Cohn with his claim
Even the calIow 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 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 a huge
leviathan of pig browsing lazily in a
pen-a very Gargantua of 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 one pig exempt from seiz-
ure for debt.
The future chief justice rode home
pondering deeply. Next day he was
seen 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
bite to eat Over his shoulder he car
ried a gunny sack. Haskin handed
him out a pone of bread and a chunk
of meat and then demanded a quarter
for the repast II haven't got quar-
ter" replied the youth; thought you
would give a Teller a little snack like
that"
''Not much" growled Haskin. "What
you got in that bag"
''Nuthin' but month old pig" an
swered the youth. Say, if you gimme
a quarter in money I'll give you the
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 hard bargain,
carried the shote over to the barnyard
and 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 man-the other man was
the constable. In his hand he held
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
Cohn versus Haskin," and he waved
his hand to a man who was waiting
with an empty wagon down the road.
'But that pig 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
be trussed up the big fellow and call
ed to the man in the wagon to lend
hand 'TYou 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. 81 can't own a stolen
pig"
"Au right" put in young Marshall.
wholly unperturbed. "Mr Constable.
just arrest him for receiving stolen
goods"
But Hasllin 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
bewildered Haskin to ruminate at lei.
sure over the fntricacies Of the law
which permits a man 10 keep even his
lellgion in his wife's name. but raw
ishes away his choicest pig from IN
der his very nose
And. concluding. the multiple de-
scendants Of the great John also de-
light to tell how that pig sold for s19s5
enough not only to pay the ancient
claim. but to satisfy exactly the de-
nands Of court and constable for costs,
leaving not a penny over for the grisf
stricken and wicked Haskin-