MOUSTACHE AS AN ASSET.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 65, 18 March 1908, Page 2

MOUSTACHE AS AN ASSET.

- LONDON, Jan. 29. i _Wandsworth County Court rang i with laughter yesterday when Mr William Smith, a coal merchant's traveller, living at High Boad, Balham, brought an action against Mr '■ Robert-Cox, a Balham dentist, to re- ' cover £,^0 damages for having his ?tioustach£ spoiled. Mr Smith stated that he west to Mr Cox's surgery to have a tooth ' stopped, and at the assistant's suggestion, he agreed to have his teeth ! scaled. While this was being done ' the hair of his moustache became en- * tangled in the machine, and, some of 1 it was torn out' by the roots. ; "The whole of one side of my lip j was bald before I realised what ha<i ] happened," he continued, plaintive- 1 lvv ."The assistant became very excited, and paced up ,and down the 1 room. He seized a ;brush, scarcely ' knowing Avhat he ivas doing, and tried I to brush part of tjhe centre of the ( moustache over tie bald portion. ! "I asked for £ looking-giass, but : bo did not give me one^ Then he ex- * claimed. 'Whit- have I done, Mr i Smith? What- shall I do? I shall ' get the sacl/ and have to give up : dentistry. 1 never did such a thing < before." / . 1 "The assistant offered to pay a hairdresser for putting the moustache : right,'' /Mr Smith declared. "I saw ' Mr Cox, and he advised me to have ' a cle/n shaye. He said he had ' knovn a man to have the centre of his/moustache pulled out. /I replied, 'Shave ! Indeed no, not after twenty years.' " /. In cross-examination Mr Smith said he was satisfied that he would never have a proper moustache again, and that he would probably have to have it shaved off. "I suffered great pain," he added, "but it is not for that I am asking damages--it is for the great disfigurement. It has heen a constant worry to me." . Mr Schwabe, _ who defended, characterised the action as ridiculous. "If it had been a girl who wanted to find a husband," he stated, "it would be different." "Much depends on the value of a moustache," said the Judge. "Some people may think them valuable, and others that they are worthless. Whether Mr Smith would look better without one is a matter for the jury." The jury awarded Mr Smith one guinea damages. The Melbourne police have discovered the existence of a band of juvenile larrikins, who have become associated for the purpose of carrying on lawless practices—principally thieving. The Heart and Arrow Society, as they call themselves, has been in" existence for some time; that its central object is the promotion of crime, and that its membership is limited to 12. The clique is conducted on socialistic principles inasmuch as regulations provide that all spoil should be equally divided. The ages of the members range from 16 to 21 years. Job Printing any styb or color at Express Office.