USA > Indiana > Courts and lawyers of Indiana, Volume II > Part 20
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ASSOCIATE JUDGES.
.John Ross April 26, 1830; resigned, March, 1834.
Samuel Mitchell April 26. 1830.
Joseph Wood August 14, 1832, vice Johu Ross (resigned). to serve seven years from April 26, 1830.
.John Brown August 16. 1836, to serve seven years from April 26, 1837.
John F. Aughe August 16, 1836, to serve seven years from April 26, 1837.
Cyrus P. Pence August 10, 1843, to serve seven years from April 26, 1844.
Thomas Kinnard. August 10, 1843, to serve seven years from April 26, 1844; resigned, July, 1847.
James Purdum, Jr. October 16, 1847. to serve seven years from April 26, 1844, vice Thomas Kinnard, resigned.
James Purdum, Jr. August 22, 1850, to serve seven years from April 26, 1850. Michael L. Hinton August 22, 1850, to serve seven years from April 26, 1850.
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PROBATE JUDGES.
William Douglass November 4. 1830.
Nathan Kirk
August 18, 1832.
William Donglass August 15, 1839.
William Douglass Angust 15. 1846; removed from county prior to April 17, 1851.
Noah T. Catterlin
April 17, 1851, appointed.
Edwin Winship August 26, 1851, to serve seven years from date ..
COMMON PLEAS JUDGES.
John W. Blake 1852-56, resigned.
Robert P. Davison Appointed August 20, 1856-October 28, 1856.
Jonathan C. Applegate __ 1856-60.
John Green 1860-64.
Nathaniel R. Lindsey 1864-65, resigned.
William Garver Appointed February 4. 1865-67.
Thomas J. Cason
Appointed March 14, 1867-71.
Truman H. Palmer 1871-73.
DISTRICT PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.
Robert P. Davisson 1852-56, resigned.
Leander McClung
Appointed August 25, 1856-58.
John B. Kane 1858-60.
Nathan W. Gordon
1860-61.
Joel Stafford 1861-62.
Thomas S. Underhill 1862-64.
James A. Strech 1864-66.
Levi Farley
1866, resigned.
Angust F. Shirts Appointed November 17. 1866-67. Act of March 11, 1867. placed Clintou in Twenty-fourth district.
Samuel H. Doval Appointed March 14, 1867-70.
James V. Kemp. 1870-72.
Gilbert H. Goodwin 1872-73.
PRESIDENT JUDGES.
From the time of the organization of Clinton county, March 1, 1830, until the adoption of the new Constitution in 1852, it was in the First circuit and only two Judges served on the bench of the Circuit court in this county. John R. Porter was on the bench of the First at the time of the o" ganization of the county and served until January 27, 1838, when he was succeeded by Isaac Naylor, who served until the new Constitution went into effect on October 12, 1852.
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COURTS AND LAWYERS OF INDIANA
CIRCUIT JUDGES.
William P. Bryant. October 12, 1852-November 1, 1858. Eighth cir-
cuit.
John M. Cowan November 1, 1858-November 1, 1870. The act of Thomas F. Davidson __ November 1, 1870-March 6, 1873. March 6, 1873, put Clinton in the Twentieth.
Truman H. Palmer Appointed March 12, 1873-October 24, 1879.
Thomas J. Terhune. October 24. 1879-March 2, 1883. The act of March 2, 1883, made Clinton the sole county of the Forty- fifth, where it has since remained.
Joseph C. Suit. Appointed March 8. 1883-November 12, 1884.
Allen E. Page November 12, 1884-November 12. 1890.
Samuel H. Doyal November 12, 1890-November 12, 1896.
James V. Kent November 12, 1896-November 12, 1902.
Joseph Claybaugh November 12, 1902-November 12, 1908.
Joseph Coombs. November 12, 1908; term expires November 12, 1920.
PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS,
Edward A. Hannegan_March 1, 1830-January 25, 1832. First circuit.
Andrew Ingram January 25, 1832-January 23, 1834.
William P. Bryant January 23, 1834-January 23, 1838.
