The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-10-29 00:00:00

GEORGE RICHMOND COLLIS r. THOMAS

BROOKS.
JURY CASE.

Thus was an action brought at the County Court held
at Stourbridge, on Wedneaday last, before Load&le War-
ren, Esq., Deputy Judge, by George Richmond Collis,
of Stourton Castle, agar net Thomas Brook,. of Kingswin-
ford, castrator, for alleg.-1 illtreatment of the plaintifT.
sheep by the defendant, who now claimed .C 25 for the
loos of nineteen sheep. This case had been heard before,
and the jury gave a verdict for defendant, and Mr. Din!,
dale, the Judge, granted a new trial.
Mr. Godson tOxford Circuit), instructed by Mr. C
Collis, appeared for plaintiff, and Mr. Stokes for the
defendant.

Mr. Godson opened the case, and pointed out to the
Jury what evidence he should bring before them, and
tried to impress upon their minds the necessity of putting
aside any feeling which might ari,e in reference to the
different positions occupied by plaintiff and defeulant,
and, after hearing the evidence to be produced to give
verdict according to their conreieneee, which he had no
doubt would he for the plailitdf. Mr. tiodtion then
pointed out the damage plaintiff had sustained, which
will he found detailed below.

George Richmond Collis deposed : I ow plaintiff In
due action. In September last year I purchased 45
Welsh sheep. A man named Pachnore, a farmer, recom-
mended me to buy them. They appeared healthy. After
Christmas I purchased 5 South Down sheep. They were
placed in a field by my house. Saw them at times, up
to January. They were getting on well and appeared
healthy, and fed them on good food. Up to the time I
saw Mr. Nash I heard nothing about their being unwell.
On the 2nd of February Mr. Mutt came out of his house
and said that a neighbour had told him that the sheep
had got the scab, and that he had a friend of his comieg
in a few minutes who would look at them. I examined
the sheep, and found they were healthy and well. I
went to London for a few days. and about the second n,
third week on Februery examined the sheep, and found
good many of them were lying down, and could not get
up. The three and four-yeario.d sheep tad got their tail
ens off. I went to Nash uud complained to him about it
t at'. wards asked a man nami d Clark to look at the
dead sheep ; and ideo Mr. Fraycia Biakeway. Some iif
the living flock were examined in my presence. There
was not • tangle speck or scab about them. I lost ten
Welsh sheep altogether, and one South Down. They
were woints 30s each. 'the South Down I gave £3 for.
'there wee four lambs worth Ills each. I gore £5O for
45 eheep. They had improved very much for the time,
and fit for the butcher, home have died since, and the
epic., have depreciated Ills yeah. I had sheep and
noneo. They were pot on proper land. Did not autho-
rise any one to cut their tails uff, or order Noah to get
.y one to attend to them.
Cross-elan:titled : I did lose some sheep in the month
of March. Have not beard that my neighbours had lost
sheep. I have a small field. Do not keep • farm. Have
not consulted with Mr. Nash about sheep. Never sent
my most Southell. to Nash. Nash did cut my bay. I
paid him a pound an acre. Naeh set my potatoes and
mangolde, and he charged tar am K or seven pounds. I
paid him. I did have a tn. named Hinton in my em-
ploy. Have seen Nash three times at his honuo and paid
him bills. Never asked Nash'. advice about the sheep
or pigs. Nash did say that • man named Cox had com-
plained about the eheep. He has not threatened me with
en action, Did not call upon Nash and any. Why the
devil havn't you got the sheep done ?" I left home in
February, and was away five day.. When I ri turned
I than London I found oint myself about the condition of
• the cheep, which wee the first time I had heard about the
sheep. I found they had been deemed. The lane is
veiy dry. A gutter does run at the far end of the
tie:d, and the river at the extreme end of the bottom of
the tieid —the Stour. It is a thy field. Threitiand-
twenty acres lie on a batik. The swedes were kept in
one of the stables.
He-examined :gush's public•honse is near to my
house.

Thomas Padmore deposed: I am a farmer and cattle
dealer, at King's Norton. Plaintiff had employed me to
pureha.e some sheep. Went With him to purchase 45
sheep. sautined them well before I bought them.
There were no m•rks or signs of the scab upon them.
The Inspector 11114 also prt sent to examine all the sheep
going into the market. I afterwards scent to Stourton
oo the 10th of Slay. I examined the 4,ep thr•
next morning. Some of them looked very bad, but they
did not look as if they had had the scab. SRVI thct their
talls were cot off. which did not improve them. Saw tbe
land the sheep were on, which would be good land for
sheep, the laud being sandy.
Cross examined: Bought the sheep in September.
Did not sae them until the time I went to Use Castle. If
the sheep had had the scab during the time that inter-
vened from when I bought them up till the time I saw
them I could tell they had had the scab, as the wool would
come off. Did not gee there was water in the field. Far
mars do not cat off the tails of cheep; but they do of
Lonba If sheep', tails were cut off it would cease them
to bleed, and do them an injury.
Ra•etamitted : Rare etamined the field the sheep were
in. and it was a good one for sheep.
Edward Swathall deposed: I am a gardener, and am
eekpoyed to' after the sheep. I roceired 50 sheep
into my hands, to look atter them. Th. sheep ware
In a lalel whisk was yr. us to Ouislar Ohl