The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1821-01-08 00:00:00

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PALIICE COURT, Fitiliio44. I.

THE iIIiaIFICIAL LBO.
sneers o.*lnsts.
kr. RAILS opened the pleadings in thin else.
It was sn minion .for goods said and delivered. lee
which it was alleged tee defendant had promised to
pay. To this the defendatit had pleaded to all. ex-
cept as to four pounds., diet he had not promised to
pay, slid dolt, with respect to the four pounds, be
had inside • lender. Tile plaudit): tit his replica-
tion, denied the tenders and spots this issue was
joined.
Mr. Malcolm stated the facts to the Jure. The
pleadings, he v•id, had been correctly stated by his
Learned Friend; but the simple question to he de-
cided was, whether, io point of fact, the Plaint tt
was entitled to the sum of ten guineas. which he de-
manded of the Defesida or whether his claim was
to be eut down to the leseer stim of four pound..
The Plaintiff was a mechanic of tlee higher order--
by which he meant • eau who devoted his ingenuity
and his talents to the allevistiou of the miseries and
inisforitine4 of his fellow-creatures. Hr had, lit
fact, long been celebrated for the mauufacture of
artificial legs, and carried on his business in Buck-
ingham-street, Strand. The Defendant was a ratt-
ler, and resided iu the same neighbourhood. The
present action was brought to recover ten guineas,
for putting a slew foot and ankle, mid making oilier
additions to a leg which had been sent to the Plain-
tiff by the Defendant to he repaired, and it would
be the province of the Jury to say whether this suns
exceeded what might be considered as • fair remu-
neration far the labour and peculiar talent which hod
beeti etuplosed. The evidence which lie should be
able to call. he was instructed, would prove that
the Plaintiff had been furs length of time carrying
on the business of n leg maker, and that in remedy-
ing the defects of those who might have lost their
limbs—especially during the war in which title
comory had been so recently engaged, and dm kg
which so many illuttrious individuals had borne
from the field prinfial but glorious proofs of the Va.
loser wldcli they had displayed—he had been singu-
larly successful. It would further be proved That.
on the 13th or 14th of November last, the Deftnd-
ant, Mr. Weiss, sent for the Plaintiff to nopilir tut
artificial leg for a customer. When the Pleetittlf
went to his house, and saw the leg, lie observed that
it would be by much the cheaper and better *Hy to
make a new leg altogether, than to attempt to re-
medy the defects of the old one. The Defendant
stated that the owner was particularly satisfied with
the old leg, from the exactness wish which it fitted
him, and therefore preferred retaining that to leivisier
a new one ninth.. Upon this the Plaintiff treik the
old lei home with him, stud, miaowing it beliiie
Ilse calf, proceeded with his customary talent to
supply a slew foot. an elastic toe, • spiral sprinir
ankle, and all that complicsted inachiuery which
rendered such au artificial instrument most useful to
the timer. Independent of this part of the tack.
he covered ;he thigh mid leg with new leather—new
stuffed a pad at the top of the orifice, which re-
ceived the natafel *wasp, and added • bOdy. strol,
aid a strop to go over the shoulder. for the 1e311,01r
of rendering the whole more secure. For doing all
this his demand was only ten guineas. Tt.e De-
feedinnt hail, however, resisted his chitin, Mel im-
posed on him the painful necessity of *pistoling Iv
the verdict of a Jury fur the recovery of that versos-
neratiou to which be was fairly and honestly en-
titled.
The first witness, Charles Gordon, was then
called and examilyed by Mr. EARLEite deposed
that he occasionally worked for the Plaintiff: lk
recollected hero% had to repair a leg for Mr. Writ*
about three weeks sign.
Mr. THENSIGF.II (Counsel for the Defendant)—
My Lord, this cannot be the leg in question; env
Learned Friends hod better put their right foot
furernost.—f Leughietv
Witness, in emitinuation;—He remembered at
another time repairing a leg for Mr. Weiss, about
two or three months ago,
Mr. Tuasstasit—Non constat, the leg in the
declaration.

~~

Mr. KOWA —My Learned Friend is too anxious
to knock the kg from under us.—(Laughter. 1—
We must go by steps. 1 propose examining the
witness to the repairs which he made on a
cular leg, and then to identify that as the leg in
question. ,
The witness remembered repairing an xitificill
kg for Mr. %Vein below the calf ; he put to it is
new foot, elastic toe. and spiral spring in the heel.
Mr. Tetes.tots— I am afraid my Learned Friend
will make but • lame story. if I do not lend him
some aid. Here is the identical leg of which he is
in pursuit; he is welcome to all the support he cats
derive front it.
'the kg was then put into the witness's hand.
and he was called upon to describe its anatomy.
This he did, and pointed out the rations parts
whicit required the aid of particular ingenuity to
manufacture. From the prices he had seen charged
for such articles. he considered Mr. Shand's de-
mand fair and reasonable.
Cross-ezaatiased by Mr. Tuassiaza.—He ad.
milted that iu • piece of wood placed, wider the
instep spriug. a screw had been omitted, by alt
oversight, the coosequence of which onsiiisiou was
that the spring was thrown out of its place, and the
motion of the machinery became greatly impeded.
He thought bruin and not steel spring* were *Yr.
On being further pressed on this point. he said
Mr. Shand could explain the comparative
Loges best, as he wore such ;t leg himself.
Q. What. then, Mr. Shand liimsalt. aalds a
leg ?--A. Of course.
Q. You consider it a matter of course. thea,
that a leg manufacturer should, in his 1111111 person,
exhibit a proof of his ingenuity ?—A. Some of the
trade are in that way. Some want legs, smite nostv,
and sto forth.—(Laughter./
Mr. William Sheldrake was next exiled a,•rl
examined by Mr. Mongler. Ile is a trot., and
maker in the Strand; he knew Mr. Shand by
sight, and had heard that he had made many legs.
—(Witness took the kg produced into his liand.l-.
He had heard the exa►nination of the first witness.
, Ha . never undertook second-hand work hicoaelf ;
that was to say, he never repaired for the trade.
Ile worked fdr Gentlemen. and charged them ac-
cording to the nature of the work done.' He
not judged the value Of the work iq the leg berme
him, because it was so badly doue. He would