Joseph A. Wright
January 23, 1838-December 5, 1839.
Samuel C. Wilson
December 5, 1839-September 4, 1843, resigned.
Joseph E. McDonald.
Appointed September 4, 1843-September 19, 1847.
Lew Wallace
August 18, 1851-May 14, 1853. The act of June 17, 1852, put Clinton in the Eighth and transferred Wallace from the First to the Eighth.
Daniel W. Voorhees May 14, 1853; resigned July 24, 1854.
Samuel L. Telford Appointed July 24, 1854-November 7, 1854.
Charles A. Naylor November 7. 1854-February 9, 1855.
James M. Allen. Appointed February 20, 1855-May 30, 1856.
Henry Shannon Appointed May 30, 1856-November 2, 1856.
Thomas N. Rice November 2, 1856-November 12, 1858.
Robert W. Harrison November 12. 1858-November 12, 1862.
Samuel F. Wood.
November 12. 1862; resigned October 12, 1868.
Ilorton C. Patterson Appointed October 12, 1868-November 3, 1868.
Robert B. F. Peirce November 3, 1868-March 6, 1873.
The act of
March 6, 1873, put Clinton in the Twentieth.
Gilbert H. Goodwin Appointed March 12, 1873-October 24, 1873.
William B. Walls. October 24. 1873-October 24, 1875.
Henry C. Wills. October 24, 1875-October 24, 1877.
William R. Moore. October 24, 1877-October 24, 1881.
Francis M. Charlton October 24, 1881-March 2, 1883. The act of March
2, 1883, made Clinton the sole county of the Forty- fifth, where it has since remained.
William R. Hines -Appointed March 2, 1883-November 14, 1884.
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William A. Staley. November 14, 1884-November 14, 1886.
Mauford B. Beard November 14, 1886-November 14, 1890.
Joseph Combs November 14, 1890-November 14, 1892.
N. B. Claybaugh .November 14, 1892-November 14, 1896.
William L. Palmer November 14, 1896-November 14, 1898.
William S. Sims
November 14, 1898-January 1, 1901.
Arthur L. McGuire.
January 1, 1901-January 1, 1903.
George V. Moss.
January 1, 1903-January 1, 1907.
William Robinson January 1, 1907-January 1, 1911.
Dallas S. Holman
January 1, 1911; resigned September 25, 1911.
Charles G. Gunter Appointed September 25, 1911; term expires Jan- uary 1, 1917.
CRAWFORD COUNTY.
Crawford county was organized by the Legislature on January 29, 1818, and the act became effective on the 1st of the following March. Prior to this time the county had been a part of Harrison county, which had been organized Octo- ber 11, 1808. Probably no county in the state has had so much difficulty in getting its county seat located as has Craw- ford, and, owing to the fact that the early records are not com- plete, it is practically impossible to trace the various struggles through which the county has gone in an effort to get its coun- ty seat located.
The commissioners who were designated in the act creat- ing the county to locate the seat of justice, selected Mount Sterling, which at that time was the only village platted in the county. Within three years, however, the citizens of the county appealed to the Legislature for an act providing for the relocation of the seat of justice, and the act of December 21, 1821, specifically said that the county seat was to be moved from "Mountsterling." It was taken to Fredonia, a town on the Ohio, and it seems to have been kept there until 1843. At least an act of the Legislature passed January 4, of that year, provided for its removal from that place. The third county seat was Leavenworth, and in this village a solid stone court house was erected in 1846 at a cost of five thousand dollars.
The next chapter in the history of the county seat opened in 1893. A short time prior to this date, the Southern rail- road had been built through the county and the citizens at once began to agitate the removal of the seat of justice to some
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COURTS AND LAWYERS OF INDIANA
site on the railroad. The present town of English had been laid out on the railroad under the name of Hartford, but while William H. English was in Congress he obtained the location of the postoffice at Hartford and, in recognition of his efforts in this direction, the citizens of the town changed its name to English. It was this place which was to become the fourth county seat, but it was not until after a struggle which has no parallel in the history of Indiana.
