The Sheriff’s Mercy in Union

A year or so ago, Mr. Levi Laws, of Union, whose family consisted of a wife and half a dozen small children, contracted a bill at the store of Chas. S. Custer for groceries, etc., to the amount of about $80. Levi is a coal miner, and work being very slack at Union, he was unable to pay his bill. Finally, the fire fiend came along and destroyed Mr. Custer’s store, leaving him almost penniless, and he found it necessary to force the collection of all bills due him in order to get on his feet again. He sued, among others, Levi Laws, and got a judgment. Levi made no headway in paying the judgment, and Custer had an execution issued and the house and lot sold. The costs by this time, together with the bill, amounted to $97. When the property was sold, Custer bid it in, as he had a perfect right to do. Finally, Laws refused to pay rent or vacate the property, and considerable of a rumpus was kicked up. Custer wanted possession, and Laws declared he had no right to it. The result was that the Sheriff was forced to serve a writ to eject Laws and his family from the premises. A warrant was issued out of Justice Hill’s Court and placed in Sheriff McGraw’s hands. The Sheriff went out yesterday, but he did not eject anybody for this reason: he called at the house and found Mrs. Laws, surrounded by her six children, the oldest not over nine years of age and the youngest only three weeks old. The house was scantily furnished, though rather neatly kept. He inquired for Mr. Laws and was told that he was at work in the mines. Going over to the mines, he had a long talk with the man, who appeared not to understand that the Court had a right to order his property sold, but after the Sheriff explained matters to him, he became more reasonable. He said the mines did not run regularly, and that he had had but eight days work in two months. After investigating the matter, the Sheriff saw there was but two courses to the dilemma: either turn the man and his family out of the house, and let them become county charges, or make some arrangements to allow him to reside in the house. Mr. McGraw called to see Mr. Custer, who said he would turn the place over to Levi upon the payment of his original bill and the costs he had paid out, amounting all told to $97. This matter was laid before the superintendent of the Union mine, who said the miners would raise among themselves at least $100 for the purpose of keeping one of their homes, and Mr. McGraw today will call on some parties here in town who are also said to have headed the list with $10. In this manner it is thought the whole affair can be arranged amicably and satisfactorily.