Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 December 1901 — JUDGEMENT FOR $7,060. [ARTICLE]

JUDGEMENT FOR $7,060.

The Halligan cattle case came to an end at Monticello last Monday night, a verdict for $7,060 being given the Halligans, $6,000 against the Sanson Commission Co. of Chicago, and $1,060 against County Commissioner Simeon A. Dowell of this county. The other defendants were let out entirely. The judgement against the Commission company is alleged to be worthless, while that against Dowell is simply a waste good paper in recording it, there being no less than $1,350 —$919.37 of which is in favor of these same Halligans—standing on the judgement docket here against him at the present time. The costs of the trial have been enormous. The Halligans ask for a new trial. The history of this case is known to most of our readers. Last February a large number of stock or feeding cattle, something like 200 head, upon which the Halligans, of near Rensselaer, held chattel mortgages for about $13,000, were all shipped out of the country one night from Pleasant Ridge, McCoysburg, Lee

Francesville, Medaryville, Reynolds and perhaps other points, and sold and pocketed the proceeds. The Halligans brought suit to recover from the parties to whom they had sold the cattle and the commission men who they allege were in cahoots with their debtors to beat them out of their money. Then “injured innocence” played a prominent part, and to hear the attorneys for the defense talk one would be almost persuaded that that the rushing of the cattle out of the country was all a “pipe dream,” and the that Halligans never had owned any of the cattle and had no claim upon them. But it is a well known fact that they did sell these parties cattle and held chattie mortgages upon them for about $13,000, and to a disinterested observer it looks like there was a conspiracy to beat the Halligans out of their money, as they allege, and that it was going to succeed. A prominent republican business man expressed the sentiment of the people generally, Wednesday in saying that “a half-dozen of them fellows ought to go to the penitentiary” which was a somewhat astonishing remark as the local defendants are prominent and leading republicans, and the ring republicans seem to think it no crime to steal from democrats, and the Halligans happen to be the latter, although it is alleged their votes made Mr. Dowell county commissioner two years ago, when he was elected by a majority of only 3 votes. Another good democrat, John W. Paxton, whom it is alleged could not support Mr. Strong in the same election because Strong was “too close a business man,” also holds a judgement (rendered Feb. 12, 1901,) for $278.30 against Mr. Dowell. We mention these things because the fact that all are leading republicans has had much to do with sheilfling them from censure in this matter, while had they been democrats or out-of-the-ring republicans, no condemnation would have been too severe for the ringsters to shower upon them.