In October, 1893, a meeting was held at English by the most enterprising citizens of the northern part of the county, at which time a committee composed of William F. Richards, William T. Beasley and William T. Carr was chosen to lead the fight for relocation. During the fall of this year, James R. Pro bought the Marengo Observer, moved it to English and changed its name to the English News. Pro at once opened up the county seat question and, of course, advocated its im- mediate removal from Leavenworth to English.
The committee which has been appointed to take charge of the fight employed Judge Charles Jewett, of New Albany, and Judge C. W. Cook and Major W. Funk, of Corydon, to represent the interests of the English advocates. The com- mittee next appointed petitioners in all of the northern town- ships of the county and another corps of petitioners at large, who were to secure the names of all those in favor of the removal. Among the men who were selected to do this work were R. L. and G. W. Sloan, W. W. Temple, T. B. Cummins, M. J. Brown, Dr. C. D. Luckett, H. A. Brown, H. J. Brown, J. R. Crews and William and John Luckett. Each petition provided for twenty-five signatures and when they were filled, they were returned in person by the ones securing the signa- tures and sworn to before A. J. Goodman, a notary public. Goodman handled all of the petitions and turned them over to J. R. Pro and W. W. Temple, who verified them and then returned them to Goodman, who placed his signature to them and filed them in his office. All of this work was done in November, 1893, and the net result showed a majority of the qualified voters of the county in favor of moving the seat of justice to English.
Now follows the most exciting struggle which has ever
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been witnessed in the state. On the first Monday of Decem- ber, the English adherents, armed with these petitions (and so some say, with more formidable weapons), formed what might be called a skirmish line, reaching across the county from east to west, and on that memorable day made a drive for Leavenworth to meet the county commissioners, Amos Adkins, James G. Thurston and A. J. Scott. In the course of their trip across the county they gathered the names of an additional one hundred and eighty petitioners, which, with those already secured, gave the English people a handsome majority in their favor. On their arrival at Leavenworth, at two o'clock on the same afternoon, they at once entered a motion to file with the first petitions the names of those se- cured on their rush across the county that day. The real fight was now on.
The remonstrators, that is, those who were opposed to re- location, were represented by Robert J. Tracewell, of Cory- don, and J. L. Suddarth and John H. Weathers, of Leaven- worth, while the English followers were represented, as here- tofore mentioned, by Charles Jewett, C. W. Cook and W. Funk. For two hours and a half a wordy encounter was en- gaged in and at half-past four the commissioners announced that they would grant the prayer of the petitioners. But the Leavenworth citizens were not disposed to abide by the deci- sion of the commissioners. They at once took an appeal from this decision to the Crawford Circuit court, got a change of venue to the Harrison Circuit court and from there they fin- ally took it to the Washington Circuit court, where it was tried before Judge Davis, an Appellate Judge. The trial which followed was filled with dramatic incidents. The peti- tioners had a large map of the county made by the county superintendent, Charles Robertson, in which he had located every town, school house and church in the county. This map was placed on the court room floor before the witness chair, in plain view of the jury and witnesses. The map proved to be of wonderful help in furthering the cause of the English people. Three weeks of legal warfare ensued, but the Leav- enworth lawyers could not save the county seat for their cli- ents. The English advocates had won every contest from the
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COURTS AND LAWYERS OF INDIANA
commissioners' court to this final decision and were naturally very jubilant over their success.
It seemed that the struggle was over, but, although Eng- lish had been declared the county seat, the town did not yet actually have the county records in its possession, nor, of course, was there a court house or any suitable building to receive them. The committee in charge of affairs at English at once began to build a court house, but they had only fairly got started when the Leavenworth adherents filed an injunc- tion which stopped everything. It was claimed that the coun- ty was so heavily in debt that the building of a new court house, such as had been planned by the county commission- ers, would completely exhaust the county treasury. Neverthe- less, the injunction was finally set aside and the work of building the court house pursued with renewed vigor.
