Robert Hedges purchased a 205 International Combine in June 1978. It was just the right size and type machine for the grain operation which was in the planning stages. It was a simple transfer at the PCA, a debit from our account and a credit to another farmer's account who has suffered some losses in 1977. It cost $6000. and the seller was the original owner, and had cared for it well. The combine was a necessity to maximize profits. The combining of 1977 was a fast-and-dirty job by Anthony Travis, and the waste was a large part of the profits. Also the volunteer corn that sprouted from the lost ears made the 1977 beans undesirable, until the high demand market of 1978.

Robert Hedges purchased a grain storage facility in June of 1978. The contract called for it to be constructed by D [Driscoll] & E [Edwards] Grain Systems, and the conditions of the Commodities Credit Corporation loan required it to be completed in three monthsÕ time. D&E contracted to do the work and promised to do this job before the construction of other bins sold later. Robert Hedges agreed to purchase a 27 ft rather than the originally planned 24 ft because the 27 ft was in stock and immediately available. D&E went off to Elvie Keeling's farm and worked on his 18 ft bin, [ a later sale] while leaving the work of the Hedges Grain Bin unfinished. Elvie Keeling's bin was never completed, and he sold his flat cropland the following spring. Robert Hedges borrowed an electric impact wrench, which needed repair, from Joe Shouse, and worked on the Hedges bin himself, even though the contract called for the labor of D&E. The harvest was delayed and snow set in and severely damaged the 48 acre corn crop. When spring arrived, and the ground settled enough to use a machine on the ground to harvest what hadn't lodged [fallen over] a brush fire escaped control and consumed most of it. It was almost a complete loss. The bin was ready for the following year, however. Nine years out of ten, storage will pay off with a profit for the farmer who stores rather than selling his crop at a harvest time price. One year in ten the harvest time price of the crop will be the highest of the year. Such was 1980 when beans were $8.86, and the storage was useful to dry and hold the beans for the several weeks that harvest took, before trucking them to the Gold Proof elevator in Louisville.

Robert Hedges purchased an 806 International tractor in May 1979. The loan was not approved until May which is late in the season to start plowing. Robert Hedges made efforts in February to get credit and had failed. [see 1979 chapter] However, a Deacon named Richardson from Deer Park Baptist Church sold the tractor to the Hedges. Plowing was delayed further when he decided to rebuild the tractor for Robert. Soybeans were the crop in 1979, and they were late due to the various delays. Soybeans set pods on the entire stem. A tall stem has more pods. More pods contain more beans. Short summer beans have few pods. July beans are not able to grow through a long summer cycle, and yield is reduced because the height is reduced when the weather tells the bean plant to prepare for winter. There was a rare and unexpectedly flood of the Salt River in August, which killed the earliest-planted July beans. Those beans drowned, died and rotted in the field. The hill beans escaped the flood, but were graded 50% volunteer corn due to the sloppy- combining of the hill field the year before. The price offered was too low to sell them. These 1979 bean/corn mix sold for a good price with the $8.86@bushel soybean crop of 1980, when demand was much higher.

Robert Hedges purchased a Chev-60 dump to haul grain in May of 1979, and it worked quite well. Robert constructed the sides of the bed from three very wide ash boards per side, with steel stakes. Robert was hauling rocky dirt fill from Bloomfield in it in 1981 when a cap came loose from the rear tire. The cap appeared to be a road hazard, and Robert Hedges stopped the truck to pick it up. The emergency brake did not hold the loaded truck on the Foreman hill, and the truck ditched itself. The two flats on a loaded truck were difficult to overcome. The wrecker that towed the truck down the road charged $265.00. Robert jacked and braced the truck to fix the flat tires, and something loosened the braces which allowed the truck to twist due to the load of rock in it. Never be a nice guy. Leave the cap in the road.

