Kansas City daily journal., 1896-12-27
HENS HABlTUAL DRUNKARDs.
ScOtcbman Brings Suit Against a Dis
tiling Company for Corrupt
ing His Poultry.

Scotcbman Brings Suit Against q Dis
tining Company for Corrupt
ing His Poultry.
From Scotland comes an account of re-
rnarkable lawsuit based on the doings of
number of hens, whose reprehensible con-
duct will be a revelation to their American
relatives. Recently at oban. before Sheriff
Mactavish, John Turner, of Laggan, claim
ed SOS damages against a local distiiiery
company for injury done to his poultry by
the company in allowing intoxicating ma
terial to How into the Laggan burn rms
material. it was alleged, caused drunken
ness among the pursuer's poultry and con-
sequently rendered them of little or no
value to him. Pursuer ELECTED that tor
some years past he had been making
considerable income from keeping poultry,
but that since the starting of the distillery
he had made little or nothing. His hens
and ducks would not eat. They were, ne
might say, almost always more or less un-
der the influence of drink except on sun
days. when the distillery was not WORKING
On Sundays their condition was pitiaole In
the extreme Mondays were their worst
days, for then the hens drank excessively,
fell into the burn frequently, and lately ne
had to keep boy to look after them on
Monday mornings. They took no 1000 TN
less they first had walk to Laggan ourn-
Their conduct was generally very repre-
hensibIe and the ducks were no petter
than the hens. It took the poultry some
time tn discover the burn. He thought 1t
was a hen that made the discovery first
and that she had led the rest astray-
The account of the unique trial as 1t ap-
peared in an English newspaper is as tol-
lows:
Cross-exanined by Mr.. William Smith,
solicitor: Have you ever observed 'gapes'
in hens?"
YES"
do you not consider that your hens are
suffering from 'gapes'?''
Yes; whisky 'gapes.' Gaughter.)
did you know anything about this Fort
William hen before you bought her?''
Nothing"
John Scott at this stage wished to read
to the bench an article by Andrew Lang
referring to a somewhat similar case. Mr..
Smith objected, as the party was not
called. Mr.. Scott stated he had summoned
Mr.. Lang, but he had not put in appear
ance. He left himself in his lordship's
hands, The sheriff sustained the objection.
Superintendent Moss was then asked by
Mr.. Scott to place on the bench a large
cage of wickerwork containing the Fort
William hen referred to. He asked to be
allowed to recall the pursuer.
Mr.. Scott-"This is the Fort William
hen?"
''It is"
'1s 1t sober?"
NO.
Anyone could notice that this was cor
rect, for it sat on the bottom of the cage
and put its long neck through the bars,
looked sideways at the ceiling, Grooming to
itself in what was termed a "maudlin
style" by the pursuer. This was always no.
ticed, he further stated, when it was "far
gone" AT this stage the hen seemed to
address some forcible remarks to his lord
ship, who ordered it to be taken away.
Examination continued-was this hen at
the distillery burn this morning? Anyone
could see that. Gaughter.) How are the
other hens to-day? Worse than this one
Was this the only one you could take to
court? Yes. Why? The rest were too
drunk. So that on the whole the Fort Will
lam hen is not the worst? That is so. How
do you account for that? She can stand it
better.
Cross-examined-What do the hens do
when they return from the burn? Sleep
Anything else? After a sleep they gener-
ally fight. Have you no sober hens at all?
Yes, but the drunk ones break their eggs.
For the pursuer it was contended that he
had made out he was entitled to damages
In an able speech for the defense it was
submitted that the contention had not been
proved. The condition of the pursuer's men
might be due to influenza.
His lordship stated that, the case being a
peculiar one, he would delay giving a de-
cision that day.
The court was crowded and the Fort
William hen was the object of much in
terest outside. A thoughtful individual pre-
sented to it fully half a glass of whisky,
which it took greedily. This revived it con-
siderably, and 1t cackled at a great rate,
TO the delight of the bystanders.