It is interesting to note in this connection that the court house was not built in the town of English. At this time there was a law which provided that no county seat could be relo- cated within four miles of the county line, and, unfortunately, English was less than four miles from the northern boundary of the county. But this did not dampen the ardor of the citi- zens of English. They selected a site on the top of a hill a half mile south of the town, trusting that the town would eventually grow until it included the court house site. An- other reason for locating the court house outside of the town limits was the fact that the title to the land on which the town of English was built was faulty and it was very evident, in view of all that had transpired, that the new court house must be erected on land for which a clear title could be secured.
The new court house was sufficiently completed in April, 1894, so it could be utilized and now the question arose as to the securing of the county records. On Saturday, April 24, 1894, the committee of English citizens who had been manag- ing the court house fight held a meeting to decide upon some definite plan of action. They felt that the Leavenworth peo- ple would not surrender the records without a struggle and they wanted to be prepared for any emergency which might arise. At this crisis an old soldier of the Civil War, A. J. Goodman by name, offered to engineer the removal of the
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records. At this meeting, just mentioned, Goodman asked the committee, through R. L. Sloan, to resign, which they promptly did, and then Sloan moved that the whole matter be entrusted to Goodman. The committee evidently had suf- ficient faith in the ability of Goodman to get the records and when he laid his plan of action before them, they gave their consent.
Goodman informed the committee that he was going to descend in semi-military fashion on Leavenworth on the fol- lowing Monday and get the county records, even if it was necessary to resort to actual warfare. On the night of April 24, 1894, the campaign was worked out in detail. All of the saloons in English were ordered closed until Monday evening and every man who enlisted pledged himself to abstain from any intoxicating liquors until Monday night. Goodman fig- ured that by that time the county records would be safely de- posited in the new court house in English.
On this Saturday night, horsemen were sent to all parts of the county, soliciting two-horse wagons, horseback riders (who, by the way, were instructed to arm themselves), and every man who was in favor of the removal. This army was to assemble at English on Sunday, April 25, 1894, at noon. The start was set for one o'clock Monday morning. On Sun- day two-horse wagons, men on horseback, and all armed, be- gan to pour into English. The wagons were carefully num- bered and parked and each driver given his number. The arms and munitions of war were loaded in the front wagon. Three men, well acquainted with derrick work, were assigned to wagons which had been fitted up with block and tackle for loading the heavy safes. Three sledge hammers were pro- vided and three men were assigned to their use. They were to be used in case the county officials refused to unlock their doors, and, for fear that the sledge hammers would not suf- fice, a few sticks of dynamite were secured and taken along to be used in an emergency. It was currently reported that the Leavenworth people would resist any efforts to take the rec- ords and it was also reported that they had made a veritable fort out of their court house. Three men were selected to
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COURTS AND LAWYERS OF INDIANA
handle the dynamite and one of them was given a nickname on that account.
At half past twelve o'clock on this eventful Monday morn- ing, Goodman ordered his cavalry to mount and proceeded to drill them in true cavalry fashion for half an hour. At one o'clock sharp the command was given to start and the county seat army was off for the home of the enemy, fourteen miles away. At seven o'clock the inhabitants of Leavenworth were given their first view of the invading army-ninety-six two- horse wagons, eighty-two mounted and fully armed horse- men, and foot soldiers to the number of four hundred and seventy-eight. A committee at once waited upon the county officials and the latter after sizing up the invaders and not- ing their strength, promptly informed the committee that the court house doors would be opened at eight o'clock. As the town clock tolled the hour of eight, the doors of the court house swung open and the men, who were delegated for each separate office, marched in and proceeded to carry out and load the records. While this was going on, the bulk of the invaders stood at arms, while the Leavenworth people stood aghast. And thus the records were secured. After the last book was in, the cavalcade slowly wended its way out of the village, and, by five o'clock of this eventful Monday, every record was safely deposited in English. Thus ended the most picturesque county-seat fight ever staged in the state.
The first session of the Circuit court of Crawford county met at Mt. Sterling in December, 1818. The legislative act of January 28, 1818, divided the state into four circuits and Crawford, upon its organization the following day, was at- tached to the Second circuit, which also included Harrison, Orange, Washington, Jackson, Clark and Jefferson counties. The first President Judge of the circuit was Davis Floyd and the first two Associate Judges of Crawford county were Hen- ry Green and James Glenn. David McDonald was the first Prosecuting Attorney.
