posted
Hello. Hope I'm not chowed on my first post. I just read this in Chuck Shepherd's column:
Lawyers Being Lawyers
The Times of London reported in 1997 that when an employee of the James Beauchamp law firm in Edgbaston, England, recently killed himself, the firm billed his mother the equivalent of US$20,000 for the expense of finishing up his office work. Included in that amount was a bill for about US$2,300 to go to his home to find out why he didn't show up at work (thus finding his body), plus about US$250 to go to his mother's home, knock on her door, and tell her that her son was dead. (After unfavorable publicity, the firm withdrew the bill.) [The Times (London), 3-14-97]
I was wondering if anyone remembers this happening? If so, did James Beauchamp ever give an explanation as to why they thought this would be a good idea?
Posts: 1651 | From: Columbus, Ohio | Registered: Aug 2004
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posted
We'll, I live in the UK, and my fiancee comes from near Edgebaston, yet I've never heard this tale.
Googling for "The Times" and "James Beauchamp" brings up nothing more than a host of sites propagating this story. Strangely, for an event that occurred in the UK, virtually all the hits are on US sites - even more strangely, the BBC news archive has no record of a James Beauchamp law firm existing.
Oh, plus the story is pretty implausible really, leads me to believe this is possibly untrue.
ETA:
I do find one site referring to the company mentioned . . .
Nationwide Building Society v James Beauchamp (a firm) Mortgagees solicitors re: a self build project - mortgaged title had rights of way - borrowers company had obligation to construct road ready for adoption - company insolvent and road incomplete.
Held: A grant of a right of way carries with it such ancillary and incidental rights as are necessary to make the grant fully effective. The borrowers and the mortgagees therefore had a right to construct the road.
Area(s) of Law General Property Rights Court Court of Appeal (Civil Division) Date 2 March 2001
However, that in itself does little to support the story.
Posts: 3100 | From: London, UK | Registered: Nov 2001
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posted
and rather interestingly according to the law society there is no solicitors in Edgbaston called James Beauchamp- and suprisingly no firm of solicitors called that anywhere in the UK!
I'd say complete tripe on that basis!
little miss
-------------------- once known as little miss
"I don't Pretend to be an ordinary Housewife" Elizabeth Taylor Posts: 2416 | From: London | Registered: Feb 2002
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It really grates on me when articles cite The Times as "The Times of London" it's The Bloody Times! no need for the "of London" (The New York Times is a different matter of course)
Same thing when USians refer to Cities in other contries and feel the need to qualify it by telling you the location e.g. Paris, France. (Like no NFBSK sherlock)
-------------------- "British English speakers point to Americans adding more syllables so that they can make even more noise without actually saying anything." Llewtrah
Posts: 2235 | From: Sussex , UK | Registered: May 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Hans Off: Same thing when USians refer to Cities in other contries and feel the need to qualify it by telling you the location e.g. Paris, France. (Like no NFBSK sherlock)
Because we couldn't possibly be referring to Paris, Kentucky, or Paris, Texas, or Paris, Tennessee. Or South Paris, Maine.
Four Five "120 miles south of Berlin (New Hampshire, that is)" Kitties
-------------------- If swimming is so good for your figure, how do you explain whales? Posts: 13275 | From: Kindergarten World, Massachusetts | Registered: Jul 2003
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Dara bhur gCara
As Shepherds Watched Their Flocks Buy Now Pay Later
posted
quote:Originally posted by Four Kitties Fricassee:
quote:Originally posted by Hans Off: Same thing when USians refer to Cities in other contries and feel the need to qualify it by telling you the location e.g. Paris, France. (Like no NFBSK sherlock)
Because we couldn't possibly be referring to Paris, Kentucky, or Paris, Texas, or Paris, Tennessee. Or South Paris, Maine.
Four Five "120 miles south of Berlin (New Hampshire, that is)" Kitties
I think that the general consensus outside the US of States is that Paris, Kentucky and Paris, Texas are Paris, Kentucky and Paris, Texas. Paris, France is just Paris, and I think non-US readers find the 'France' bit redundant. I would imagine that all other Parises (Parae?) are minor to, or named after the original Paris, so there needn't be any confusion. I don't take offence to it or anything, but I do think that it's offensive to the USerican reader to suggest that they're unable to differentiate between a Texan town and a major world capital.
-------------------- This wrinkle in time, I can't give it no credit, I thought about my space and it really got me down. Got me so down, I got me a headache, My heart is crammed in my cranium and it still knows how to pound Posts: 2794 | From: London, UK | Registered: Aug 2003
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Here is an earlier reference to the story, with extra details included:
An elderly widow was allegedly handed a bill for more than £12,000 [$19,645] by the firm of solicitors her son worked for, after they went to his house and found him dead. Irene Brierley, 80, of Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire, was said to have been charged pounds 150 for being told her son, a solicitor, was dead and an extra £300 for his firm to identify his body at the mortuary.
Searching his office to sort out affairs cost another £750, and £5,799 was charged for writing 172 letters and receiving 64. The total bill from the legal firm James Beauchamp of Edgbaston, Birmingham, came to £12,278.16, it was claimed.
