Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 88, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 July 1898 — One Cent and Costs. [ARTICLE]

One Cent and Costs.

One day last week Squire W. E. Moore, of Newton Tp., drove a herd of fat hogs to ship away. The day was hot and when near Marshal McGowan’s residence, north of the railroad, some of the hogs were about used up. Mr. McGowan has set trees and sowed grass in that part of the street fronting his house, not used by the roadway, and in this shady and inviting place the Squire halted his herd to let them rest and cool. He thought it was wet hog or die and he wetted, and the hogs, thought it was “root hog or die” and they rooted. Whereby the Marshal’s street lawn was said to have been much disfigured, and as such lawns are protected by a city ordinance, he caused the Squire to be prosecuted. He plead not guilty, but later withdrew the plea, and entered that of guilty, instead. Squire Burnham, who tried the case, inflicted the minimum penalty, a fine of one cent, and costs. The latter were $5 making the entire bill $5.01.