ASSOCIATE JUDGES.
Henry Green March 2. 1818; resigned, June. 1820.
James Glenn March 2, 1818; resigned. July. 1822.
Michael Real August 23, 1820: resigned, July, 1822.
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David Stewart Angust 23, 1822.
Moses Smith Angust 23, 1822.
Cornelius Newkirk November 16, 1824, appointed, vice David Stewart, resigned.
C. Newkirk November 25, 1824, to serve seven years from February 25, 1825.
Constant Williams November 25, 1824, to serve seven years from February 25, 1825.
Elisha Tadlock January 2, 1832, appointed, to serve from March 2, 1832; resigned, July, 1837.
James Tatten August 20, 1838, to serve seven years from March 2, 1839.
Joseph Denbo August 20, 1838, to serve seven years from March 2, 1839.
Jacob Poe November 6, 1845, to serve seven years from March 2, 1846.
Emanuel Schoonover _November 6. 1845, to serve seven years from March 2. 1846; resigned in December, 1850 or 1851.
Allen D. Thom March 17. 1851 (special election), to serve seven years from March 27, 1846, vice Emannel Schoon- over, resigned.
PROBATE JUDGES.
David Stewart August 11, 1829; resigned July 25, 1833.
Michael Real August 15, 1833, to serve seven years from date.
Richael Real September 25, 1840, to serve seven years from August 15, 1840; resigned June, 1846.
John H. MeMickle. July 30, 1846, to serve seven years from date.
COMMON PLEAS JUDGES.
William Morrow 1852-56.
Frederick T. Mathis 1856-60.
John J. Key 1860-61, resigned.
Charles J. Mason Appointed November 15, 1861-62.
David T. Laird Appointed November 1, 1862-70, resigned,
Charles J. Mason Appointed September 5, 1870-October 24, 1870. Milton S. Mavity 1870-73.
DISTRICT PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.
David W. Lafollette. 1852-54. Zachariah L. Garriot. .1854-56.
Joel Vandeveer 1856-57, resigned.
Zachariah L, Garriot. .Appointed November 9, 1857-58.
Hamilton A. McRae. 1858-59.
Benjamin L. Smith 1859-60.
Wiley Adams 1860-62.
William C. Adams 1862-64. J. J. McAllister 1864-66, resigned.
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COURTS AND LAWYERS OF INDIANA
Milton S. Mavity. Appointed January 20, 1866.
Sidney B. Hatfield 1866-6S.
Johu W. Buskirk
1868-69. resigned.
William Farrell
Appointed June 14, 1869-70.
John C. Schafer
1870-73.
PRESIDENT JUDGES.
Davis Floyd March 1, 181S-December 31, 1821. The act of De- cember 31, 1821, took Crawford out of the Second aud put it in the Fourth.
Richard Daniel December 31, 1821-February 21, 1822.
James R. E. Goodlet -February 21, 1822-January 25, 1832.
Samuel Hall January 25, 1832-April 20, 1835, resigned.
Charles I. Battell
Appointed April 20. 1835-December 11, 1835.
Elisha Embree
December 11, 1835-January 1, 1846.
James Lockhart
January 1, 846; resigned September 21, 1851.
Alvin P. Hovey January 1, 1846; resigned September 21, 1851.
CIRCUIT JUDGES.
George A. Bicknell October 12. 1852-February 22, 1859. The act of February 22, 1859, took Crawford out of the Sec- ond and put it in the newly created Fifteenth.
William F. Parrett Appointed August 3, 1859; resigned March 10, 1869.
James G. Jones Appointed March 12, 1869-October 24, 1870.
David T. Laird October 24, 1870-October 24, 1876. The act of March 6, 1873, put Crawford in the Second, and transferred Laird from the Fifteenth to the Sec- ond.
Jobn B. Handy October 24. 1876-March 3, 1877. The act of March 3, 1877, put Crawford in the Third.
