LAWSUIT LASTS 340 YEARS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 146, 17 July 1909, Page 3

LAWSUIT LASTS 340 YEARS.

A final statement has just been made in a lawsuit which had been pending in the courts of Mexico for 340 years (says a Home paper). The dispute arose between the local authorities of the towns of Yodocouic .and Munu over the question of the legal l.oundary Hue between the two villages. Both towns held titles to the same land, Ihe conflicting grants being made by the colonial governnieniu. The titles held by private parties were also involved, and each town brought suit tgainst the other for the land claimed to be justly due to it. The suit dragged along for the first' hundred years, one legal step alter another being taken by the contending twons. Another century passed and then another, and still the suit was undecided. During all this time the people lof the respective towns were arrayed against each other in bitter enmity, and many have been the armed conflicts that have taken place between the opposing factious. The father of President Porfirio Diaz was a native of Y'odocomlie, and stood high in the little country community because of his mental ability. He took :in active interest in the long-pending -mil, ami during his lifetime made every ■dl'ort to get a final decision of the case, lie was unsuccessful, and the yeais elragged by. President Diaz gave the matter his personal attention not long ago, and the ancient records relating to the lanel grants and the cunllictiug boundary were carefully examined.

The matter was then laid before the people of the two towns, and after nianv couierciii'i-s a settlement of the case was reached and the suit in court was formally dismissed. It is said to have held n place upon the court docket longer than any suit in the world's history.