Newspaper Tidbits from Rick B Sunday, March 19, 2006 "The South Bend Weekly Tribune", Saturday, January 15, 1898, page 5 MULCTED FOR FORTY DOLLARS. Cause Celebre From St. Joseph County Dismissed by Appellate Court. 2,157. City of South Bend vs. Jesse Thompson. St. Joseph C. C. Appeal dismissed. Opinion by Robinson, C. J. The foregoing is the record of a cause celebre that was carried up to the appellate court from St. Joseph county. The exciting cause of the litigation was an unique if not ornate fence that Jesse Thompson, a well known colored citizen, erected on his premises at 733 West Jefferson street. Like the gibbet built for the execution of Haman the fence reared its lofty head among the housetops and the materials of which it was composed ranged from soap box lumber to sections of discarded tin roofing. Not being a thing of beauty, though effectually serving its purpose, that of securing the privacy of the owner, the neighbors complained long and loud, but the courts did not interfere to authorize the demolition of what the complainants termed an eyesore, a public nuisance and an imposition on the neighborhood. Finally one night the fence mysteriously disappeared. People residing in the neighborhood heard the racket and saw queerly bewhiskered men engaged in the work of destruction, but not being their fence they did not feel warranted in interfering. When the owner saw "wide o'er the field a waste of ruin laid" he swore a mighty oath that he would have satisfaction. He did not seek personal revenge for the deed, but like a true American citizen stood on the rights vouchsafed him by the constitution and appealed to the law for his redress. He began suit in the circuit court, March term, 1896, against the city of South Bend and certain of its officers and Supt. Cassidy, Officer George Fish and Officer John Niedgodski, of the metropolitan police department, to recover the value of his fence and other proper relief. A jury of his peers awarded him judgment for $40 against Supt. Cassidy and the two police officers, the evidence indicating that they at least knew something abo! ut the destruction of the fence, and released the city and its officers from all responsibility. The case was then carried to the appellate court by the defendants with the result already told. The judgment must be satisfied and Jesse will have 40 large American dollars to console him for the loss of his fence.