Court decides that Chicken given to Delbert Galliher by Robert Hemingray belongs to him

HUNDRED-DOLLAR ROOSTER.

The proudest cock that walks on Muncie soil today is an old game owned by Delbert Galliher. In the first place he has whipped he has been placed against both in Muncie and his old Kentucky home. He also holds the distinction of having once crowed in a courtroom; attracted the attention of the public; caused the expenditure of $100 to find out to whom he belonged, and, to see him as he struts around the barnyard it would be thought that some one had tipped off to him the great popularity he had gained during the past few days. All other chicks will look upon him with envy and should he ever enter another prize pit his opponent will quake with fear when he thinks of the greatness of his feathered friend.

This chicken was born on Kentucky soil and when a mere child he ached continually for a scrap. He whipped all of his brother and sister chicks and tackled the neighbors and became the great ruler of the chicken fraternity in Covington, Ky. He was owned by Robert Hemingray and is of that breed that has the distinction of not being a quitter but fight until dead. The rooster was brought to Muncie from Covington by Mr. Hemingray and finally became the property of Delbert Galliher, a great lover of game chickens. He cared for this chicken the same that a mother does a babe, feeding it upon angel food and shortcake and a dainty feather bed and blanket were provided for it in a henry. The first of July he took the chicken to the home of T. K. Heinsohn where it remained with the latter’s chickens until about a week ago.

At this time George Alvy, Kilgore avenue, laid claim to the rooster but neither Messrs. Heinsohn or Galliher would give up possession of the bird. Alvy entered a suit of replevin before Esquire Gray and Constable Floyd soon had the bird in his possession and after Alvy gave bond he was given the chicken. The trial was set for yesterday and it came off with great interest attending. Alvy and Galliher each had attorneys, R. C. Griffith representing the latter and F. L. the former. The esquire and the rooster were there and also a half hun­dred witnesses. It would not seem possible that a half hundred people in Mun [sic] Muncie would know any certain rooster person­ally but such was the case. Every wit­ness knew the rooster and had been ac­quainted with it for years. One side knew it by marks on its bill and the other knew it by marks on its spur but once in a great while a witness would come forward who would recognize its tail or the manner in which it walked or carried its head. Alvy claimed that the chicken was stolen from his henry on the night of July 1, but the other side proved that it had been given to Galliher by Robert Hemingray and was taken to Heinsohn's home June 20. Esquire took notes of the rooster from his bill to the longest tail feather and decided that the rooster belonged to Galliher and he further decided that all of the costs in the case belonged to Alvy. When the decision was given the rooster gave two mighty crows and was carried away by his proprietor.