The Monte Vista journal., 1920-07-03
Jesse STEPHENSON LOSES
The FAIR GROUNDS SUIT

'"c '"st pupIc entertainment being
the stampede" held last August.
which was n decided succ~ss
In order to wind up tho affairs Of
thc association and to carry out the
original intention and purpose Of tho
organizers OF the association, tho
surviving directors. W. J. Clark. w.
A. Maxill. w. A, Bronaugh. and J. A.
Kelley. who were by law auth
orixcd 80 to do. sold the said fair
grounds to the city OF Monte Vista
for sum Of $4,000. 90. the CONNER.
cial Club Of Monte Vista. ADVANCING
the money to pay for Il. The matter
would have ended here and every
body satisfied had II not been for
Jesse Stephenson. who II seems for
= number OF years had his eye on the
fair grounds and u longing desire to
possess the same. II laying adjacent
to his property. and who II IL re-
puted. gathered up more than so per
cent OF the outstanding stock OF the
association and through and by his
Arrangement with one John Fishbacn
who held one share Of the par value
Of 5000. of the association stock.
this suit was stared for the purpose
OF annultnE the transaction OF ths
property by the surviving trustees
to the city OF Monte Vista. and asked
that II be sold At public auction.
Fischbsch being used as catspaw
BY Stephenson to defeat the title OF
the city to the property. The COM
piaint OF the Plaintiff. Fischbach. by
his Attorney. Jesse Stephenson.
charged that Clark. Magill. Bron-
aush. and Kelley. frxudulently. un-
lawfully and In violation OF their
tsast made and delivered the Deed,
and charged that they connived with
the city Of Monte Vista. through its
Mayor. Major Corlett. to turn the
property to the city. This was the
basis on which Fischbach and Steph-
enson asked to have the Deed annul-
led and the property sold at public
auction. The city appeared by the
following Attorneys: James p veer.
kamp. George NJ. COrlett. Oscar e.
Linderholm. II. Il. Mitchell and H.
n. Howard. The evidence In the
case on behalf Of the city by 4 large
number of It's citizens and other per-
sons In the vicinity upon the ques-
ti0n Of value OF the property showed
that the trustees had acted honestly
and fairly and had obtained an sd-
equate sum for the stockholders.
On behalf OF Fischbach. Messrs Kerr
and Graves gave testimony to the ef-
feet that the property was worth
$4,000. an acre. which would tend
to show that the price paid by the
city was inadequate.
The Judge in his opinion held that
the property was fairly sold by the
Trustees: that the consideration was
adequate; that the property had
been dedicated to the city. and that
their every action was fair In
the business OF winding up the AFFAIRS
Of the corporation.
Il was a complete defeat OF MIR.
Stephenson. in his attempt to be-
| smirch and injure the reputation Of
the trustees, who are among our
very best citizens. and the trial OF
this case and the decision OF the
Court are certainly rebuke to him.
We trust that Mr. Stephenson may
regret his unpatriotic course in this
case. With his age and experience
he ought to have known that he
could not successfully buck public
opinion and the interests OF the
community. We recommend 10 him
for his careful consideration. ss we'll
a. consolation, the 25th verse OF
Chapter TX Of St. Lukes Gospel:
"For what is a man advsntased II
he eatn the whole world. and lose
himself, or bs cast away"