Horse trading was a tradition in the Haas family going back generations to Alsace. The difficulty with the Moses family was with Gustave Moses, of the famous photography studio in New Orleans and his brother, Bernard, a well regarded painter of the age. As Carol Mills-Nichol states in her book "The Forgotten Jews of Avoyelles Parish: "... Publically humiliating a successful member of the Jewish community over fifty dollars would not have been in the Moses Brother’s interest. Many prominent Hebrew citizens of New Orleans had been their clients, the most well-known being Fire Captain Samuel Levy, whom Bernard had painted in his ceremonial uniform."
The paintings referenced in the dispute remain unknown, and I hope they still exist somewhere.
2 Aug 1877 New Orleans Times
Closing Out Sale of Horses, Wagon, etc.—On account of departure is offering by Mr. A.M. Haas, proprietor of the Lexington sales stable, 146 Baronne street, his entire stock of horses, harness, buggies and spring wagons, including a choice lot of Texas horses, just arrived all at low prices. See his advertisement and give him an early call.
8 Sept 1877 New Orleans Times
A Horse Transaction
Yesterday Mr. Moses, the photographer, made an affidavit and caused the arrest of Alexander Haas, a horse dealer, charging him with horse stealing. Haas had ordered two oil paintings—family portraits—which Moses had agreed to paint for $200. When the pictures were concluded Haas gave Moses in part payment a horse, which was to be fed by him, in his stable, at $25 a month, until the balance due on the pictures was paid. In the meantime some misunderstanding arose between the two as to the frames of the pictures, for which Moses had charged $50 extra. No definite arrangement was made, and it is charged in the affidavit that Haas entered Moses’s yard, in the day time, and feloniously stole the horse. Haas was arraigned before Recorder Holmes and placed under $500 bonds.
15 Sept 1877 New Orleans Times
A CARD
New Orleans, Sept 14, 1877
Having upon the impulse of the moment, recently caused the arrest of Mr. A. M. Haas, on the charge of stealing a horse, I deem it a duty which I owe to myself and to Mr. Haas to state that I regret the injury which I may have caused him by such action, and fully and freely exonerate him from all criminal design in the matter
G. Moses.
Abt 1831 - 1899