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BAGILLT. I A PROPERTY DI-PUTE AT THE COUNTY COURT. At the ITohw,ll County Court on Tuesday, before H is H >cor S^r i lot ;>ti > Lloyd, Judge, an action for a deore" of titinj m rcvpeut of a piece of laudat Bo t Bigi:lt, WHM brought by John Grosvenor Davies, of Atuut.t Place, Flint, agnint-t Edwnrd Davio. of Gr *unfirLL Mr. T. W. Hughes (Messr?. Hughes aid Hu^he^, FliLt). appeared for the plain- tiff, aud Ar. R. Bromley, Holyweil f' r the defence. Mr. Hub stated that the claim of partition of a piece of land ar. Boot, Bagillt, was made under a will dated March Ist, 1872, of Win. Davies, deceased iu which he deviptd a piece of land to his eon and giandtion as tenants in common. The will was pre- pared by Robert Robert, tirm keeper at Bagillt Foundry. After the testator died the will was left in the bou-e of the widow, and afterwards obtained by plttinc fE'rt mother from a b, x in her motber'n rcoru. She took it t) a solicitor to have it proved, but it keFt hauling on for a long time, until 1886, when the plaintiff came of age before means were tiken to obtain probate. The will was witnessed by Robert R,,b,rts and Thomas Hughes, both now deceased. Referring to the probate of the will and the attestation clause he quoted Taylor on evidence, Harris v. Knight, 1.) P.D. 172. Mrs. Jessie Davies, residing at Mount Place, Flint, wife of John Grosveuor Davies. Raid the testator wai her father. Her father died in October, 1872. Thomas Hughes (now deceased) told her that her father had male a will. She got the will from her mother's box and took it to Mr. Davies, solicitor, about three months after her father's death. The will was sent to Sr. Aaph to be proved, and it was returned three or four months back. She remem- bered the laud cultivated and railings being put up and taken down. John Grosvenor Davies, plaintiff, son of the last witness, said Robert Roberts told him that the half of the ground was made for him like in the will." Robert-i said he would come with him to St. Asaph to prove the will. He had put railings round the land and tried to plough it but the ground was too hard. The land was 1200 square yards. He did nct know his unule had made a claim to the land. Septimus Howell, Foundry, Bagillt, said the hand- writing of the will was that of the late Robert Roberta, timekeeper at Bagillt Foundry. The time b-)ok produced win in his handwriting. He was employed there for many yeard. Mr. Bromley pointed out that there was no signa- ture of testator or witnesses, their crosses only being affixed to the will. The defendant was in pumaesoion before the death of the testator, and the defendants father carried on the trade of brick maker on the land, Mr. Edward Davies, Greenfield, said be had known the land for the last 23 years. He was the son of John Davies, mentioned in the will; he died on the 12th of April, 1872. Previous to his death he always t Id him he owned the land. He lived with his mother His name was on the rate-book. Since his father's deafh he had cultivated the land. The pLtintiff had put up railings on the land in 1892. He threw them dowu. Up to 1892 he had never heard of ihe existence of any will. Win. Frederick Conway, Tai Newydd, Bagillt, said he knew John Davies, the father of the defend- ant, and also the piece of land the subject of the action. John D-tvies had a brick-kiln on the land. He knew it 23 years ago. He built two cottages- the first built ar, New Brighton-with the bricks from John Davies' field, for Messrs. John Davies & Son. He understood the land belonged to John Davies. Ralph Stevenson, Bagillt-road, Greenfield, said he bought bricks from John Davies in 1871. Owen Lewis, Greenfield, gave evidence as to railings being put up aud taken down. Elizabeth Davies, widow of Daniel Davies, said her husband worked on the land making bricks for John Davies. Ann Davies, Greenfield, widow of John Davies, aDd defendant's mother, said her husband made bricks on the land. and previous to that he grew orops on the land. He got the land from his father William Davies. John Marsden, rate collector, stated that the rate book stated that John Davies paid the rates in 1872 as owner and occupier. Mrs. Davies (re.called) eaid she remembered John Divies making bricks on the laud. Her father allowed him to make bricks because her father bad become unable to work. He was to pay her father half the tnotey in consideration. The bricks were to huild two houses on the land. Mr. Bromley submitted that the claim of the plain- tiff was not made out, their only point being the possession of the will. Mr. Hughes said had he known that the possession of the land was going to be contested and not the validity of the will, he should have been prepared with evidence on that head. His Honour suggested that the matter should stand over until the next oourt when additional evidence could be produced, and it could also be ascertained how far back the defendant appeared to be the owner in the rate books. The suggestion was agreed to and the case was adjourned. FATAL ACCIDENT AT BETTISFIELD COLLIERY. THE JURY AND THE THREEPENNY RIDE. THE CORONER AND THE JURY'S INTERESTING DEBATE. On Saturday morning last, a fatal accident happened at Bettisfield Colliery, to a collier