CAPTAIN WARNER 373 



Warner and Mr. Paget to resign the country at the 

 end of the season 1892-93. Captain Warner had shown 

 himself in all respects an excellent master ; he did the 

 best he could for everybody, kept up the best tradi- 

 tions of the Hunt, and found a valuable coadjutor in 

 Mr. Paget. After Captain Warner's seven years' service 

 to the Ouorn, it was only in the fitness of things that 

 the question of presenting him with a testimonial should 

 be mooted. The suggestion was adopted, and when 

 the hounds met at Lowesby Hall on the 1st March 

 1894, the opportunity was taken to present the ex- 

 master with an English silver punch-bowl of the year 

 1725, and which weighed 108 ounces. The presenta- 

 tion was made by Sir Frederick Fowke, and amongst 

 those present were Lord Lonsdale (who had succeeded 

 to the mastership), the Duchess of Marlborough, the 

 Countess of Wilton, Lady Gerard, Lady Carlyon, Lord 

 Essex, Colonel Forester, Lord Henry Bentinck, Lord 

 Manners, &c. 



About four months later, that is to say, in July 

 1894, Captain Warner appeared as defendant at the 

 Nottingham Assizes in an action brought against him, 

 the huntsman, and Mr. Marshall, a member of the 

 Hunt, by Mr. Willoughby, a farmer, who, until shortly 

 before the action, had occupied land at Great Dalby. 

 The alleged damage was loss of cattle caused by cows 

 in calf picking their calves owing to their being driven 

 by the hounds, also for breaking a gate and lock. The 

 sum claimed for damage was altogether set down at 

 ^500, a preposterous amount, which was very properly 

 disputed. After Mr. Justice Wills had summed up, 

 the jury gave a verdict for five shillings against Mr. 

 Marshall, and ^51 against Captain Warner and Firr. 



Some of the evidence was rather amusing. The 

 plaintiff first of all fixed the day on which the alleged 

 damage was committed as the 1 6th of January, but 