1976 GMC 2500
The 1976 GMC TK20903, Title No. 870651080008, VIN TKL246F703915 is by title the property of Robert Hedges, although the ownership of the truck was in dispute due to a ruling from District Court on 15 Mar 1991. This truck was not currently licensed due to itÕs use as a ÒtractorÓ as it was a log skidder, with a very large 12 VDC winch and 285 ft of cable [at $1.00 per foot, with clevices and chokers.] The transmission was a rebuilt TH400, the differentials were Dana 3/4 ton, and the springs were custom installed extra heavy duty. There were two alternators, heavy wiring, a auxiliary battery reck and cables, extra skid plates under, steel reinforcement in the frame and bed area, and large rims and big tires. This is not an ordinary truck, and the missing records will prove the cost exceeded $2200.00 plus repair time and hauling costs for parts.

7-J D-4 Cat Dozer
The D-4 Cat Dozer 7J4520W belongs in part to Robert Hedges although no title is recorded on that equipment. The list of expenses inherent to itÕs repair and redesign is available. The theft was to be documented as a legitimate sale by power of attorney, except the medical record proves incapacity of the decedent on the day when the culprits had decedent presumably sign a document of ownership Decedent was incapacitated on earlier days also, and the CR were not followed in the creation of the unquestioned document. The new engineering and original conceptions by Robert Hedges were :

• 1) The Hydraulic Drive and system for the Blade and cylinders.
• 2) The Idlers and resulting track modifications.
• 3) The Starter Drive, built after much study, planning and work (unique)-
• 4) Robert Hedges did perform numerous services to the said D4 such as track and roller replacement and repair: radiator replacement: throughout bearing replacement: sheet metal removal, repair and design, sandblasting, painting and replacement: fuel pump removal, cleaning and replacement: exhaust replacement: starter removal and replacement: and the usual servicing.

