DUNFERMLINE SATURDAY PRESS 8 MAY 1880
INTERMEDDLING WITH A FATHER’S EFFECTS
At the Dunfermline Sheriff Small-Debt Court on Tuesday – Sheriff Gillespie presiding- an action was heard at the instance of Colin Mathewson, clothier, against Andrew Roberts, teacher, Cairneyhill, near Dunfermline, on the ground of, as alleged, intermeddling with the goods of his deceased father, John Stanley, 14 Stanley Street, Glasgow, and concluding for the sum of £4 11s 1d as per pass book.
Mr Gorrie, solicitor, appeared for the defender, and pleaded that the son had not been guilty of intermeddling with his father’s effects. The case went to proof, from which it appeared that prior to September last the defender resided with his father in Glasgow, but kept separate apartments. It was also shown that prior to his father’s death he sent to the defender, who had then removed to Cairneyhill, certain articles of furniture, some of which were defender’s own property, and others were given as a present to defender.
The defender had possession of no articles whatever belonging to his father except what he had received voluntarily from him prior to his death.
In these circumstances, the Sheriff held that the pursuer had failed to prove that the defender was an unlawful intermeddler, and gave decree of absolvitor, with 5s of expenses.
Cairneyhill People and History 