named Edwin Roberts, of Tai Trevor, Llanerchymor. The deceased was working in the five yard Beam, end a piece of coal falling from the roof upon him, startled Li'u, aiid he jumped aside, and in doing so fell against a tub striking the back of his head. Ho rose from the ground and walked a short distance, then fell. When picked up he was found to be dead, The deceased was 37 years of age, and leaves a widow and six children. The Iuquest upon the body of the deceased was opened on Monday afternoon at the Royal Hotel, Greenfield, before Mr. Wm. Davies, County Coroner, and a Jury of which Mr. J. Petrie was foreman. The Coroner said he should that day only take evidence of identification for the purpose of burial, and adjourn the inquest to a future date for the )e attendance of the Government Inspector, and haying sworn the Jury, he directed them to go and view the body. A TBOTTING JURY. Before proceeding a Juryman said he should like tj know the distance from the Ccroners Court to the hou-<e where the deceased was lying? The Coron&r: I don't know. The Police: A little over a mile. Another Juror It is over I/o mile and a quarter. A Juror: That, is a mile there and a mile back. How much ime will you allow us to do it in ? The Coroner ? As much time as you like. A Juror: it will do then if we are back by nine this evening. The oronf-r: Anything reasonable. A Juror You must remember that some of us are not as hHp on our legs as others. The Co! r: You are not on crutches. A Juror If we drive there will you allow us compensation. Tiie Coroner •. Nt), I cannot allow you anything. A Jur r We must trot it ? The Coroner, (to the Jury) Gentlemen, you had better go. (To the police] •' Police, gee that every one views the body. The Jury then went to view the body. Outside the hotel there haDpened to be what is termed a tram,' (a two- w heeled spriug cart with side seats) and into it ten jurymen packed themselves. A couple of pony traps conveyed the police aud the remainder of the jurymen. The Coroner also procured a trap and drove to Trevor. The jury paid their fares (3d. each way) with the exception of one, who positively declined to do so at the time. In the o nrse of 3o or 40 minutes the jury had returned to tha Court, aud the following evidence was taken. Mary Ellen Roberts, of Tai Trevor, said she was the wido-v of Edwin Roberts, whose body the jury had been viewing. He was a collier and worked at Bettinfield Colliery. He was 37 years of age. He left the bue on Saturday morning lait at a quarter to five o'clock. At about half-past eleven he was brought home dead. "OFF THE SCENT." Mr. Terry I have been given to understand that the Inspect s has b ea down this morning and ->eeted the colliery. If thtt is and the officials ■oili rv also t),inz pres nt, I d) not see why 'n the Leighbourli.-od, he aid not attei d ore we are MCI our time in dnty ntrv, and we must come here again and r day. Why not have it concluded to- day and not make "much ado about nothing," as Shakespeare SOtVS- The Coroner I never heard that the Inspector was in the neighbourhood. He did not get the information from me until this morning. The law II says I must give him 48 hours notice, and as soon as the police sent me notice I notified the Inspector. If you can alter the law I shall only be too glad. These adjournments entail an expense and loss of time upon myself. Ilam sorry to call you here again, but the directions of the law must be followed. I adjourn the enquiry until Saturday next at one o'clock. Mr. Jones (Packet House) If the Inspector was in the neighbourhood why should he not have come here P The Coroner: There is no proof he is in the neigh- bourbood. A Juror We have been told so. The Coroner Mr. Terry says so, but who can believe him. Mr. Terry I believe be has been down the Colliery this raoruing, and here are two of the managers present. The Coroner They are not Inspectore. Mr. Jones I understand that it is the law that the managers of the Colliery must give notice immediately an accident happens, to the Inspector. The Coroner And send to me also. Mr. Jones Why should he not be here then ? The Coroner You dont think that the Inspectors are quietly waiting for a notice of an accident, and then lush off to it. They have a lot to do besides that. the thing is preposterous. Mr. Jones: W 6 have something to do besides spending two days here. j The Coroner: You are subjects to the Queen (A Juror; "Unpaid.")—One at a time please. Even so are the Inspectors, who are bound to obey certain rules and regulations. They have a certain time to be notified of an accident. I must give them 48 hours notice, and if we were to wait for him and he did not attend, what would the friends of the deceased say when they could not get the notice for burial for three days. Mr. Vickers Our time is money as well as any- body else's. The Coroner Dont you know that it is an honour to serve the Queen, whether in the capacity of a soldier, sailor or juryman. It is your honour to do so. The question is, are you satisfied ? [It wo,4 subsequently ascertained that the Inspector had not been down the Colliery that day.] THE JUBYlCBN'a TBOT. The Foreman The question has been put to me, why should the Inquest be held here at all ? The Coroner Or at Llanerchymor. The answer