Mr. Bryant's sister, Melanie Weerdmeester, said: "He was a very well respected lawyer. He was unscrupulously honest, he was just a very, very fine professional." Mrs. Weerdmeester, 45, of Snitterfield, Warwickshire, added: "He was just totally honest and loved the law, that was his life."
Mr. Bryant, who graduated with first class honours from an Oxford masters degree, was a former chairman of Moseley Rugby Club.
Excerpted from Transcompetition, by Harvey Robbins & Michael Finley, McGraw-Hill/Business Week Books, 1998
Posts: 3100 | From: London, UK | Registered: Nov 2001
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quote:Originally posted by Dara: I think that the general consensus outside the US of States is that Paris, Kentucky and Paris, Texas are Paris, Kentucky and Paris, Texas. Paris, France is just Paris, and I think non-US readers find the 'France' bit redundant. I would imagine that all other Parises (Parae?) are minor to, or named after the original Paris, so there needn't be any confusion.
Quite depends on your audience, doesn't it? It is precisely because there are so many named-after-other-places place names in the US that we must specify whether we mean the original or one of the copies.
If my From: space below said only "120 miles south of Berlin," it would be a not-unreasonable assumption for folks on this board to think I was posting from the western edge of the Czech Republic. If I were to say "I'm 120 miles south of Berlin" in conversation at lunchtime today, the people around me would understand that I meant Berlin, New Hampshire.
There are, AFAIK, eight cities named Boston in the U.S.: in Massachusetts, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Virginia, Alabama, Arkansas, and Connecticut. Because of the duplication of place names, we are conditioned to add more information, to specify precisely which Boston we are talking about. This may then carry over to our discussions of place names that non-USAans consider unique and not in need of qualifiers, but it is a quite necessary bit of information around here.
I'm 101 miles SSW of Portland right now. I'm also 2541 miles ENE of Portland right now. There is no contradiction!
Four Five Kitties
-------------------- If swimming is so good for your figure, how do you explain whales? Posts: 13275 | From: Kindergarten World, Massachusetts | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
Several UK papers ran articles on the incident at the time:
quote:A law firm which sent the family of a colleague a bill of 12,000 pounds (18,000 dollars) for time spent dealing with his suicide due to overwork has waived the charge after a storm of protest, press reports said Friday.
The company of James Beauchamp in Birmingham, central England, sent 54-year-old Christopher Bryant's family a bill for a total of 12,278.16 pounds.
It included 1,350 pounds (2,100 dollars) for going to his home and finding his hanging body, 150 pounds (240 dollars) for informing his 80-year-old mother, 300 pounds (500 dollars) for identifying his body at the mortuary and giving a statement to the police, 750 pounds (1,200 dollars) for attending the opening of the inquest and 5,799.50 pounds (9,300 dollars) for correspondence, plus tax.
The inquest into Bryant's death was told he was a "workaholic" who committed suicide due to "white collar stress."
"In view of the distress of Christopher's family the outstanding payment from his estate will not be sought," a spokesman for James Beauchamp was quoted as saying.
posted
In the football stadium thread there was some confusion over which Arlington was meant- Virginia or Texas.
If you were a stranger here in Tucson, you might wonder why they will specify Nogales as being in, for example, Mexico on the news. It's becasue there is also Nogales, Arizona. The 2 towns face each other over the border.
kitap
-------------------- "I have never in my life been more disappointed by a politician I voted for than I have been with George Bush. He is a total liberal."- overheard by me on the shuttle to the U of A game on Nov. 11th. Posts: 3878 | From: Tucson, AZ | Registered: Jan 2001
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quote:Originally posted by snopes: Several UK papers ran articles on the incident at the time:
quote: The company of James Beauchamp in Birmingham, central England,
I find it hard to imagine this came from a UK paper on the basis that everyone in the UK knows birmingham is in central england- and if fact if they didn't a UK paper is more likely to say "Birmingham ,the midlands"
little miss
-------------------- once known as little miss
"I don't Pretend to be an ordinary Housewife" Elizabeth Taylor Posts: 2416 | From: London | Registered: Feb 2002
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quote:Originally posted by Doc J.: Back on topic . . .
Here is an earlier reference to the story, with extra details included:
An elderly widow was allegedly handed a bill for more than £12,000 [$19,645] by the firm of solicitors her son worked for, after they went to his house and found him dead. Irene Brierley, 80, of Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire, was said to have been charged pounds 150 for being told her son, a solicitor, was dead and an extra £300 for his firm to identify his body at the mortuary.
Searching his office to sort out affairs cost another £750, and £5,799 was charged for writing 172 letters and receiving 64. The total bill from the legal firm James Beauchamp of Edgbaston, Birmingham, came to £12,278.16, it was claimed.
Mr. Bryant's sister, Melanie Weerdmeester, said: "He was a very well respected lawyer. He was unscrupulously honest, he was just a very, very fine professional." Mrs. Weerdmeester, 45, of Snitterfield, Warwickshire, added: "He was just totally honest and loved the law, that was his life."
Mr. Bryant, who graduated with first class honours from an Oxford masters degree, was a former chairman of Moseley Rugby Club.
