The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-01-08 00:00:00

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p.4zAts COURT.—.4Ax. A.
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Tits AnTirlclat.lllllo.••.4lllAND V. WELIIS.
Mr. &PIA opened the pleadings in this case„ It
-was atraetion foe goods sold and delivered, for which
4e• was alleged die defendant had promised to pay.
'en this the defendant had pleaded to all, except as to
41., that he had not promised to pay, and that, with
respect to the 4/. be had made a tender. The plaintiff,.
in his replication, denied the tender, and upon this
issue was joined.
Mr. MAsot.as stated the facts to the jury. The
pleading's, lie said, bad been correctly stated by his
Learned Friend, but the simple question to be decided j
was, whether in point of fact the plaintiff was entitled
to the sum of ten gnineas, which he demanded of the
defendant, or whether his claim was to be cut down
to the lesser sum of four pounds. The plaintiff was
a meehanic of the higher order—by which he meant
a man who devoted his ingenuity and his talents to,
the alleviation of the miseries and misfortunes of his
follow-creanres. He had, in fact, long been c..lebrated
fur the manufacture of artificial legs, a..d carried
on his bnsiness in llnckingharn-street, Strand. The
defendant was a cutler, and resided in the same neigh-.
hourboorl. The present action was brought to recover;
19 guineas, for putting a new foot and ankle, and !
Nailing other additions, to a leg which had been sent ;
to the plaintiff by the defendant to be repaired, and it
o-culd he-the Province of,the jury. to sav whether this
sum exceeded what might be considered as a fair re-
anon'-ration for the, labour and pesullar talent which
hid been employed.
Th., first witness, Charles Gordon, was then
rolled and examined by Mr. &ULU. Ile deposed
that he occasionally worked for the plaintiff. lie re-;
ollected having had to repair a leg for Mr. Weiss, ;
;About three weeks ago.
Mr. Turfs:436 (counsel far the defendant.)—fly
Lord, this cannot be the kg in question ; my Learned
Frierots had better put their right foot foremost.—
(Latightei.)
Witness, in continnation—He remembered at another
time repairing a kg for Mr. Weiss, about two or three
months ago.
Air. Tur,stora.—Nok coastal, the leg in the de-
elaration.
Mr. BARI.I.—My Learned Friend is tow:lntim!, to
knock the leg from under ns.—(Laughter.'-11'e must '
go by Peps. I propose examining the witness to the
repairs which he made on a particular leg, and then to
identify that as the kg in question.
'1 he witne.,s remembered repairing an artificial leg
fur Mr. Weiss below the calf; lie put to it a new foot, I
e:ostic toe, and spiral spring in the heel.
Mr. THE.: sinEk—l am af,-aid my learned friend
cid make Ina a lame story, if I do not leml him sonie
aid: Here is the identical leg of which tie is in intr.
suit; he is welcome to all the support he can derive ,
fr.on it.
The leg was then put into the witne"'s hand. and
lilt was called upon to describe its anatomy. This Iv•
di.f, and pointed out the various parts whirls reopiire.l
fie aid of particular ingenuity to manta...lore. From
the prices he had seen charged fur sneh articles, he
considered Mr. Shand's demand fair and reasonable.
Cross-examined by Mr. Tocastcra.—lle admitted
0. at in a piece of wood, placed tinder the instep epring,
a screw had ler; omitted, by an oversight..the eonse-
quart, e of which otAission was, that the spring was
throat n out of its place, and the motion of the titalti-
nery !)eranie greatly impeded. He thouzlit brass and
- not .•eel springs were best. On being further pressed
nit point, he said Mr. Shaul could explain the
romp iralise advantages best, as he. wore such a leg
hial.e:f.

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What, then. Mr. Shand himself wants n leg? Of
m 005... You consider it a matter of co then.
that a leg-sts.voilacturer should, in his Own iscrson,
exhibit a roof of his ingenuity? Bone of the trade
a:e in that way. Some want legs, some nu,es, and so
forth.—(Laughter.)
Mr. William Sheltlrake was next called, an.l

amioid by 31r. 31 ‘Nt:t.Es: he is a truss and lez maker
in the Strand. He knew Mr. Shand by sight, and
had heard that be had made many legs. (Winless
took the leg produced into his hand.) Ile had heard
the etaalination of the first witness. Ire never nnder-
took secombhand work himself; that was to say, be
never repaired fur the trade. He worked for gentle-
men. and charged them according to the natnre of the
wori..lone. Ile could not judge of the value of the
work in the leg now before him, because it wai so
badly done. He would not employ a Mall in him house
who would work It' badly. The action of the ankle
was not sUfficient ; it would not admit of a boot being
drawn on it, as it ought to do. If he had smithe a
foot and ankle from the calf downwards, he should

have charged ten Or twelve guineas. He should,
however, make it on his own principles, and not in a
way similar to the.. leg in his hand. As the svoik
-was done. he could not form au.opinion of its value.
Mr. 'fitrsstuen.—My Lord, I arpreleended the
plaiatitr most •'. take to his legs."—(Laughter.)
Mr. EARLE said there was still another witness, who

" help them over the stile."--(l.aughter.)
Mr. Jantes Potts was then called. He was a maker

of artificial legs. 41e had heard the examination of
Ave last two witnesses. He also took the leg and ana-
tuterizcsl it. • He—never made a leg of that description.
Me: had been making legs for 10 or 20 years. The
lime of leo depended upon their mint) to the wearers;
eitwe which proved best calculated to supply the de-
la- eta of nature were oflcourse most valuable. If they
01,1 noj atISW:r the desired purpose, they could °recourse
II- of no v;tinr. •

‘llr. Tniastuco.-1 think I may now fairly say my
leAgned frintis have nut a leg to stand on..
•The learned Judge coneurred in this ohservation,
~findAfisit.af opinism, that the plaintiff was proved out
4, , toast by LA own witnesses.
A elsolies was then entered fOr the defendant.
tit has ileeti_nientioned is a curious hut melanc'eoly
f il.t, one-smell:dim tilt history of Kilkenny, or at least,
in the annSls Sfrhsching, that there is not one carriage
i‘ept at present by apr yrirate tientleman residing
,within the 4;ify_Or)Oierties of Kilkenny, comprising a
p''putation pf 64/J*4:butes !.! 7 We beg the Cogri.:r
add .this fiset-W.its colketion of proofs of_t!:e
in-
errrKu` scratch' :awl rtwitcrity of the Knipi
- a:ciorater JorrneLP • •
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