The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1897-02-13
HENS AAeiTUAL DRUNkARDs.


at Corrupt ng PoultEy.
1 From Scotland comes an account of q
remarkable lawsuit based on the do
ings of number of hens, whose repre-
hensible conduct will be revelation to
their American relatives. Recently at
Oban, before Sheriff Mactavish, John
Turner, OF Laggan, claimed $225 dam
ages against q local distillery company
for injury done to his poultry by the
company in allowing intoxicating mate
rial to flow into the Laggan burn.
This material, it was alleged, caused
drunl snness among the pursuer's poul-
try and consequently rendered them of
little or no value to him. Pursuers
elected that for 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, he
might say, almost always more or less
under the influence of drink except
Sundays, when the distillery was not
working. On Sundays their condition
was pitiable in the extreme. Mondays
were their worst days, for then the
hens drank excessively, fell into the
burn frequently, and lately he had
to keep a boy to look after them on
Monday mornings. They took no food
unless they first had a walk to Laggan
burn. Their conduct was generally
very reprehensible, and the ducks were
no better than the hens. 1t took the
poultry some time to discover the burn.
He thought it was hen that made the
discovery first and that she had led the
lest astray.
The account of the unique trial as it
appeared in an English newspaper is as
follows:
Cross-examined by Mr.. William
Smith. solicitor: "Haye you ever OBJ
served 'gapes' in hens" "Yes." do
you not consider that your hens are
suffering from 'gapes p" "Yes; whis-
ky 'gapes.'" Uaughter.) did you
know anything about this Fort Will
ham hen before you bought herr"
Nothing"
John Scott at this stage wished to
read to the bench an article by Andrew
Lang referring to 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 an appearance. 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
large cage of wickerwork containing
the Fort William hen referred to. He
asked to be allowed to recall the pur-
suer.
Mr.. Scott-This is the Fort William
hen? "It IS" "Is it sober 2" ''No."
Anyone could notice that this was
correct, for it sat on the bottom Of the
cage and put it's 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 noticed, he further stated,
when it was "far gone" At this stage
the hen seemed to address some forci-
BILE remarks to his lordship, who or.
dered it to be taken away.
Examination continued.-"Was this
hen at the distillery burn this morn
ing ?" "Anyone could see that" Laugh-
ter.) "How are the other hens to-day?"
Worse than this one." yves this the
only one you could take to court?"
"Yes." "Why?" 1.-THE rest were too
$50 that on the whole the
Fort William hen is not the worst?"
''That is So" slow do you account
for that?" 'She can stand it better"
Cross-examined.-"W do the hens |
do when they return from the burn?"
Sleep" Anything else?" "After
sleep they generally fight" "Have yon
mo sober hens at all?" Eyes, but the
drunk ones break their eggs"
For the pursuer it was contended that
be had made out he was entitled to dam
sges. In an able speech for the de-
tense it was submitted that the conten-
ton had not been proved. The condi-
ton Of the pursuer's hen might be due
20 influenza
His lordship stated that, the case be
ng peculiar one, he would delay Civ
ng decision that day.
The court was crowded, and the Fort
William hen was the object of much I
interest outside. A thoughtful indi-
,idual presented to it fully half q glass
If whisky, which it took greedily. This
.evived it considerably, and it cackled
1T great rate, to the delight of the by
L