Towyn-on-Sea and Merioneth County Times

OAIIU IN ULI AIM BY A GAMEKEEPER. HEAVY DAMAGES. At Llanfyllm County Court on Tuesday a claim for k50 damages was brought by Geo-™ Evans, nver watcher, the Crossings, Llansant- ffraid, against Mr Richard Moon, of Penyfoel aml'fflsp^' assau^> malicious prosecution' BF H?HRPFLS°TNTNTRTHE CASE WAS HE^-D iurv M^ T P "TV WilliaTm Evans with a +V i • j- -DavenPort, London, appeared t.in w p aintlff> and was instructed by Mr Mar- in Woosnam, Newtown, and Mr A. Graham Shrewsbury, represented Mr Moon.—Mr Davpn- port said plaintiff entered defendant's service m 1892 as a gamekeeper, at a wage of 19s «, week subsequently raised to £ 1. He also re ceived(free coals, a house, and a suit 0f came" thThic* ? 6iTry year- He was a man of the highest possible character. In June last defendant, wrote to complainant about his SOP ohn, saying lie was "much disappointed with th? 1S <?UltS meomPetent to look after Si tS1 (gai»6)' n^d is t0° stuPid to learn Ten' • i n °n June 30 defendant <cain wiote saying he would not give plaintiff -nance to play the fool with him or with any- body m his employ again.. He would be dis- charged at the end of the season or at the end of the month, together with his son. At an interview on July 29tli, defendant told plaintiff he was to leave behind him in ;m ortoge cer- tain things, including a long-carrying gun and a suit of clothes, either his own or his son's, plaintiff agreed to leave the things, all of which he duly left, including the best suit there was Alere- He went to live at Llansantffraid about August 4th, and the next fact in the ease was the arrival of the police to see plaintiff about the matter on August 14th. On August 15th defendant went before a magistrate, and swore out a warrant to the effect that plaintiff stole the articles mentioned, valued at £ 8. At 7 P-m., plaintiff was arrested, taken to Llanfyllin, and bailed out before a magistrate. He was taken before the magistrates in Petty Sessions, and the case was again adjourned, at the request 1 an^'s solicitors. So the charge was hanging over his head for another week. un the 24th local magistrates again heard the case and dismissed it. In the meantime defend- ant found out he had made a mistake. The gun had never been in his possession, and the whole thing was absolutely unfounded. It never occurred to him that plaintiff was not a thiaf, and he proceeded with the charge in respect f the clothes. His evidence, the only evidence of any importance given before the magistrates was practically that the suit left was i ot the suit he meant; therefore plaintiff had f i noons- ly stolen his suit. Plaintiff had .-iskod for com- pensation in vain, and the question for the jury was whether defendant put in motion the criminal law from a sense of duty or wished to serve other ends. George Evans said he thought the clothes were given him as a present, and he could choose any kind of cloth.—Cross-examined He would swear defendant did not tell him to leave the last new suit, and he left a suit of clothes which had hardly been used.—Re-examined: He did not say to Pugh, the tailor, that he wanted Sunday clothes to be charged as keeper's clothes to Mr Moon. Plaintiff's wife, John Renting (formerly em- ployed by Mr Moon), and P.C. Tudor also gave evidence. Mr Graham called defendant, who said in consequence of unpleasant letters written to him and one of his employees by plaintiff, he decided that plaintiff must go. lie had no ill-feeling towards him. On July 29th he gave the son a suit of clothes, but said plaintiff must leave the suit last supplied to himself. He was not en- titled to order any kind of suit he liked. When he saw the clothes left behind he knew they were not the last new suit, and he sent the police constable down. He admitted the mis- take about the gun.—Cross-examined It did not occur to him that there might be a mistake about the clothes as well. He still contended that plaintiff fraudulently obtained a Sunday suit from a tailor at his expense. He thought at the time he would be compounding a felony by not arresting plaintiff. It was untrue to say that he told plaintiff to leave a suit of his own or his son's. He had not frequent quarrels with his servants. James Henry Pugh, son of Francis Pugh, tailor, Llanymynech, said plaintiff persuaded him to supply a black suit. The price of the suit was the same as a gamekeeper's suit would cost. Thomas Evans, defendant's agent, said he told plaintiff to leave the things mentioned, and informed defendant that this had been done, being under the impression that the things were left. Mr Graham said the absence of reasonable and probable cause and the presence of malice on the part of defendant must be proved, and r I' any damages, if awarded, must not be such that plaintiff could live on them for a year. Defen- dant did not give plaintiff authority to order a dress suit or any kind of suit he liked, but only a gamekeeper's suit. After the visit of Thomas Evans, plaintiff should have left the last new suit he had obtained. He had been doing a bit of a juggle with the clothes, and the suit ordered in 1903 was not a gamekeeper's suit at all. There was no proof of malice on defendant's part, but of acts of kindness. He might have been incautious, but this had nothing to do with it. ° Mr Davenport expressed surprise at defend- ant's actions, and at his present attitude. The charge was a very serious one indeed, and he pointed out that damages could be claimed for loss of reputation, imprisonment, and expenses. His Honour said it was not a case of taking something away secretly, but of putting some- thing in the place qf what ought to have 5 n put, and defendant rushed rather to the ( 11- clusion that there had been a theft. On fini ng the error after the first hearing one would ha\e thought, as some little reparation, defendant would withdraw the charges about the cloths The ssuing of the warrant seemed to him rather a rash proceeding. It was an indignity for a man to be taken away in custody on a charge afterwards proved to be absolutely un- founded. He thought it was a case for fair damages, but the jury must be satisfied that the facts showed malice. The jury retired, and on their return the fore- man (Mr R. A. Jones) said they found for plaintiff for the amount claimed.

