At Marlborough-street on Monday Frank Slavin, pugilist, of the Rose Hotel, Jermyn-street, was summoned by Joseph Longstaffe, a hackney carriage-driver, Lyndford-road, Paddington, for 12e. 6d., alleged to be due in payment for cab hire. The complainant stated that on the 31st ult. defendant hired him at the top of St. James's-street, and he agreed to drive him to Putney and back for the sum of 7s.,it being mentioned that there would not be a delay of more than ten minutes at Putney. On arriving at Putney, Slavin, who was with a friend, called at several houses, where he stayed for an aggregate period of three hours. Slavin told him that the job would not take more than two hours, whereas it lasted five hours. On arriving back in town the defendant offered him 10s., but he refused to take it. In defence, Slavin said that he told Longstaffe that he would be at Putney for about three hours. On arriving back he gave the complainaot 10s. 6d. The friend who was with Slavin in the cab was called as a witness, and deposed to seeing the 10s. 6d. handed to the cabman. The complainant denied having been paid the money. Mr. Hannay said one of the parties in the case must have committed perjury. He could not refuse to believe the evidence of Slavin and his companion as to the payment of the 10s. 6d. He did not, however, think that was a sufficient sum to pay the cabman, and he would make an order that he should be paid 2s. and 8s. costs.
Cardiff (Wales) Evening Express, January 9, 1894.