Cohee vs. Brown, et al -1882

COHEE, BROWN

Posted By: Henry Co Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/29/2004 at 19:53:04

Burlington Hawk Eye
Burlington, Des Moines, Iowa
November 23, 1882
H.H. Cohee of Henry County Brings Suit for $20,000 Damages--
The Case Transferred to the Des Moines County Circuit Court.

The petition in the case of H.H. Cohee, a resident and practicing physician of Marshall, Henry county, Iowa vs. Charles Brown and ten others, a suit for $20,000 damages, was filed with the clerk of the circuit court in this city yesterday. The case was originally brought in the circuit court of Henry county, was transferred to the Lee county circuit court and has finally landed in Des Moines county. The bill alleges that the plaintiff was the owner of valuable property in and adjacent to Marshall, Henry county, that he was in the practice of medicine and enjoyed the friendship, good reputation and benefits of his business and reputation and the esteem of his neighbors. That the defendants combining together did unite and conspire to injure the plaintiff by the circulation of false reports against him; that the several defendants on May 22, 1880, violently and unlawfully entered the home premises of the plaintiff and charged with poisoning horses, burning houses and other crimes, claiming to have interviewed large numbers of people. That they wrongfully seized, threatened and overpowered and by force compelled the plaintiff to go with them against his will to a grove in a grave yard in the vicinity and that they detained him there and prevented others from coming to his rescue; that they proceeded to deliberate upon the plaintiff and placed a rope on a limb of a tree as if to hang the plaintiff or to terrorize him. They demanded of him how soon he could settle and leave the vicinity and should do so in a limited time. They voted and demanded that the plaintiff should leave within thirty days, and if he remained it would be at his peril, and that if found in that locality after that date they would hang the plaintiff. The petition alleges that Mr. Cohee has been greatly injured in his good name, reputation and standing as a physician by reason of these wrongs, wherefore he prays judgment for $20,000 damages, together with the costs of suit.