Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 September 1902 — The Circuit Court. [ARTICLE]

The Circuit Court.

y ■ ■ >’ . The fact that “Jordan is a hard road to travel” or at least has some hard toads to travel was exemplified in the case tried Thursday and today. It was the case of the State ▼s George Besse, a prominent and much respected citizen of Jordan ip. fie is charged with the not very serious offense of obstructing a public highway. A portion of the winding road along Carpenter’s Creek, and near Egypt school house and cemetery was vacated about 20 years ago, by the oom'missioners. It continued open however and has always been used as a publichighway, the new and shorter road that was to take its place never having been cleared of timber, nor worked in any way. This old road runs through some k of Mr. Besse’s land, andeome time ago, desiring to reclaim the land, he placed a pile of obstructions in the roadway, being a pile of brush and tree tops. The people of the neighborhood seem opposed to the dosing of this old road, especially as it gives a nearer approach to the school house and cemetery than the new road does. The township trustee, Mr. Bill ordered Mr. Besse to remove the obstructions from the road. Mr. Besse refused,■ and was therefore arrested and was tried before Squire Troxell in. Rensselaer. The verdict was guilty and a fine of $2 and costs imposed. Mr. Besse appealed to the circuit court. The affair has caused a great deal of feeling in the neighborhood, and it has been 4 a hard fought battle, with a cloud of witnesses on both sides. The evidence was concluded Thursday afternoon, and the arguments and instructions Saturday forenoon. The jury returned a verdict of “not guilty.” “Ool” Lee Richards is again in trouble, fie is the lad who was 4>taken before the court iq Jhe Spring term for a sentence to the reform school but was probated on promise of good behavior. He is reported to have done very well until a week ago, when Lee came to town and “swiped” a basket containing some ten dozen eggs from the buggy of Peter Foulks. Lee was put in jail again last night, He was taken before the Judge thisafternoon who sentenced him to the reform school. He will be removed in a day or two. • The celebrated horse case of Halstead vs Duvall Bros, and a lot more defendants, was decided Friday afternoon. The property involved was an imported horse which from age and. infirmities has fallen frm his former high estate, (? and come down to hauling carts or plowing for excavations or any other old rough job. The value of the horse was found to be SBO. Duvall Bros, are entitled to 114.80 for boarding him in their livery stable. Defendant Strickfaden, who bought the horse, when sold for the board bill can keep him by paying this 114-80 to Duvalls and the balance of the S3O, namely $15.20 to Plaintiff, Everett Halstead within 8 days. If he does not pay, then Halstead is to have the horse, and to pay Duvalls their $14.80. The costs of the case,' about sl6, are divided between the plaintiff and the numerous defendants. The judge in rendering his decision became quite facetious at the expense of the numerous parties and suggested that they form.a joint stock company at $5 a share and put the old veteran equine back into service, and declare a dividend forthwith. An injunction case from Morocco was heard before Judge Thompson, last Saturday. A brick pavement is about to be put down in Morocco, and certain parties ask for the work to be enjoined, on the grounds that the original petition for the improvement bad net a suf-

ficient number of signers. The judge granted a temporary injunction until the case could be tried. Oct. 10th, at the Newton circuit. Frank Oomparet, of Kentland, appeared for the remonstrutora, and Dan Fraser of Fowler and A. E. Chizum, of Morocco, for the town.i U- (xM.. There wks nd Court Monday, on account of the absence of Judge Thompson, who has gone to Washington, D. C. Tuesday Judge Palmer will come over from Monticello and try the Moore vs Porter case. The pettit jury will be obliged to return for that one case as there .will be no more court until -Friday, when Judge Thompson will be back. That day and Saturday will be the last days of the term and unless the Judge does some remarkable judicial bustling, he will leave 8 or .10 pairs of people on the anxious seat for divorces they need in their business. Those two days will also be the last of Judge Thompson’s term on the bench in this county.