Sheffield Evening Telegraph January 22, 1909

The Dray, the Trap, and the Motor

This morning, at the Rotherham County Court, Abraham Steadman, general dealer, Bethel Road, Rotherham sued Alfred Williams, hay and and straw dealer, Wharf Road, Kilnhurst for £5 5s damages.

The case for the plaintiff, for whom Mr Gichard appeared, was that the damages were claimed in consequence of the alleged negligent driving of the defendant or his servant.

On November 9 the plaintiff was at Kilnhurst in the course of his business. His trap, with the pony in the shafts, was standing by the nearside of the road, close to the causeway. He came out of a shop and put a parcel in the conveyance, when the defendant came up with his dray, the horse being driven by a youth, and ran into the trap, swinging it round and killing the pony.

The value of the animal was £4 10s and 15 shillings was the amount of repairs to the trap.

The defence put forward by Mr Jackson, solicitor, was that the occurrence was purely accidental and that it was because by a motorcar standing almost opposite to the plaintiff pony.

Defendant’s horse and dray approached by the centre of the road, when a reflection from the polished hood of the motorcar cause ddefendants animal to swerve, and plaintiff’s trap was caught. The pony, which was very old collapse. The collision was not at all severe.

His Honour gave a verdict for the plaintiff for £4