AN ECCENTRIC LANDOWNER.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XII, Issue 947, 12 November 1868, Page 2

AN ECCENTRIC LANDOWNER.

There was a curious trial in the Record Court, at Belfast, which, it may be observed, is prolific of civil business. The plaintiff was Mr W Gwynne, a solicitor, and the defendant, the Hon H. W. Agar, and the circumstances were these: — The plaintiff acted for thirty years as agent for the late Archdeacon Agar (of whom the defendant is the administrator) over a property called Greenmount, near Antrim. The Archdeacon was a gentleman of eccentric habits, which, according to the case for the plaintiff, were singularly illustrated in his . dealings with this property. He“would neither, sell it let it, nor do anything with it, ” and ha visited it only four times since 1835 when Mr Gwynne took the agency. A part of it remained let to yearly tenants, at a rent of £lll, but a portion, consisting of houses, gardens, and other grounds, would have been valuable if brought into the market. The agent ordered that this should be done but the owner would neither answer his letters nor have anything to do with hia own property. When the Antrim and Lisburn Railway Company took a portion of his lands, Mr Gwynne could not get him to send his- title deeds, so that he might get thevalue taken in the ordinary way. The archdeacon’s great object seemed to be to cutaway all thought of business, and this he did effectually by throwing accounts, deeds, and - everything relating to it into the waste paper basket. On one occasion, Mr Gwynne saw lying on the floor a heap of unopened letters. Every year an account of receipts and expenditure was forwarded to him, which, of course, were never acknowledged. His agent could not hold a communication of any kind with him, and. had r difficulty in even making out his residence. TTia own servants did not where he went to, and after Mr Gwynne followed him to Wexford, on accidently learning that he had gone there, he could not see him. The result was that the archdeacon died at the mature age of 86, without making any settlement, and the administrator who received a legacy of £150,000 from the eccentric diving repudiated Mr Gwynne s claim of£so a year for his services. He relied upon the Statute of Limitations and contended that if an account were taken it would give a balance in his favour. Ihis view must have been to a considerable extent taken by the jury, for they only awarded the plaintiff £52 damages, and 6d costs. Kilmore was the diocese which has the benefit of the archdeacon’s ministrations.