A Complicated Sack Case: West of England Sack Company v. Hodson: The claim in this action tried before a jury on Monday last, and the Exeter County Court, was for £27 9s 2d., being for the hire and value of certain sacks supplied to the defendant by the plaintiffs: … (a long description of court proceedings includes) … The defendant was called, and deposed to hiring the sacks in question from the agent of the Company at Newton, and Mr. Hawke, miller of Dartmouth, and that he returned the sacked hired, filled with corn – 50 to Mr. Pinsent at Newton, and the remained to Mr. Hawke’s brother, who was an agent to the Company at Dartmouth … …
In September 1876, the witness had an interview with Mr. Shipton, another agent of the Company and in his presence Mr. Pinsent’s clerk said the sacks had been returned, whereupon Mr. Shipton said that was very satisfactory. … …
Mr. J. B. Pinsent, maltster, Newton Abbot, agent of the Company, deposed that the 50 sacks the defendant hired of the Company were returned to him, 47 full of barley and three empty and were forwarded to the Company by his man, witness being present when they were sent off. There was a dispute between the witness and the Sack Company afterwards and when their clerk came down to see him, he placed all the books and papers in his office at their disposal. Thomas Avery, foreman maltster to Mr. Pinsent proved that the 50 sacks in question were forwarded by him to the plaintiff’s depot in Newton Abbot. To the best of his belief, they were taken in by a small boy. In addressing the jury on the whole case, Mr. Cooke contended that the letters produced proved conclusively that Mr. Pinsent had had the credit himself of the 50 sacks which he had sent back to the Company form the defendant, and that the defendant must look to Mr. Pinsent for the amount the Company claimed from him. As to the 60 sacks alleged to have been returned to Mr. Hawke, he contended that the proof tendered was insufficient. … …
The jury retired, and after an absence of nearly an hour, returned a verdict for plaintiffs for £19 6s 8d, in addition to £3 paid into Court.
Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive.
Referenced
GRO0518 Devonport: John Ball Pinsent: 1819 – 1901