The Price of Petty Quarrels
A neighborhood dispute over an oar results in a court case that leaves the taxpayers of Mason County footing the bill.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Before the Justice's Court on Wednesday came up for hearing the case of Keelty vs. Freeburger. It seems that Daniel Keelty and Frank Freeburger had a scuffle over a pair of oars at the point on Sunday, in the course of which the latter threw a rock at Keelty, inflicting a slight scalp wound. Keelty swore out a warrant against Freeburger, but his father paid a fine of $25 before it was served. Then a complaint was sworn out against Keelty for an assault with an oar on young Freeburger. This case came up for trial on Wednesday, and the jury decided the defendant not guilty. Then Keelty swore out a warrant to compel Freeburger to keep the peace, and his bonds were placed at $300, which were furnished, but the defendant waived an examination and an appeal was taken to the District Court. The jury was not instructed and therefore failed in either case to assess the costs to either party, and thus the county must foot up the bills of people who go to law over trivial matters. This is not the first time that the cost business has been shouldered on the county, and it is fully time that the Commissioners took steps to stop it. It is altogether “too thin.” There is no justice in having the tax-payers put up for cases of this sort, but it seems an easy matter to do so. Most people would be reluctant to indulge in law, if they had the settling of a few cost bills. This case will cost not less than fifty dollars, in case it is allowed.
“It is altogether “too thin.” There is no justice in having the tax-payers put up for cases of this sort.”
Local courts often struggle with the balance between settling neighborhood disputes and protecting the public purse from being drained by frivolous litigations. This 1889 editorial reflects a classic civic complaint: that the justice system is being weaponized over personal grudges at the expense of the taxpayer.
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