Breckenridge Bulletin; Nov 9, 1907;
WORKING THE LAW OVERTIME
Dispute as to Which of Two Citizens Owns the Coal Belonging to Railroad, in Court.
One of the most peculiar lawsuits ever started since Heck was a pup occupied the attention of the police judge, the district attorney and court attaches last Saturday. "Brocky" Myers being the complaining witness and "Jack" Zeigler the defendant.
Between Breckenridge and Dickey a great deal of coal is jostled from the tenders of moving engines and some of our best citizens torture the abominable local coal trust almost to tears by gathering it up for use instead of permitting themselves to be robbed by extortionate prices. Among these coal pickers are the two men who had the aforesaid trouble.
"Brocky" goes down the track, picks his coal and puts it into small piles to be hauled later.
Mr. Zeigler has a horse and buggy and whatever coal he finds he brings home forthwith. "Brocky" brought the suit up on the charge that Zeigler had loaded up and hauled home two tons of coal he had put into small piles.
In common with most everybody else, Judge Miars didn't seem to think much of the case, as it was the subject of jest, laughter and joke all over town, and soon as he could find an excuse to do so, threw it out of court. The particular point upon which it was dismissed was an error in the information alleging the crime to have been committed "November 31st" instead of October 31st.
Well, the county pays the costs to keep the mighty machinery of the law constantly oiled for suckers.
Oh, this is funny! Did it not occur to anyone that this was Railroad Coal? That in reality both of them were stealing to begin with? I'm surprised the Judge didn't throw it out on that basis. My, my, my, how we have progressed! Is this "Entitlement" 1901 Style?
ReplyDeleteGreat story, D
Brother d. I do believe the Judge threw it out on a technicality rather than let it go to trial where he would have to listen to why they thought the coal belonged to them and not the railroad. Hence the reason for the jest all over town. I can't wait for more "Brocky" adventures!
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