BATTLE ROYAL ON EARL'S ESTATE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14109, 10 July 1909, Page 2 (Supplement)

BATTLE ROYAL ON EARL'S ESTATE.

COUNSEL'S GRAPHIC STORY OF AN INVADING ARMY. The story of a "battle royal" on the Earl of TankervOle's: Chillingham estates :in Northumberland was told in the Chancery Court recently. Graphic details, were given of the march of an armed band of unemployed with white armlets. Acting, it -»as said, on the earl's instructions, they wrecked machinery and other property, turned workmen out of a cottage, and, as counsel said, reduced the plaintiffs' buildings to something in the nature of "an Englishman's home." The story was told in an action brought by James Jones and Son?, Ltd., timber merchants, of, Larbert, Stirlingshire, against the Earl of TankerviHe, to enforce three contracts for the sale to them of timber on the earls estate, and for damages for what Mr. Buckmaster, K.C., described as a series of high-handed and unlawful acts which trade one forget he was living in the 20th century. Mr. Buckmaster said that the contracts were entered into with the earl's agent, whose authority the earl now disputed. Counsel said the earl gathered a number of men, who, armed with weapons of destruction, and decorated with white armlets, marched upon the estate and destroyed everything. Mr. Jones was arrested, "the Bench dismissed the summons, and for false imprisonment and malicious- prosecution, Mr., Jones was awarded £2000 damages against the earl. Not a penny had yet been paid. Mr. Buckmaster, K.C., put in photos, of the scene of the battle, and observed that the earl's forces reduced plaintiff's buildings to something like "An Englishman's Home." (Laughter.) His lordship would see that there were no signs of physical deterioration in the district, the earl's army being as tine a- set of men as could b." imagined. (Laughter.) Commenting on Hie correspondence, Mr. Buckmaster said it was difficult to believe hat the earl's letters were written in the Lvth century. They more closely resembled what some feudal lord might address to his serf (Laughter.) Mr. James Jones, of the plaintiff company, denied that there was any truth in the suggestion that he had improperly marked trees for cutting which were outside his contracts. On the day. of the first "outrage" there were 20 or 20 men. under the charge of one Scott, ejecting his workmen. Five or six were armed with axes, and were hewing awav at the posts of the sawmills. One May and his wife and six children were turned out of a bothy into the rain. The roofs of the bothies were knocked off, ; and the men's fur-'ture and clothing scattered about in the wet. Witness.said he stood and gnashed his teeth. It was disgraceful. He complained to the nolice, but they refused to interfere. On the following day the earl's battalion had been increased to 50 or 60. There had been recruiting going on, and the men wore armlets. They were drawn up outsit the castle gates. The hearing was adjourned.