Three Suits About Four Trowels

Three cases in the circuit court jver four trowels show what expensve litigation can grow out of a small ■natter. The three cases are de;cribed below. The case of Frank Sharpy vs. Sdward Graf. Sharpy, in his affiïavit for the capias, sets out the folowing facts: Last December he was ioing mason work on the new resiience of Hon. Charles R. Whitman, ivhen four masons' trowels were stolen by some unknown person, jne of which belonged to him, one :o Charles Binky, one to Rudolph Graf and one to Jefferson Lewis. Only his trowel was afterwards 'ound. In April he found his trowel in the possession of Jacob Mack and took possession of it. May 2, Mack jot out a writ of replevin, but Justice Butts rendered judgment in favor of Sharpy. Afterwards he charges Edward Graf in the presence of others, with being a thief and with stealing the trowel he took from Mack. Henee he wants $2,500 damages for slander. Another slander suit growing out of the same matter has also been commenced by capias. Rudolph Graf sues Charles Benke for charging him with taking the trowels. He lays his damages at 12,500. The replevin case of Mack vs. Sharpy has also been appealed from the justice court.