Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-14
JURIST WILL RULE
ON CIRCUS TODAY
Hears Arguments and Re-
serves Decision in Wild
West Show Fight.

Owners and employees Of the 1oi
Ranch Wild West Show aired their
legal difficulties in District Supreme
Court today in what Justice Joseph w.
Cox termed "one of the most unusual
cases which has come before me"
Justice Cox took the case under adj
visement and said he would render his
decision at 4 o'clock this afternoon.
Il don't know whether We have any
precedent by which these difficulties
may be solved" he declared, and we
must try to seek the best practical
solution" One of his chief concerns
seemed to be to protect the people of
Washington from having the 400 I'M
paid employees of the show turned loose
on the streets as Migrants.
The hearing was on a bill for an
injunction to restrain the employees
from interfering with the movement of
the show property and live stock. In
an answer, attorneys for the troupers
requested that the property be placed
in the hands of receivers and disposed
OF for the benefit of creditors.
Affidavits Support Reply.
AAAIANNCSs NOt&tt64l 1dtluIChu ana
H. L. Mccormick. for the defendants,
supported their answer to the bill by
Is aft1davits made by show employees.
They said the affidavits proved the
Western Show Co. Inc, alleged lessee
of the show was formed by Zach T.
Miller or the Miller Brothers 10l Ranch
Trust for the purpose OF defeating the
claims of creditors, and that Zach T.
Miller was the actual head of the show
until July s, 1881.
The bill for an injunction was
brought by w. e. Rice. successor trustee
of Miller Brothers 1ol Ranch Trust,
against the Western Show Co., Inc,
and four minor employees, as representa-
tive Of all the troupers. 1t is signed by
Fred II. Olmstead as attorney in fact
for the trustee.
Mrs. Landreau told the court Ohm
stead, who represents the plaintiff. also
is vice president of the defendant West
eru Show Co,
Jurisdiction Attacked.
Attorney Harry s. Barger, represent
ing the plaintiff, based his case in op-
posing receiversllip on the legal prop
osition that the court had no Jurisdtc-
ton to appoint q receiver to take over
the property of foreign corporation
at the bshest of general creditors. Jus
tice Cox gave no opinion regarding the
validity of this claim.
In their answer the attorneys for
the plaintiff stressed the grave danger"
which would result from green hands
being placed in charge of the elephants,
steers and wild horses, which form a
part Of the show property They said
unless these animals were kept In the
custody of persons familiar with them
they were likely TO escape and cause
serious damage or injury.
Mr.. Mccormick told the court since
Tuesday he had been deluged with
offers TO buy equipment and animals
one Of them, he said coming from the
Washington Zoo. He said a man in
Chicago Is negotiating for the purchase
of the entire show
Attorney Felix Duval, Ponca City
Okla, appeared for the plaintiffs with
Mr.. Barger. He gave the court the
history Of the Miller Brothers 10l
Ranch Trust which he said was formed
in 1921, and Of the mortgage held by
Lew H Wentz, Ponca City He said
Mr.. Miller was willing to pay the show
employees 50 apiece TO load the show
and transport it back to Oklahoma. and
that they would be given free transpor-
tation and food EN- route.