THE DEVIL IN BRISBANE.

Southland Times, Issue 1613, 30 July 1872, Page 3

THE DEVIL IN BRISBANE.

We take the following amusing story for what it is worth from a Queensland paper : — DESMOM) T. BATTY. This was an action for £15 for personal injuries. The plaintiff was Jeremiah Desmond, laborer, residing in Lower Glaaheen, and the defendant was Mr Thomas Batty, the proprietor of the circua performing in Great George's street. The process slated : — ' The plaintiff claims £15 damages for loss, injury, and damages sustained by the plaintiff through the carelessness, negligence, and mismanagement of the defendant, he having inhis circus in Great Geonre'a street a certain animal called a camel, his property, which animal he, in the month of Leeember, 1871, negligently and carelessly permitted and suffered to escape and break from said circus, and wander through the streets and up to the Loiver Glasheen road, where said camel did force its way into plaintiff's house, and there injure, knock down, and bruise said plaintiff, by which injustice he has been put to expense and loss of time." Mr Hayes for the plaintiff, and Mr J. T. O'Connell for the defendant. The plaintiff, on being examined, deposed that on the Friday before Christmas he was sitting at the door of his house on the Lower Glasheen road, minding some pigs' food. His wife was at work within the house. He and his wife had been talking about ghosts and about the devil, and about half-past 6 o'clock, while they were so talking, " a queer thing" cauie up to the door. JHe screeched, for he did not know what it was — he thought it was the dcvil — (laughter). It had a long neck, big legs, and a hump ever so big on its back. He screamed, but he could not stir — he was ho frightened. It put its long neck and its two fore paws in, and crushed him against the side of the door with its shoulder. It got in a couple of feet inside the threshold, and left the print of its paws there. Mr Hayes — Why didn't it go in further ? Desmond — Oh, sir, the hump — (laughter) — the hump was so big he could not get in the door. (Eenewed laughter.) I got such a fright 1 was not able to eat as much for three dayß as in one day before. (Much laughter.) How did he get out ? He backed out again the way he came in. I could do nothing to him. Cross - examined by Mr O'Connell — What did you think you had before you when you saw it? The devil. (Loud laughter.) I believe you had been talking about the devil ? Maybe I wor. (Laughter.) But were you ? I wor. (Much laughter.) What put the devil into your head, that you had been talking about him ? Faith, I could not tell you. But what sort of a thing was it ? Oh, sir, his neck was as long as from this to that box (pointing, amidst roars of laughter, to a jurybox about 15 feet from him). Had he anything but this neck ? Faith, he bad a bump on his back, ever so big, and he had long legs, and eyes, and a big mouth. (More laughter.) Do you see anything ia court that you could compare him to ? I don't then, I'm cure. When he came in the door I would give all m the world to get him out of my sight. (Great laughter.) Did you get up off the chair? Indeed I didn't — a better man thau me could not do it. (Eenewed laughter.) Did you attempt to shove him out? I did not try to shove him out. I did nothing at all to him, for I was afraid of my life of him. Faith, if you had bayonets you could do nothing at all to him. (Great laughter.) I was not able to go to work for four days after, for I got a pain in my heart from him. (Eoars of laughter.) Mrs Desmond (wife of the plaintiff) said — My husband on the night in question was minding some pigs' food at the door, and I was at work inside. All at once I heard a bitter screech out of him. I looked down and I saw the thing " a blow" me with his neck stretched in as far a 8 he could stretch it. " Oh," says I, " pray to Almighty God, for its nothing good." (I aughter.) " May the Lord resave our soui," says I, and I fell down on my knees in a fit. (Eoars of laughter.) Did you ever see the like of it before ? Oh, no, sir. What happened then ? The boys about the place took it away. . Cross-examined by Mr O'Connell — i

What were you talking about when the animal came to the door ? My husband was blaming me for being out so long:, and he was talking about ghosts and the devil. When I looked and saw the animal, say? I, "it is the devil is tbere, now surely." (Shouts of laughter.) Mr Haye3 — That is the defence at the other Bide, your worship — that it was the devil was * there and not the camel. (Laughter.) Mr Gregg — Didn't your husband say to youjust before, " The devil take you." Witness — He did, sir. Mr O'Connell — Is he in the habit of talking about the devil? Well be was, sir; he was too often in his mouth, as I often told him. (Laughter.") Didn't you think it a just judgment on him that the devil should make his appearance to see after him under those circumstances ? Wisha, I suppose it was sir. He was after calling on him too often, and it was serving him right. (Laughter.) Has he been talking about the devil since? He has not, sir. (Laughter.) His Worship considered the plaintiff had received damages on the occasion, and gave decree for £3.