Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 244, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 October 1916 — Case Against Claude Hickman For Stealing Nails Dismissed. [ARTICLE]

Case Against Claude Hickman For Stealing Nails Dismissed.

Claude Hickman, who was jerked \ unceremoniously before a justice 7of the peace who in turn as unceremonioualy bound him over to the circuit court for having taken a handful of nails, was in Kentland Monday for his hearing and came through with a clean sheet. -Lt all-happened this way: Hickman while working for a -man named Hintz, near the Lawler ranch, was helping fill silo on the Lawler farm. The rack which Hintz had given him to work with seems to have been m bad repair and at noon while at dinner Claude noticed several kegs of nails at the premises and picked up a few handful and threw in his dinner , bucket, thinking to repair the dilapi- 1 dated ladders with them. Maurice Gorman, Mr. Lawler’s foreman, discovered them and promptly had him arrested for theft. He was brought to Rensselaer and lodged in jail and was later released on bond to appear before the court Monday, Oct. 9th? But the plaintiff seems to have gotten hold of himself and was then too willing to pay the costs and drop the thing, which Mr. Hickman agreed to do. Mr. Gorman seemed to realize what an injustice he had done Mr. Hickman by his hasty act. However, in justice to Mr. Gorman let it be said that he was trying to stamp out an evil that seems to have existed around Mr. Lawler’s places. That of petty thieving. This seems to have been going on for some time, and Mr. Gorman thought he had a certain other party. He apologized Monday to Hickman for his hastiness and will no doubt be more careful in the future. Hickman has never before had the shadow of suspicion cast on him and naturally felt very badly about it. But he soon found that the clean, -llQlTOra'ijic—tiL€~ vfHyv 'llw 'Heto ttrW ixyj ICU, enlisted the best people in his behalf. Hickman in turn feels grateful to these friends, and has a kind word for Ben McColly for the kindness shown him.