Thomas C. Slaughter __ March 3. 1877; died in office January 28, 1879. Judge Slaughter had been on the bench of the Third since October 22, 1873.
George W. Denbo Appointed January 23, 1879-October 22, 1879.
Samuel Ramsey October 22, 1879-November 14, 1884.
William T. Zenor. November 14, 1884; resigned January 5, 1897.
Robert S. Kirkham Appointed January 8, 1897-October 22, 1897.
Christ W. Cook October 22. 1897-October 22, 1909. The act of March 3, 1903, constituted Crawford, Harrison and Perry the Third, since which time no change has been made.
William Ridley October 22. 1909; term expires October 22, 1921.
PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.
Amos Clark August 9, 1824-August 14, 1826. Fourth circuit.
Charles I. Battell August 14, 1826-December 30, 1832.
John Pitcher December 30. 1832-August 10, 1836.
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THE COUNTY COURTS
Eben D. Edson Appointed August 10, 1836-January, 1837.
John A. Breckenridge __ January, 1837-December 7, 1838.
Eben D. Edsou. December 7. 1838-December 10, 1840.
John Pitcher December 10, 1840-August 6, 1841, resigned.
John ยท Ingle August 6, 1841-December 10, 1841.
James Lockhart December 10, 1841-September 19, 1845.
Eben D. Edson September 9. 1845-August 27, 1846.
Samuel S. DeBruler
August 27, 1846-August 27, 1848.
Andrew L. Robinson
August 23, 1849-September 1, 1851.
Harmon G. Barkwell.
_September 1, 1851-October 12, 1852.
Samuel W. Short.
October 12. 1852; resigned February 1, 1854.
Patrick Jewett Appointed March 8, 1854-November 19, 1856.
Thomas M. Browue November 19, 1856-November 7. 1858.
Robert M. Weir November 7, 1858-February 22, 1859. The act of February 22, 1859, took Crawford out of the Sec- ond and put it in the Fifteenth.
J. M. Shanklin Appointed August 3, 1859-November 5, 1861.
Blythe Hines November 5, 1861-May 21, 1863.
Charles E. Marsh
May 21, 1863-November 12, 1864.
Lewis C. Stinson
November 12, 1864-November 23, 1865.
William P. Hargrave.
November 23, 1865-November 23, 1867.
Curran DeBruler
October 24, 1870-October 21, 1872.
Edwin R. Hatfield
October 21, 1872-October 26, 1876. The act of March 6, 1873, put Crawford in the Second and transferred Hatfield from the Fifteenth to the Second.
George L. Reinhard. October 26, 1876-March 3, 1877. The act of March 8. 1877, put Crawford in the Third.
William T. Zenor Appointed March 10, 1877-November 17, 1882.
Major W. Funk November 17, 1882-November 17, 1886.
George K. Gwartney
November 17, 1886-November 17, 1888.
Jerry L. Suddarth November 17, 1888-November 17, 1890.
Christ W. Cook November 17, 1890-November 17, 1894.
A. W. Funkhouser November 17, 1894-November 17, 1896.
Charles L. Fleshma November 17. 1896-January 1, 1901.
John H. Luckett January 1, 1901-January 1, 1905.
John W. Ewing January 1, 1905-January 1, 1909.
Clyde R. Lottick January 1. 1909-January 1, 1913.
Charles T. Brown January 1, 1913; term expires January 1, 1917.
DAVIESS COUNTY.
Daviess county was created out of a part of Knox county by an act of the Indiana General Assembly, approved Decem- ber 24, 1816. The first building in which court was held in
William Heuning
November 23, 1867-October 24, 1870:
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COURTS AND LAWYERS OF INDIANA
Daviess county, and which, by courtesy, became known as the court house, was a log structure, the home of Alexander Bruce. This primitive and temporary temple of justice stood on the southeast corner of Main and Second streets and was used for court purposes from April 21, 1817, until 1824, when the first court house built by the county was finished. James G. Read, one of the first Associate Justices, and a man who was prominently identified with the county's early history, erected the first court house. It was not finished until 1824, six years after the foundation had been laid.
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