AN EXPRESSION OF OPINION.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 731, 1 November 1870, Page 2

AN EXPRESSION OF OPINION.

(To the Editor of the TFestport Times.) Sib,—A case of rather an equivocal character was heard at Charleston hy C. Broad and J. Giles, Esqs.—Neale v. Robertson. Neale raises an action against 0. Eobcrtson, baker, for the amount of £2, for work executed in the form of bill heads, and a feeble attempt was made to prove that an order had been given, and the delivery of the same. It is to be deplored that the much esteemed and justly lauded disinterested integrity and honorable public spirit evinced by the Fourth Estate cannot be maintained "in Charleston. Harris the conductor of JNeale's establishment, asserted that he obtained an order from Robertson, executed it, and deposed to the delivery, but could not state whether to Robertson himself, or to whom else. While the truth btands thus—Harris visits the bakery, and presses Kobertson for an order for a thousand billheads, but fails to obtain it; he forthwith proceeds to the office, pretends to have succeeded, sets the machinery in motion, throws off the billheads, and in due course presents the account; but alas ! he meets with a flat denial, the order was repudiated, and acceptanee refused,consequently nomoney. Harris is in a dilemma. Robertson is revisited without success, but in order that Mr Harris's integrity may remain intact, a suit must be set up, and the defendant dragged three times to court with witnesses through adjournments. What then ? Harris could produce neither order-book, day-book, nor delivery receipt, but merely Robertson's name inserted into sundries in a ledger. But this will not suffice. The alleged order is seen to have been of a most doubtful character. As I have said, this equivocal cause was so transparently feeble that none of Robertson's witnesses were necessary, and the result was, to the public view, a painful degradation of an establishment that should be known only by its praise-worthy efforts to condemn dishonesty, and suppress all evils—social, moral, and political.—l am, &c, ¥m. M'Nab. Charleston, Oct. 27.