The Western Daily Press 25 Apr 1888 Bristol County Court A Tale of a Wig BACK v BUSH includes Henry OATEN

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The Western Daily Press, Bristol Wednesday 25 Apr 1888

Page 3 Column 2


BRISTOL COUNTY COURT.

TUESDAY. - Before His Honour Judge MEDCALFE, Q.C.

<section not transcribed>

A TALE OF A WIG.

BACK v. BUSH. - This was an action brought by Daniel BACK, carpenter, of 6, Lydney Alley, Kingsland Road, St. Philip's, to recover the sum of £2 from John BUSH, labourer, of New Buildings, Gas Lane, the value of a wig destroyed by the defendant and damage sustained thereby. Mr J. H. CLIFTON appeared for the defendant. The plaintiff said that on the 16th of February he was in the Steam Engine public-house, Gas Lane. The landlord sometimes employed him to do odd jobs, and on the night in question he was carrying a pint of burton from the bar to the taproom. The defendant, who was one of the company, pulled witness's wig off his head and put it on the gas bracket. BUSH then went out into the road and filled plaintiff's hat with snow. He also brought in a large handful and rubbed it all over witness's poor old head. (Laughter.) His Honour: That was very cruel. Plaintiff: I should think it was; you would not like it yourself. It was not the first or second time the defendant had knocked his wig off in the same house. The wig was so burnt that witness had not been able to wear it since. Cross-examined: There was no angry feeling between the defendant and him-self. He reckoned the damage to his wig at 25s and the other 15s was for the snow which was put on his poll. (Laughter.) [Witness added that his wig was entirely destroyed and in confirmation of his statement displayed all that remained of that article.] The defendant hung his wig on the gas bracket for the sport of the customers. After it was burnt it was not pulled off the gas bracket by Henry OATEN. It was pulled off by the defendant who went out and brought in some snow and said, “There is a new wig for you.” (Laughter.) A witness named GREENWAY was called, who deposed to seeing the defendant knock off the plaintiff's hat, and put his wig on the gas. Mr CLIFTON called John BUSH, the defendant, who denied having placed the wig on the gas. The plaintiff, on the night in question, was engaged with some women who had been put out of the house. He came into the taproom without his hat and wig, which he said he had lost. Witness and another man went out to look for it, and found the hat behind a dog kennel, and the wig in a disused sink. They brought the articles in and gave them to the plaintiff, who put the hat on his head and laid the wig on a table. A man named FORD picked the wig up and threw it at the gas jet. It struck the pipe, and the gas went out. Several other witnesses were called on behalf of the defendant, and his Honour said he did not think he could find that BUSH did it in the face of the evidence which had been called. It was, however, a shameful thing to burn an old man's wig, and the proper thing for the plaintiff to do would be to summon FORD, and call BUSH and OATEN as witnesses. Judgement would be for the defendant, without costs.


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<NOTES: Henry OATEN is possibly the son of Robert OATEN and Mary DYER, married Jane STRICKLAND>