The War in the Northwest 41 



It therefore became necessary that the Committee 

 or Court of Triers should again be convened, to see 

 that justice was done as between man and man. 



The ten men elected from the different stations 

 met at Nashborough on January 7th, Robertson be 

 ing again made chairman, as well as colonel of the 

 militia, while a proper clerk and sheriff were chosen. 

 Each member took a solemn oath to do equal justice 

 according to the best of his skill and ability. A 

 number of suits between the settlers themselves were 

 disposed of. These related to a variety of subjects. 

 A kettle had been "detained" from Humphry Ho- 

 gan; he brought suit, and it was awarded him, the 

 defendant "and his mother-in-law" being made to 

 pay the cost of the suit. A hog case, a horse used 

 in hunting, a piece of cleared ground, a bed which 

 had not been made according to contract, the own 

 ership of a canoe, and of a heifer, a "clevis lent and 

 delayed to be returned" such were some of the 

 cases on which the judges had to decide. There 

 were occasional slander suits; for in a small back 

 woods community there is always much jealousy 

 and bitter gossip. When suit was brought for 

 "cattle won at cards," the committee promptly dis 

 missed the claim as illegal ; they evidently had clear 

 ideas as to what was good public policy. A man 

 making oath that another had threatened his life, 

 the latter was taken and put under bonds. Another 

 man produced a note of hand for the payment of 

 two good cows, "against John Sadler" ; he "proved 

 his accompt," and procured an attachment against 