rr-M,rc^" D. Robertf, Bronygraig, Corvven, the High Sheriff of Denbighshire, has appointed Mr J. Parry Jones, of the firm of Messrs J. Parry Jones and Francis, solicitors, Denbigh, to be his under saerift for the ensuing year.

MARKETS WSISHPOOI GENERAL, Monday.—Wholesale prioa Butter, Is Id to Is 2d per lb; eggs, 14 to 15 for la fowls, 3s Od to 48 6d chickens, 43 6d to 53 6d ducks, 5s Od to 63 Od rabbits, Is 4d to Is 61 per couple. LIVERPOOL CORN, TUESDA .Wbeat, slowr trade 1td to Id under Friday. 2 Hard Manitoba, 7s Id to 7s 2d Hard Kansas, 6s 5d to 63 7 d. Beans, Saidi 26s 9d to 27s Od. Peas, Canadian, 5s 7tJ to 6s 8d. Oats, white, 2s 6d 2s 8d. Maize, quiet trade, new about id under Friday, 4s 1-d to 4s Id o!d mixed, 2 4s 6^d to 4s 6gd River Plate, 43 6d to 4s 6^:d. Fi our, unchanged. BIRMINGHAM CATTLK, TUESDAY. — Short sup. plies and a slow demand all round. Prices ruled as follow:-Beef, 11 ere fords, OJ to 6|d shorthorns 5d to 61d; bulls and cows,4d to 5|d; calves 6|d to 7d sheep, 81d to 9d ewes, 5%d to 63d per lb. Bacon pigs, 8s 01 to 83 3:1 porkets, 9s Od to Os Od sows, 0" Od to 6a Od per score. BAI.FORD CATTLE, TUESDAY.— At market — Cattle, 2,471; sheep, 6,784; calves, 130. Quota- tions Cattle, 5d to 6-d sheep, 54d to 9Jd calves, 61 to 9J per lb. 4 LIVERPOOL CATTLE MARKET, MONDAY.—Quota- tions Best beasts, 6^d to 6f d seconds, 5gd to 6id thirds, 4id to 5fj best Scotch sheep, 84d j 4 4 other sorts, 6id to 8;Ïd oar I h LONDON HAY AND STRAW, TUESDAY.—Prices•— Good to prime hay, 70s to 85s Od inferior to fair, 60s to 70s good to prime clover, 80s to 90a inferior to fair ditto, 65s Od to 75s mixtuie and sainfoin, 72s to 82s 6d straw, 28s to 40s per load. CORK BUTTER, Thursday.—Priinest, —E prime —s firsts, 90s; seconds 83s kegs,-s; third 77s kegs —B fourths 75s; fifths -8; choicest-8 choice —s superfine 95s kegs —s fine mild 83s mJd 863 choicest boxes 86s choice boxes, 82s. 1*2 cwt of fresh butter A, 88s to 85s B, 73s to 72. factory seconds. 71. Total number of firkins 120. SHREWSBURY GENERAL MARKET.—Quotations:— Fresh butter, Is 2d to Is 3d per lb eggs, 10 to 11 for Is pigeons, lOd to Is; rabbits, Is 9d to 2s Od fowls, 4s Od to 5s Od dressed do., 5s Od to 5s 6d ducks, 5s 6d to 6s 6d i-dressed do., 6s 6d to 7s 6d per couple. USWKSTRY CORN MARKET, WEDNESDAY. — TIE following were the quotations:—White wheat (old) 4s 61 to 4s 8i white wheat (new), 4.s 6d"to 43 8d per 75!bs red wheat (old), 4s 6d to 48 8d red wheat (new), Os Od to Os Od per 7blbs; old oats 14s Od to 15a Od new oats, 11s Od to 12s Od per 2001bs; malting barley, 17s 6d to 18s 6d grinding -bar)ey, 12d Od to 13a Od per 280lbs new beans 0s Od to Os Od per 2401bs. 0-WE8TRV GENERAJ. MARKET, WEDNESDAY.