Destilleri stämt

[LMR]

Hittade denna intressanta artikeln från 1896 när jag sökte i arkiv om Fort William. Hönorna därifrån verkar ha dåligt inflytande...

An Oban newspaper gives the report of a very extraordinary case: - on Wednesday before the Sheriff Mactavish, John Turner, Laggan, claimed £50 damages, restricted to £12, against the Salen Distillery Company, for injury done to his poultry by the said company in allowing intoxicating material to flow into the Laggan burn. This material, it was alleged, caused drunkenness among the pursuer´s poultry, and consequently rendered them of little or no value to him. For the pursuer, John Scott; for defenders, William Smith. Pursuer elicited that for some years past he had been making a considerable income from keeping poultry, but that since the starting of the distillery he had made little or nothing. His hens or ducks would not eat. They were, he might say, almost always more or less under the influence of drink, except on Sundays, when the distillery was not working. On Sundays their condition was pitiable in the extreme. Mondays were the worst days, for then the hens drunk excessively, fell into the burn frequently and lately he had to keep a boy to look after them on Monday mornings. They took no food unless they first had a walk to Laggan burn. Their conduct was generally very reprehensible, and the ducks were no better than the hens. It took some time to discover the burn. He thought it was a hen he bought at Fort William that made the discovery first, and that she lead the rest astray. _ Cross-examined by Mr William Smith, solicitor: Have you ever observed "gapes" in hens? Yes.- Do you not consider that your hens suffer form "gapes"?" Yes Whisky-gapes (laughter) - did you know anything about this Fort William hen before you bought her? No - nothing whatever. – What do the hens do when they return from the burn? Sleep – Anything else? After a sleep they generally fight. – Have you no sober hens at all? Yes but the drunk ones always break their eggs. – For the pursuer it was contended that he had made out he was entitled to damages. In an able speech for the defence it was submitted that the contention not had been proved. The condition of the pursuer´s hens might be due to influenza. – His lordship stated that the case being a peculiar one, he would delay giving a decision that day

From Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser Friday 20 November 1896

Vad utslaget brev har jag inte lyckats hitta...

berusad höna.jpg

[paer]

:-)