Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-12-27
LEGAL PHANT0MS
Popular Beliefs Which Have Sprung
Up, No One Knows How, and Become
Fixed ideas, Yet Have No Founda-
tion In Legislative Enaetnnents.

one owes u bill and goes to his debtor
and tells him that he is willing To pay
and then offers some trifling sum on
account. say 81 or even less per week
or month. the creditor is obliged TO
take 1t, utterly regardless OF the fact
that II creditors were obliged TO re-
ceive payment In that way II would
put most OF them out Of business In u
very short period.
There IN no such law.
In the minds of very many people.
specially in the country districts.
there is another firmly fixed idea that
II one person strikes another first the
person assaulted mhv then all but
pound the other to t.a h.
There Is no such law.
person assaulted has the right TO
defend himself, but he may not use
any more force than necessary TO do
that. To use more than necessary
force completely turns the tables. and
the assaulted becomes the aggrcssor
and liable for his excess Of zeal In
damages commensurate with the dam
order an undesirable person from: his
premises and To use sufficient force 10
eject him II he does not 20 when so
ordered. but he has no right TO acceler-
ate his movements with one or more
well placed kicks.
Many people who owe bills labor un-
der . strong impression that II is the
duty of their creditors 10 come TO them
for their money.
There II no such law
There IL a provcrb which says. The
borrower Is servant TO the lender"
The bank will not come to you II you
owe note which 1t holds for collec.
tion. out of courtesy II will send you
notice that your note is due dt Is not
compelled To do that J. but you must
go to the bank TO make payment.
In the country frequently and in
the city sometimes one is told that.
n n person dies leaving children and
grandchildren. the children Of de
ceased child. the grandchildren. are not
entitled 10 the share of the estate
which their parent would have taken.
as the father or mother having died
there Is no way whereby the inherit.
ancc can pass over from the deceased
TO the grandehlldren-i other words
the line is broken.
There Is no such law
The statutes expressly provide that
the children OF deceased heirs take
the share that would have gone TO
their parent
\ person owns a fruit tree and its
branches overhang the land Of his
neighbor Many think because OF that
the neighbor is entitled TO the fruit
OIL the overhanging branches
There is no such law.
If the tree sat upon the line be-
tween the estates the ncighbor would
be entitled to onc.half Of the fruit.
but being wholly on one side the owner
Is entitled to all the fruit and may go
upon his ncighbor's land and gather it
without being guilty Of trespass. II
the neighbor does not like this ar
rangcmcnt he may take his ax or saw
and cut the limbs OF at the line be-
tween the estates. but he must throw
them ON his neighbor's land. as the
wood Of the tree belongs TO him The
owner OF the tree may not like to have
his tree treated thus. but lie cannot
help himself
Two men own adjacent lots OF land
One wishes To have n fence between
them; the other does not Many people
think that one may build the fence and
compel the other 10 pay for half OF II.
There is no such law.
In such a case one owner may call
In the fence viewers and have them
ascertain the line ana designate which
part Of the fence each shall build
Neither party. however can compel the
other 10 build any particular style Of
fence. The mover In the matter may
want fancy fence. but the other may
build his half of any material salts
factory 10 himself. and so long as II Is
legal fence he cannot be compelled
To build any other
Many shopkeeI'ers demand that find
ers OF lost money or valuahles In their
stores shall deliver them over 10 them
as they own the articles because they
were found on their premises.
There is no such law
The finder or money ar other valu-
ables ON the floor outside the counter
In store Is the owner of the same
against the whole world except the
loser. hut IL has been held that II the
owner left the money or goods upon
the counter or nn Il table in the store
they We're practically In the care OF
the storekeeper aud he had the right
10 their custody. while he could not
make such claim 10 goods which
We're found on the floor BOSTON Globe
'ns. inespert Fish.