A NICE POINT IN LAW.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1938, 3 September 1889, Page 3

A NICE POINT IN LAW.

A very curious law case came recently into a German court, arising from the following circumstance : —a gentleman sat at a faro-table in the town of Koethen, Saxony, playing with the usual attention and silence. Several deals were made, and the cards which the gentleman continued to leave on the table won repeatedly. Tho gold pushed towards the winner by the croupier, however, was not drawn in by him, and after several more accumulations made the pile inconveniently large, so the keeper of the bank rather angrily requested the fortunate man to take in his money. With his eye fixed on his cards, the player took no notice of the request. “ Draw in your gold ! ” was again uttered by several round the table. No answer.

“Monsieur, you incommode the other players! ” said the croupier. The same motionless silence. A person sitting next the offender took hold of his hand. It was stone cold. The winner was dead! As the body was being removed the croupier drew back the money he had-pushed towards the dead player, alleging that a game based upon reciprocal engagement could not exist between the dead and the living, The heirs of the defunct presented themselves the day after and claimed the money, declaring that the winner had regularly commenced and continued the game. The question has been brought before tribunal of Koethen, and will probably depend upon the evidence as to the point of time when the player ceased to live.