Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 18.pdf/599

 THE GREEN BAG of the court room. The occupant trans pired to be the constable. He had a sore leg. He limped in with a man who said his name was Willett, who wanted to know who the man was whom he had hauled up. He had not time to get an answer before the constable demanded Willett's arrest for harboring dangerous animals. The court declined to entertain the charge. The constable claimed he had the trap set and was holding it in front of the dog when the latter sprang clean through it and bit him in the leg. After declaring that he would remember the constable at election time, Willett wanted to throw himself on the court. The court asked him if he would interplead, and he replied that he would plead nothing, inter or outer. Then the court explained that he would have to elect whether he would defend the suit along with Leatherhead, or interplead. He then said that Bill Leatherhead owed him besides his buckboard bill of storage a dollar bill on a back board bill, and he did not want to mix up with him any further than necessary; therefore he would accept the position of interpleader with all its emoluments. At this point Leatherhead himself puffed in and claimed the vehicle, and was bent on getting between the shafts and hauling it away. He showed an offer in writing dated the day of the sale to Rahm of a reward of $5.00 for finding the vehicle. He had located it by telephone conversation with a neighbor of Willett's, and Willett had agreed through the 'phone to hold the property for him. He claimed a lien on the property to cover his reward, as the original owner was execution proof. The plaintiff, after stating his name as Buckingham Rahm, said that he was a native of Ohio, a hunter of big game, a horse trainer, and doctor. He admitted that while he took a bill for the buckboard he had not paid for it except two dollars, balance of three dollars to be paid next week; that the reason he got it so cheap was that that morn

ing the party had missed the conveyance from his yard and didn't know where it was, there was a high wind blowing and did not know but that it had blown away. Willett, the interpleader, frequently inter posed, denying Rahm's testimony as to his personality, — the constable being in the judge's chambers nursing his leg. Willett insisted that while Buckingham Rahm was known as such when doctoring horses as a quack veterinary, his principal occupation was "doctoring" lame and run-down horses and mules for the market while you wait, and that until the humane society got after him the most delusive patent medicine was none too bad for the purpose; that just "Buck" would always get him, for he was mostly a sport. The evidence of Wm. Leatherhead tended to prove his claim. Rahm interposed and wanted to say on oath that it was a put-up job between Bill (meaning Leatherhead) and "Woodchuck" (meaning Willett) for Woodchuck to get his bill for board against Bill paid out of the reward money. Willett testified that on the morning before, just after daylight, he saw an object coming along the road down the hill; that he first thought it was an automobile, and he thought of taking to the fields or climbing to his roof; but it was empty, and he ran out into the road and waved his arms and hat to attract its attention. He asked him self (Wood), "Would it stop? Will it stop?" then declared with determination "Wood will it stop." It was the buckboard in question coming along rear fore most; and it halted at his gate, and he (Wood) "chucked" it into his building. Willett also testified that he was a perfumer. At this there was a guffaw from Leather head and Rahm that brought several people into the court room from the street, when the court suggested that it would take the case under advisement with respect to the plaintiff and defendant; but that if the interpleader wished to say anything, for him to proceed briefly.