[meteorite-list] NPA 04-25-1906 Bath Furnace Meteorite Lawsuit

[MARK BOSTICK]

Paper: The Portsmouth Herald
City: Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Date: Wednesday, April 25, 1906
Page: 6 (of 8)

A SUIT FOR A METEORITE

Ewing Estate Bring Suit for Possession of Meteor.

     The most unique suit ever filed in a Kentucky court, and one of the 
most peculiar ever filed in any court, had been instituted in the Bath 
County Circuit Court, Ky.  The suit was brought for the possession of a 300 
pound meteor which fell on the lands belonging to the estate of the late F. 
M. Ewing last Nov. 15.
     The meteor was discovered by J. Hugh Pegram while out hunting 
squirrels, and sold to Thomas J. Pegram.  The heirs of the Ewing estate 
brought against Pegram for possession of the meteor, alleging that as it 
fell on the Ewing lands it rightfully belonged to them.
     This was the main body of the meteor which was seen on Nov. 15, and was 
seen from New Orleans to northern Ohio.  Three pieces fell in this county.  
One was purchased by Prof. Harry A. Ward, of Rochester, N. Y., and Chicago 
for $800.  This piece weighed 12 3-4 pounds.  A smaller piece found was sold 
to Kentucky State College.  The 300-pound meteor has been visited by 
prominent scientists from many cities, among them being Prof. Collins, of 
Pennsylvania; Prof. Kunz of New York City, and Prof. Farmington, of Field 
Columbian Museum, Chicago.  These gentlemen made Pegram good offers for the 
meteor, but he refused them all.  One offer was made by an eastern college 
for $2,500, but this, too, was declined.  The suit came as a shock to 
Pegram, who was preparing to send the body to St. Louis, to be exhibited at 
the World's Fair.
     There are only three other cases on record by the world where suit has 
been brought for the possession of a heavenly body. In 1892 Prof. Henry A. 
Ward, of Rochester and Chicago, raised the question in the case of Goddard 
vs. Winchell, reported in 86 Iowa, 71, and it was held that the meteorite 
belonged to the owner of the land on which it fell. - St. Louis 
Globe-Democrat.

(end)

There is another Bath Furnace NPA posted on website, linked to the following 
page.

http://www.meteoritearticles.com/znpbathfurnace.html

I will try to post others sometime....

Clear Skies,
Mark Bostick
Wichita, Kansas
http://www.meteoritearticles.com
http://www.kansasmeteoritesociety.com
http://www.imca.cc

http://stores.ebay.com/meteoritearticles

PDF copy of this article, and most I post (and about 1/2 of those on my 
website), is available upon e-mail request.

The NPA in the subject line, stands for Newspaper Article. The old list 
server allowed us a search feature the current does not, so I guess this is 
more for quick reference and shortening the subject line now.