Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 May 1901 — The Halligan Cattle Case. [ARTICLE]

The Halligan Cattle Case.

The big cattle stealing case of Halligan vs. The Sanson Commission Co., of Chicago, et al, opened in the adjourned term of the circuit court Thursday with Special Judge Lairy of Logansport, on ths bench. The jury was examined and the most of the day Thursday consumed by the counsel in stating their respective sides of the case to the jury. The plaintiff claims that there was a conspiracy between the Sanson Commission Co., Tanner, Dowell, et al to defraud the plaintiff, Halligan, out of about 300 head of cattle which he had sold defendants and upon which he held chattel mortgages, aggregating some SIO,OOO. The defense claims that the cattle in controversy, were other cattle than those upon which Mr. Halligan held a mortgage, and if one were to accept their side of the case without further evidence it would appear that Halligan’s cattle (if he ever had any) were swallowed up by an earthquake or something of that sort and the swallowing up process was done at a time when defendants were attending a Methodist prayer meeting and without their knowledge or connivance.

The taking of evidence in the case begun at 4 o’clock Thursday afternoon with W. B. Austin of Rensselaer, on the witness stand. There are quite a number of witnesses on each side, a number of depositions, and about a dozen attorneys. Judge Hammond of Lafayette and Foltz, Spitler & Kurrie represent plaintiff, and Hanley A Hunt, Ferguson & Wilson, of this city, and E. B. Sellers of Monticello, appear for defendants. Quite a good deal of interest is manifested in the case and there is a goodly attendance of stock men. At this writing it is not thought the case will be completed this week, but will run over into next week.