Conisborough Piano Dispute.

At Doncaster County Court on Wednesday. Messrs Hylton and Co. piano dealers, Briggate, Leeds, sued S. Whitfield, contractor, Conisborough for the return of a piano belonging to them, and illegally detained by defendant, or in the alternative plaintiffs claimed £24 3s

Mr G. W. Andrews represented the plaintiffs, and Mr W. Baddiley the defendant.

Mr Andrews statement was that under a hire purchase agreement, a piano was applied to Mr Bill Curtis, of Conisborough, in November 1904, and under that agreement some two or three instalments were due, when Curtis filed his petition in bankruptcy on November 23 last year. The piano was not realised. At that time no rent was due. Eventually the piano was removed, not by the owner of the premises or the tenant but for all that the defendant refused to deliver up the piano on the ground that a certain sum was due for rent.

George Britland, an agent of the plaintiffs, deposed that he knew Bill Curtis, and he tested his execution of the agreement, and the piano was delivered at the same time.

Cross-examined by Mr Baddiley, witness said the piano was first hired by Curtis’s sister and Curtis subsequently took it over.

Bill Curtis deposed that he previously resided in Conisborough, and that the time of his bankruptcy he was a tenant of James Whitfield, defendant’s brother.

Further evidence showed that after Curtis left the house the landlord, having secured another tenant, removed the piano to the premises of the defendant, who claimed rent for storage.

Mr Baddiley asked for the demand.

The judge there must certainly be a demand.

A non-suit was entered