is simply this-I thought it more convenient in this respect. We should not be able to get a Jury at Llanerchymor. without persons interested in collieries. Then there is the railway close here. It is more convenient to all parties to have it here than at Llanerchymor, because if I held it there you would have two journeys instead of only ons. The Foreman: In all probability not the same Jury would have been summoned as you have now got. Then there is the expenses of the trap. There would have been DO need of that if the inquest had been held at Llanerchymor, for we could have walked from Hen Dafarn. It is only a short distance. A Juror: A trial has not been made to get a room or jury at Llanerchymor. Mr. C. Griffiths We are out of the district. The Coroner: No, we are not. Mr. Griffiths Llanerchymor is in Whitford district. The Coroner You had better go to sohool again and learn. Mr. W. Jones: I understood it was out of the district. The Coroner: It is no use minoing matters. I must put an end to this. The law says you may gather a jury from the four or fiye next" vills." Do you know what that means? Mr: Jones: Villages. You dont take us all for "duffers" (laughter). The Coroner Certainly, so it is,-from the next four or five villages. The Foreman Allow me, Mr. Coroner. What about onr expenses ? The Coroner I will have no further questions now the Court is adjourned until Saturday, the 25th inst., at one p.m. The Foreman Mr. Coroner- The Coroner I shall have no more questions. Jurors: "Fairplay, fairplay." The Coroner I have adjourned the Court. The Jurors (together) Give our Foreman fair play hear what he has to say. The Coroner I have adjourned. The Jurors Our Foreman," Our Foreman." The Coroner "No, no." The Foreman Allow me, Mr. Coroner. It is all settled except paying expenses, The Coroner You have had my answer. The Foreman I do not see that this is fair. The Coroner I cannot help that. Mr. W. Jones. How far is it to Trevor ? The Coroner I will not answer any questions. Jurors: Answer +hat question. The Coroner No, I shall not. Mr. W. Jones: Then we will get it answered somewhere else. The Coroner Try it on. Mr. Terry: Mr. Coroner. I am proud to think I am among a set of men as intelligent as any in Greenfield or anywhere else. At the same time, knowing that you are all powerful with the law at your back, I do not think that courtesy or oommon fairness has been shewn. The Coroner Sit down. Mr. Terry: You will not answer the Foreman's question. The Coroner What is the question ? The Foreman Who is going to pay for the con- veyance ? The Coroner: Those who engaged it (laughter). The Foreman: I believe a precedent has been created. There was a jury-or jurymen-who some short time ago at Flint, refused to proceed to view the body without being conveyed at your or the county's expense. That I believe is the reason why the jurymen present do not see the reason why they should be treated differently. The Coroner: If that is all, I am very glad you have mentioned it. Of course I have the power as far as the county is concerned of doing certain things, but they must be reasonable. When the jury met at Flint, it was a winter day, oold and snowy, and it would have been cruelty to expect the jury to have walked along the road that day, a mile or more. I took upon myself to order a trap to convey them there and back. But, to-day—a nice spring day-why it would do every juryman good to walk a couple of miles out into the country. A Juryman Why did you not set example then ? The Coroner: I did, by the simple reason, that I paid for my trap out of my own private purse, and if the Conorer could drive so could the jury, and as the Coroner had to pay so also the jury, but not the county. Mr. Terry We know you are all powerful, and as you allowed in Flint 80 could you here. The Coroner Do not say that, or you say that I do wrong. Mr. Terry You have the power. The Coroner: No, I only do what is right, not what is wrong. Mr. Terry speaking again. The Coroner Dont talk any more or I will com- mit you (laughter.) Mr. Terry Mr. Coroner— The Coroner Do not speak again or I will ask the police to take you in charge. Mr. Terry: I dont care for that, he may. The Coroner Now, you are just in the same position as when you began. Are you all content ? Mr, Vickers: I suppose I must be if the others are. The Coroner: If the others are; what do you mean ? Mr. Viokers Are we to walk two miles to Trevor and back again ? The Coroner: No. A Juror What about the conveyance expenses ? The Coroner: I am not going into that. It appears you do not know your duties. Mr. Terry We'll go the same as to-day- The Coroner I asked you not to speak. (To the Constable) Davies, if this juryman speaks again, take him in charge, and I will issue my warrant (suppressed laughter). The Coroner: Are you all content P Mr. Vickers I am satisfied if anybody else is. The Coroner Those not satisfied say so. Mr. Terry I cannut say so. The speaker is to be lOiked up (laughter). The Coroner: You are now disobarged, and be careful to attend on Saturday, or you will forfeit £ 10. Mr. Vickers: Suppose we have no goods or I chattels ? The Coroner: You must be here at one o'clock. Mr. Terry And be prompt (h. ar, bear.)

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