- (.,Violations Butter, Is Id to Is 2d per lb eg 1J to 14 for Is; beef, 7d to 8d mutton, 7d to 9d pork, bd to 8d veal, 7d to 8d fowls, 4s Od to 5s Od ducks, 58 Od to 6s Od rabbits,' 2s Od to 2s 2d per couple geese, 71d to 8d per lb cabbages, 2d to 3d each potatoes, 201bs for Is 3d Brussels sprouts, 3d to 4d per Ib; celery, 21 to 4d per stick; rhubarb, 2d per bundle. UHWKSTRY WEEKLY CATTI^ FAIR-At the Smith- field on Wednesday, the supply of stock was smaller than usual, but fold at better rates. Messr- Wi itfield &aons sold 258 cattle and calves, and 418 slip-p and pigs. Messrs Wm Hall, Waterid^e 41 Owen sold 70 fat cattle and a number of gheep Messrs Whit. field and Rogers, and Mr T Whitfield, Junr. had their usual sales. Prices ruled as follows :—Beef 6 £ d to 6Jd per lb; veal, 7d to 8^d per lb mutton' 7Jd to 8gd lamb, Od to Od pei lb pork pigs, 7S 6d to 9s Od bacon pigs, 8s 6d to 9s Od per score. ELLESMERE, TUESDAY.—Quotations as follows Wheat, 13s Od to 13s 6d per 225 lbs; barley" 17s Od to 18a Od per 280 1 bs oats, 11s Od to 12s Od per 200 lbs butter, Is Od to Is 2] per lb; eggs, 12 to 14 for Is; fowls (hens), 3s Od to 4: 0 > chickens 4s Od to 5s 6d ducks, Os to Os Od rabbits, Is 8d to 2s Od per couple. WH!TCHCRCH, FRIDAY.—Wheat. 12* Od to 13* 01 per 225 lbs; barley, 14s Od to 17s Od per 280 ibs. oats, lOsOd to lis 6d per 200 lbs eggs, 12 to 14 for Is; hutter, Is Id to Is 3d per 16 oz; fowls 3-. 61 to 4a 6d ducks, 6s Od to 7s 0d per couple potatoo.* lOd to lid per 20ibs beef, 7d to 9 ) n -itton 8.1 (o 9d lamb, 8d to 9d veal, 8; to 9.1; o'u k 7d to 8d per lb rabbits. Is 9 i to 2, 0J pei ooupie -1 appleg, 21d to 3d per lb.

ABRYSTWYTH SCHOOL BOARD. A meeting of the Board was held on Tuesday evening, there b-ing present Mr Wm. Thomas (chairman) presiding, Professor Ed words, T. B. Hall, Mrs Griffiths, with Mr D. J. Saer (head- masfr) acting clerk. Mr llobarta, clerk, was unable to be present owing to the il ncss of his father. A letter was read from Mr Caleb Wd iams ask- ing the Board to pay his superannation fee to the Board < f Education. He did not ut.d-rs and when he was appointed that the sum of ;L3 w.is to be taken out of his salary of £ 50. —Mrs G itu.t.s bai l all the teachers should be treated alike--It was agreed that the Board should pay the sup-j aqu- ation fee in the fu:ute.- With regard r.c. ll!¡.¡kiNg arrangements retrospective, It was agreed that the inatttr should be considered at the next meeting. The tender of Mr J. Lewis Evan*, Gieat Dark. gata street, for supplying certain school desks was accepted. Messrs Peter Jones and T. B. Hall were appointed the visiting committee for the ensuing tnomh. The attendar.ee at the schools dmirg the past month was as follows Board scboc i: h"Yt", 93-3 per cent; girls, 94-5 infants, 88 under fiv" years 69 2. National school: boys, 92'4. 834; in- fants (to com.-). Penparke school 68 t:e.. rent. There was a good deal of illness in Pen p. r^e. The B ard of Education WIO!O with refer-we to the science and art classes t at the feo« an<i for the pas;, region amounted to £ 53 17s 7d, c'xt pared with X43 19s 9d in the preM us te ;Mor- The Board (,f Sdueatiou had c.-asoi to pay separate giants on drawing work by the H)..denr&. but merged it in the attendance grants. There was a slight falling off in the number of pupils this year owing to the slackness iu the bnildino- t ade. The following were legistered: Machine drawing, 17: building construction, 9 geometry 17; elttriient- arj art, 20; advanced art, 12 j pupil teachers class 7, a total of 82.