A BALL-ROOM JOKE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 9489, 11 August 1891, Page 6

A BALL-ROOM JOKE.

At tbe Liverpool County Court recently an action was brought by Edgar Oscar Windcl, of 27, Arundel street, Liverpool, against Ernest C. Staidley, of G, Mount Pleasant, Liverpool, tailor, to recover £46 17s 6d for assault. The action arose out of circumstavmes which happened at a ball at the City Hall, Eberle street, on the evening of January 30, promoted by a science club. Tho plaintiff having taken a ticket for the ball went there about halfpast nine in the evening, and after walking round the room stood near a fireplace conversing with some ladies. Whilst he was so doing tho defendant, who was a total stranger to the plaintiff, came up and said—" Allow me to offer you a chair.” This tha plaintiff accepted, thanking the defendant, aud was in tho act of sitting down when the defendant suddenly withdrew the chair. The consequence was that plaintiff fell heavily to tbo ground. He got up feeling giddy, and after a few moments said to the defendant—“ Did you offer me a chair and pull it away ?” to which the defendant replied: “Yes.” Subsequently the defendant was dancing with a lady, who would be called as a witness, to whom he said—“l only did it for a joke.” The result of thia fall was that the plaintiff had great difficulty in keeping some dancing engagements ho had made, and after the bail was over it was found that his spine was injured, and ho had to keep his bed for four weeks, and subsequently had to go to Llandudno to recuperate. The thing was probably, counsel remarked, nothing but a silly, practical joke on tbo part of tho defendant, an unmannerly aud rude man, for the sake of creating laughter, but it was a joke for which he must be made to pay. Evidence was then called to support* the opening statement. The Jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff for £53. Hia Honor said the claim being for £46 I7s 6d only, tho verdict would be for that amount.