Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 December 1902 — ABOUT THE COURT HOUSE. [ARTICLE]

ABOUT THE COURT HOUSE.

Items of Interest Gathered In the Offices and Corridors of the County Capitol. The Chicago Bargain Store bids were the lowest on poor farm supplies for groceries, clothing, boots, shoes and dry goods, for quarter ending March 3, 1903. Owing to “Honest Abe” being so interested in the Thompson tax case, was done in his court until Thursday, and therefore we will give no report of his proceedings until next week. —o — Judge Howard made a most favorable impression on the public in the Thompson injunction case. His rulings were prompt and impressed everyone with their logic, fairness and lucidity. Judge Howard is a very able jurist indeed. —o — Marriage licenses issued: *Nov. 28, Albert P. Taber to Leona Schwerdsman. Nov. 29, George S. Posey to Ethel H. Payne. Nov. 30, Thomas Earl Chestnut to Ada May Gay. Dec. 2, Jacob Sommers to Sarah Augsburger. Dec. 3, Ellis Jones to Hattie M. Besse. —o — Judge Thompson protested against Abe’s allowing the taxferrets’ bill of about $369, but Abe overruled the protest and allowed the claim the first one and the first day of the term, and we will venture the assertion that the county warrant was drawn at once and paid. Now Thompson has taken an appeal from the allowance, and there is still another law suit on hands for the county. —o — Abe started another lawsuit against the county Thursday night by cutting our bill for printing the election ballots some S4O. The bill as filed was a just one, and lower than that of any of the surrounding counties for the same work, and we informed Abe that we would submit to no cut whatever. He cut it, however, and the only thing for us to do is to institute suit, which will be done at once. —o — New suits filed: No. 6408. Daniel Coleman vs. Lillie Coleman: action for divorce. The complaint alleges that the parties were married in January. 1893, and lived together until December of the same year, when defendant abandoned plaintiff at Morgantown, N. C., without cause, and has since lived apart from him; that as the fruits of said marriage one child, now about nine years of age, was born. The plaintiff resides at or near Remington, and the defendant is a non-resident of the state. No. 6309. Thomas Aken vs. Benjamin J. Gifford; action- for damages. —o — Following is a report of circuit court proceedings for the past week: Alston Nichols vs. John G. Perry et al., mechanic’s lien; case dismissed. Town of Goodland vs. Perry; judgement for plaintiff for $76.98 and costs. The cases of Garret Gravenstuck and Edward T. Boyles vs. Charlee T. Otis were compromised. Caso of state vs. Kight et al., the Hancock-Kight et al case from Newton county, was continued for term. Henry Heil vs. Elizabeth Heil; action on note. Continued for term and clerk directed to notify plaintiff that cause will be dismissed at the February term. 8. M. LaMoine resigned as justice of the peace in Union tp., and the proceedings to oust him, because his appointment was alleged to have been illegal, were dismissed. Aultinan-Taylor'Co. vs. Gray et al.; action to quiet title. Title quieted in Hippolite Conrad, he to pay costs of same; verdict against Aultman-Taylor Co., as to renewal of judgment, and costs.

The case of Judge Thompson in behalf of the county, to collect about $4,000, which he alleges the tax-ferrets have been overpaid, was, on agreemant of all parties, continued to the April term of court. Mr. Thompson expects to spend the winter in the south with his wife and children, and for this reason could not well attend to the case at the February term. Judge Howard of South Bend came Tuesday, and the injunction case of Judge Thompson vs. the county treasurer, to enjoin the collection of the $1,300 alleged “omitted” taxes, placed on the tax duplicate against him by the taxferrets, was taken up and lasted until about 4 p. m, Thursday. The court reporter will make a long-hand transcript of the evidence and the case will be argued by the attorneys at the April term or court, when Judge Howard will return here for the purpose of hearing same. Judge Thompson’s attorney was Wm. Darroch of Kentland, while the tax-ferrets, on the part of the county, were represented by J. Frank Hanley of Lafayette, and C. E. Mills and W. H. Parkison of this city, and “Honest Abe” lent his presence most of the time to stiffen up the backbone of the defense. The case attracted quite a good deal of interest, and there were many citizens in the court room during the hearing. There seemed to be no contention in the evi-1 dence that any particular property had been omitted, but that the notes and securities had been undervalued by the assessors during the years in question, 1892 to 1900 inclusive, and the ferrets had revalued them. The Judge’s pass books, containing his bank balances on April Ist of each year were brought in by him and there seemed to be no attempt to conceal anything on his part. The two assessors now living who had assessed him a portion of the years in controversy, bore out his statements and everything seemed open and honest on his part. The assessors saw the notes and securities and assessed them at what they considered their true cash value. The defense had brought in the bank ledgers of the three Rensselaer banks, and the balances as shown therein corroborated Judge Thompson's testimony. The general impress on of everyone who heard the testimony, that we have heard express themselves, is that the ferrets had no good grounds for placing the tax on the duplicate, and that noting had been I “omitted” so far as shown.