A BARGAIN IN FREAKS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 190, 6 May 1908, Page 8

A BARGAIN IN FREAKS.

■ *—; — v-"THE CREAT RELICQUORIUM ; COMPANY." AMUSING CASE IN , COURT, A . Thoro wero-some peculiar features attach-' ; ing to tho ease, Alexander ' F.' Davies, of' •Wellington,- v. Phillip J. Murtagh, ;of j Hawora, a claim for , £30, ■' heard by Dr. M'Arthur, S.M., yesterday. Mr. Wilford , : ' appoired for plaintiff, and Mr. Morison for .-, defendant. '■'' •T'iio' statement of claim set forth, that on February 14 plaintiff purchased'from defend- ■; . ant a freak foal and two calves, a tent and ' 'pole, for £200. The sum of £30 was handed over the samo day in part' payment, the balance of £170 being secured by a promis- . sory note payable on April 10, 1908. It was . alleged that defendant', represented to plain- •• tiff . that the foal arid calves were a show , : 5 worth from £70 to £112, a week, : and that' , he had taken'such'sums by exhibiting the freaks in Auckland, Christenurch, and Wellington. .These; representations, which it was. j • alleged were known to defendant to be false, '< induced plaintiff : to make the /purchase. - Plaintiff .therefore claimed, to .recover the , - sum of' £30, or, in the-alternative, a similar , amount as damagesfor misrepresentation. , Plaintiff,' who said ho had no' previous experience in the show. line, svrore that de- . fendant represented to him that he ■ had ' taken, £97 with the -, show in: one . day in i Wellington','and £70 a day for. fourteen,days, J at Auckland.: Defendant also said, he .had :j been offered: £750 for . the show, "and " that , the only reason ho= would 'sell rto plaintiff, j was that he liked him. .' n ' Derek Mannersley, theatrical, manager, 1 > whose evidence was taken several' weeks ago, . stated ■ that he met Murtagh once in January or February, when. he was introduced - by plaintiff.' .Murtagh showed witness his ; freaks 'of feature; which consisted of -a one- i ■ ■ eyed foal, .a two-headed calf, and ,what was i - alleged to be. the smallest calf .in the world. 1 . This latter was jn, a bottle of spirits. Mur- :1 tagli told witness ho, took £97 .in Manners < '■ Street in one day.. He believed', but would 1 not swear it, that. Murtagh said that during n a'season. 'of ■ a : fortinght Auckland he, i ■ made £70 a day out of the shoiy. Plaintiff < • was present at tho interview. '1■ .i * To Mr. /Morison : Witness had managed '> Sheldon's. Music and 7)rama . .Company ,for 1 two years, and had met Davies,, whom lie. -1 . believed to be ah indent agent, in Jairaary.; '• Witness did some canvassing in the Otaki - district for Davies; selling jewellery for about a fortnight. Business, wasgood; dnd. witness ' did .not .remember sending, his employer a telegram saying it was riot good. . Davies did, 1 \ riot tell witness by-i telegram or letter, that ] he had closed with Miirtagh. Witness did. 1 not "take in" the. stories Murtagh told ;him ■ about ■ his takings. Witness told Davies ' , that,'they: were absurd. Witness went jut 1 on. tour for ;Davies in .charge of'- the show | ' . of freaks. He was responsible for the draw- '• / ingup . of' the dodger (produced) whioh ari : ' ':. nouriced ■ ? that " The Great Relicquoriuin • 1 Company" was'on tour, and intended intro-- 1 ■ during the:' latest scieritifio marvel,.of/!the. ; : :; age,;-, The ■'! Eydramythicus," ■•' and, offering ; ' £1000 reward to the riiembers of; any s'cien- 1 ••>. tifio institution in Australasia whocould : . solve the origin of this great prehistoric monster. Thjß two-headed, calf was described ' os the only . genuine two-headed, calf known ' to the scientific world since the deluge,, and '■> the .smallest r calf ,in the/world also .found.a' ; place on the dodger.' The show.wa3.described, as an education to farmers, producers, and veterinary surgeons. Witness-stood outeido , .tliovdoor of-the . show and announced'it as part- of Barnum'and Bailey's great circus, . of London and New York. He considered 1 that any man who went into the show busi- ' . ness in this country had to'exaggerate. A showman was at liberty to make such state- : mcnts'as he made in the • dodger to draw : business. Still, the show did not pay. 1 Cecil Dis,, solicitor, who. was. present., at' : an ; interview : between plaintiff and : deferi-' ■ dnnt, stated that Murtagh had said that ' he had: been offered thousanis of pounds for \ the freaks._ The only reason he offered to ' sell to Davies for such a. small sum was that he thought more of Davies than anyone elso " in tho world. 1 ... ■ ' > At this stage .tho caso was adjourned ! nntil Friday. ' - > .