Opinion ID: 1744526
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 17

Heading: Testimony of Marvin Hobbs

Text: We are impressed by the testimony of Marvin Hobbs and Orval Hobbs, whose father, Abner Hobbs, mined coal on the Northwestern lands from 1936 to 1951. Mr. Hobbs had leased a coal mine from John Hoover. Marion Hobbs, an uncle, also leased a mine from Hoover. Marvin Hobbs testified that he had lived near the property all his life, had worked in the coal mines with his father, that his father never conducted any business negotiations concerning the coal lease with anyone other than John Hoover. He said he saw Spencer Bovard with John Hoover several times, that Hoover referred to Bovard as a friend that just came down with him, that Hoover never indicated that Bovard had any interest in the property. Hobbs said he never saw Bovard mine any coal, and, significantly, he never saw Bovard around the property after John Hoover died, nor heard Bovard ever claim any interest in the property. At the trial he said he had not seen Mr. Bovard from the time of Mr. Hoover's death until this morning.