Circut Court Notes

The Case of Polhemus vs. Rehfuss and Wallace on Trial.

In the circuit court Friday in the case of Ratie E. Corey against the city of Ann Arbor, the defendant was given 30 days in which to move for a new trial and 90 days from this date to file and serve a bill of exceptions, all proceedings to be stayed except taxation of costs.

The case of F. B. Whittaker vs. Cora Babcock was continued on application of plaintiff.

In the case of the People vs. William Rafferty, the defendant came into court and changed his plea of not guilty to guilty and the court sentenced him to 60 days in the county jail. Rafferty was charged with stealing a bicycle and has already been in jail about 45 days.

Most of the day in court has been taken up with the case of Jacob A. Polhemus vs. William Rehfuss and Abram Wallace. In March 1898, the defendants sold the plaintiff a team for $200. Immediately or very soon after the sale, one of the horses showed symptoms of inflammation of the brain. After remaining in this condition, practically useless, until sometime in July it was chloroformed. The plaintiff's claim is that in purchasing the team he relied on the good judgement of defendants, as he, the plaintiff was nearly blind and unable to see for himself and defendants assured him the team was all right. The defendants deny that their judgment was taken but claim the team was all right when they sold it. Various witnesses have been examined on either side with the usual wide divergence of evidence characteristic of a horse deal. The case is still on as the Argus goes to press.

The jury is composed of the following gentlemen: Bert D. Rose, Wm. Hay, John Burkhiser, Nelson Dobbee, Chas. A. Morris, Wm. Tuttle, Wm. K. Childs, Wm. Cleaver, Michael Sage, Fred Bross, John Keelan, Willis McClure.