The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-01-20
Inebriate Hens.

Everybody knows that Scotland il
far from being land oftotal abstinence
from strong drink; bat il il news that
even the poultry Of Scotland are he
ginning to engage in baechanali n
orgies. The following account % a tr 4
growing out Of slch departure frc.n
rectitude Is reproduced hy the Literary
Dig II from the Westminster tssz.tge.
with the editorial rcnIark that If they
did not know better, they might cou-
clu1e from this account that the
Scotch reporters had been emulating
their American compeers:'
"On Wednesday, at Oban, county Of
Argyle, Scotland, before Sheriff Mac
lavish, John Turner Laggan claimed
so pounds damages, restricted 70 y
pounds, against local distillery COM
pany, for injury done to his poultry by
the said company in allowing intoxi-
eating material % iow into the Lag
gan burn. This material, it was al
legged, caused drunkenness among tie
pursuer's poultry, and consequently
rendered them u little or no value .
him. Pursuer ELECTED that far some
years past he had been making a con-
siderable income from keeping poultry,
but that since the starting Of the dis
tillery he had made little or nothing.
His hens and ducks would not eat.
They were, he might gay, almost a.
ways more or less under the influence
of drink, except on Sundays, when tie
distillery was not working. On sun
days their condition was pitiable in the
extreme. Mondays were their worst
days, for then the hens drank exces-
sively, fell into the burn frequently,
and lately he had TO keep boy TO look
after them on Monday mornings They
took no food unless they first had
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 dis
cover the burn. He thought il was a
hen he had bought at Fort William
that made the discovery first, and that
she had led the rest astray.
'Cross-examined by Mr.. William
Smith, solicitor: Have you observed
'gapes' in hens?-Yes. DO you not
consider that your hens are suffering
from 'gapes?'-Yes, whisky 'gapes.'
Laughter. Did you know anything
about this Fort William hen before
you bought her?-Nothing whatever.
''Mr. John Scott at this stage wisn-
ed to read TO the bench an article b.
Mr.. Andrew Lang, referring to a some
what similar case. MIR. Smith object
ed, as the party was not called. Nr.
Scott stated he had summoned NJ.
Lang, bur he had not put in an appear
ance. He left himself in His Lord
ships hands. The Sheriff sustained
the objection.
superintendent Moss was then ask
ed by Mr.. Scott % place on the benc1
q cage OF wickerwork containing the
Fort William hen referred 70. He ask
ed to be allowed 70 recall the plrsuer.
Granted.
"NIr. Scott: This is the Fort WI
liam hen?-It IS. Is it so5er?-It ;
not.
ANY one could notice that this was
correct, for it sat on the bottom of the
cage and put its long neck through tie
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 lar gone. At this stage
the hen seemed 10 address some fOrci-
bic remarks to his Lordship, who or
dered it TO be taken away.
Examination continued: Was this
hen at the distiIlery burn this morn
one could see that. Laugh
ter. How are the other hens today
Worse than this one. Was this the
only one you could take to COURT
Yes. Why?-The rest were too drunk.
go that on the whole the Fort William
hen is not the wOrst?-rhat is so. How
do you account for that?-She EN-
stand it better.
"Cross-examined: What do the hens
DO when they return from the burn
Sleep. Anything else?-After a sleep
they generally fight. Have you no
sober hens at all:-Yes, but drunk ones
break their eggs.
''F'Or the pursuer il was coutended that
be had made out his case and was enti-
led to damages. In an able speech for
.hedefense il was submitted that the
contention had not been proved TIE
condition ofthe pursuer's hen might De
lue TO influenza.
His LordshiP stated that, the ease
being s. peculiar one, be would delay
giving decision that day.
"The court was crowded, and the
Fort William hen WAS the object Of
much interest outside. i thoughtful
Individual presented to it fully halfs
glass Of whisky, which it took greedi-
y. This revived it considerably. aud
L caekled at great rate, TO the intense
enjoyment OF the bystanders."