It takes quite a stretch of imagination to call Harvard a city.
Nobody ever goes there unless they have family, friends, or business.
As any good and responsible citizen would have done, Robert informed the city council about their mistake.
But they only laughed at him.
Robert decided that the best revenge would be to buy the plot, which he did.
They pretended as if nothing happened, and continued to house criminals in the jail.
So Robert hired a lawyer and sued the city for owned rent.
At one point Pinckney threatened to tear down the jail.
He would have to wait till 21.
The story was picked up by the media and soon it was all over the nation.
TheAssociated PressandTimemagazine ran a feature on him.
Someone offered Robert $150 for the jail.
Another offered to pay him $35 per month.
Charlie McCarthy, ventriloquist Edgar Bergens famous dummy, bought the jail for $10,000 of war bonds.
After all the publicity had died, the jail was quietly deeded back to the city.
The story might be embarrassing for the city council, the selling of the jail did have two benefits.
Photo: George A/Google maps contributor
Photo: Shelby Miller/Google Maps contributor