Robert located the Dozer through Bobby B-------. The Allgier Brothers had used it for a diesel mechanic school project while Bob B------ attended their classes. He rebuilt the motor and steering clutches. He had used it to haul a trailer into a woodsy hilltop over a rough creekbed road, and he had mentioned its good qualities. The A.J. Allgier Construction Co. was being dismantled after the death of A.J. Allgier. Mrs Allgier asked for $1100.00 for the D-4 crawler, and Robert wasted no time convincing his folks that it was a good buy. It was a wide tract pulling tractor, originally from Commonwealth Racetrack, and it had no blade. Robert purchased a used blade from Whayne Supply from a similar junked narrow-track tractor, and had the blade widened fourteen inches. He revamped the hydraulics, and redesigned the hydraulic drive. He replaced the rollers, added modified idlers, and lengthened the tracks. He raised the seat and added a storage space under it. He used it to landscape, log, clear and pile brush, grub stumps, and pull his agriculture tractor or his combine out of mud. It was exceedingly handy, and the total expense of $4400. for the initial investment and additional parts was reasonable. It was depreciated and deducted, and was still available for work occasionally. Ella H Deitz and John Hedges decided to get rid of the dozer, and didnÕt offer it to Robert. This is the real problem. Robert intended to continue to farm, and was not interested in liquidating equipment as if it were junk, because it was all part of a going-concern business. Unidentified individuals converged on the farm and began to make small offers for it on or about January 14, 1988 in full view of and without the consent of Robert. Ella H Deitz and John Hedges decided to sell the D4 Cat Dozer from the Hedges Farm, for $500. Beatrice Wetzelberger was not present, but indicated her agreement with the sale by her statement that "the Dozer goes or we are going to put you out in the street" as Robert suggested her best financial interest were not being served, and her husband C.F. Wetzelberger had a lien on RobertÕs portion of the Dozer, and he did not wish to see someone disregard their mutual financial interests. Houston Hedges, now quite ill, had expressed a desire for $1000 for his half of Dozer in the event Robert had decided to sell it rather than keep it for the future farm work. Ella H Deitz and John Hedges allowed and caused the removal of the Dozer from the possession of Robert, on the Hedges Farm on February 5, 1989. Robert was able to prevent itÕs removal on a previous occasion by the calling the Sheriff Larry Lawson, after the Ònew ownerÓ [a bad faith purchase] starting yelling about Òlets call the sheriffÓ. The junk dealer was determined that he got a good deal, and he was going to take the machine in spite of an owner standing before him saying no sale. Robert awoke to find several persons in the house from which he was later evicted by the misapplication of the forcible detainer statute. These persons took the telephone and his car and house keys from him while he slept. Remember that the forcible detainer statute required proof of exclusive use and possession. That makes this type of entry a B&E ( breaking and entering). There is no enforcement of any law which protects Robert Hedges, regardless of where the violation takes place. Robert was incapacitated by these thefts. Robert took license numbers, but that physical evidence of the identities of the unknown individuals was also taken from Robert on the same day by the CoExecutors, Ella H Deitz and John Hedges. This is called tampering with evidence. This is a staute violation also. The prosecutor at the time was an in- law of the Daileys. He will eloberate on the roll of the DaileyÕs in this matter in a later part. The co-owner Houston Hedges had deducted and depreciated the costs of the Dozer over the 13+ years of its being located on the Hedges Farm; the only remaining costs basis for it is the skill, knowledge, time, and labor of Robert, for which the said Houston Hedges had acknowledged a half- ownership to Robert. Houston Hedges states by affidavit that he was claiming full ownership. This affidavit was made upon a day after a physician put him upon strong medication which made his signature invalid. He was required to sign a document for the Doctor on that date which states that he was under the influence of medication which relieved him of his veracity, and truthfulness. Robert Hedges designed and engineered numerous parts for the D4 and he also performed numerous services to the said D4 Cat Dozer ( after school while attending college) such as: The Hydraulic Drive (redesigned) and system for the Blade (widwnwd 14 inches from a 7UD4) and cylinders; The Idlers (modified to fit) and resulting track modifications; Track and roller replacement and repair; The Starter Drive, built after much study, planning and work was unique; Starter removal and replacement; Radiator replacement; Throughout bearing replacement; Sheet metal removal, repair and design, sandblasting, painting and replacement; Fuel pump removal, cleaning and reattachment; Exhaust replacement Normal usual servicing. These labors cannot be overlooked, nor can the original creative engineering designs of the Plaintiff be construed as belonging to anyone except the Plaintiff, even if they are not patented or a Ògenius beyond what a normal skilled craftsman/artisan could createÓ. [the legal requirement for a patent]

George Logue is a world known collector of older Caterpillar Tractors and Dozers. He was the focus of an article in Smithsonian Magazine in 1991, and came to RobertÕs attention. Robert solicited an opinion from him of dozer values. This is of course an Affidavit, but is not unreasonable or out of line with the demand of the deceased Houston Hedges [ when in his right mind], or of RobertÕs belief about the value of the dozer.

Dear George Logue, I really need an uninvolved expert such as yourself to give an educated guess as to the value of ÒmyÓ 7JD4 as a pair of lawsuits involves this machine, and I may never see it again. I do not need a BuyerÕs Bid- Did my first letter arrive?...with photocopies? I would really appreciate your assistance Sincerely Robert Hedges P.O. Box 249 Taylorsville 40071 P.S. I never heard of a 7JD4. The Auction price of 5 7UD4Õs range from $2500. to $3500. George Logue, INC, 120 South Arch Street, Montoursville, PA 17754

The Dozer and the MF 135 Tractor - in-laws and out- laws
John Deitz married Ella C Hedges. He was a plumber with three sons, a daughter, and an ex-wife. He seemed to have good intentions. He seemed to offer gifts, and then ask for favors, like hauling, and work, from Robert. He would later ask for the gifts back and give them to some one else. The work or hauling which he received was not refundable. He gave Robert a set of tool boxes for a truck, but needed them back later. The following story is appropriate for him. Robert never socialized with nor did business with him again after the tractor deal.