Excerpted from Transcompetition, by Harvey Robbins & Michael Finley, McGraw-Hill/Business Week Books, 1998
there is a Moseley Rugby Football Club, but they don't seem to have been associated with anybody named Bryant. Likewise, there's a Warwickshire village calledSnitterfield, but BT Directory enquiries doesn't list anyone named Weerdmeester living there. In fact, there doesn't seem to be anybody of that name in the entire Birmingham area. Oxford University does not issue Master's degrees in Law (although they do issue Batchelors and Doctorates in Civil Law, according to this page). I smell a UL.
posted
It looks like the story may be true after all. This page give much more details, including the fact that it was (apparently) printed in the Times in March 1997; the byline is "Robin Young" and there is a Times journalist of that name. Unfortunately, the Times charges you to search their archives - maybe somebody could email Mr. Young and ask him nicely about the story?
posted
Already ahead of you HG. I emailed The Times archives this morning, so should have an answer sometime soon.
Posts: 3100 | From: London, UK | Registered: Nov 2001
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posted
Um, just so that we're all on the same page, I'll mention that snopes already confirmed for us that this story was carried by a number of reputable news sources, including British news outlets. (I mean, if it's good enough for snopes and Chuck Shepherd, it's good enough for me ... )
In any event, here's a listing (in reverse chronological order) of a few of these items,
quote:The Mirror, July 8, 1997, Tuesday, NEWS; Pg. 18, 66 words, CALLOUS LAWYERS AXED; CALLOUS SOLICITORS JAMES BEAUCHAMP CLOSED DOWN BY LAW SOCIETY
The Times, July 8, 1997, Tuesday, Home news, 356 words, Suicide bill lawyers investigated, Frances Gibb
The Lawyer, March 18, 1997, NEWS; Pg.3, 138 words, Law firm slammed over controversial bill
Agence France Presse -- English, March 14, 1997, International news, 267 words, Lawyers send family 18,000 dollar bill for stressed colleague's suicide, LONDON, March
The Guardian (London), March 14, 1997, THE GUARDIAN HOME PAGE; Pg. 7, 1454 words, LAW FIRM SENDS FAMILY BILL FOR POUNDS 12,278 AFTER SOLICITOR'S DEATH; Demand cut after appeal to professional body, Gary Younge
The Herald (Glasgow), March 14, 1997, Pg. 3, 1427 words, Bill for death angers family
The Independent (London), March 14, 1997, Friday, NEWS; Page 9, 418 words, Law firm hit mother, 80, with pounds 12,000 death bill
The Mirror, March 14, 1997, Friday, NEWS; Pg. 7, 867 words, YOUR LAD'S DEAD ..THAT WILL BE POUNDS 12,OOO PLEASE; LAW FIRM BLASTED OVER SICK DEMAND; LAWYERS CHARGE GRIEVING MOTHER FOR SUICIDE OF SOLICITOR SON, Rod Chaytor
The Scotsman, March 14, 1997, Friday, Pg. 3, 664 words, Your son's dead. That'll be £ 1,350, Michael Paterson
The Times, March 14, 1997, Friday, Home news, 717 words, Lawyers send Pounds 12,000 bill after colleague's suicide, Robin Young
Evening Standard (London), March 13, 1997, Pg. 5, 907 words, The law firm, a solicitor's suicide and a mother's bill for £12,000
Press Association, March 13, 1997, Thursday, HOME NEWS, 411 words, LAW FIRM'S DEATH BILL WAS £12,000, Enda Brady, PA News
I'd be happy to quote portions of the pieces from The Times if that's necessary.
-- Bonnie
[Oops, I'll add that Hell's Granny's link accurately reproduces Robin Young's piece for The Times. At least it matches the story archived with Lexis-Nexis.]
-------------------- Se non è vero, è ben trovato. Posts: -99014 | From: Chapel Hill, North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2000
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quote:Originally posted by Bonnie: Um, just so that we're all on the same page, I'll mention that snopes already confirmed for us that this story was carried by a number of reputable news sources, including British news outlets. (I mean, if it's good enough for snopes and Chuck Shepherd, it's good enough for me ... )
Fair enough Bonnie, thanks for that.
I must have missed the thread which carried snopes' extensive confirmation.
I must be hanging around here too much because an uncited "Several UK papers ran articles on the incident at the time" followed by a clearly American follow-up article just doesn't "do it" for me anymore. Sorry snopes, not even from you.
Anyway, I guess I'll just have to accept that the article is true. It just seems strange that none of the corroborating evidence (names, places, organisations) can be confirmed, and that nobody I've spoken to has any recollection of this event. I admit that seven years is a fairly long time ago, but saying that, it would have been a fairly shocking piece of news.
Posts: 3100 | From: London, UK | Registered: Nov 2001
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quote:Originally posted by Four Kitties Fricassee:
quote:Originally posted by Dara: I think that the general consensus outside the US of States is that Paris, Kentucky and Paris, Texas are Paris, Kentucky and Paris, Texas. Paris, France is just Paris, and I think non-US readers find the 'France' bit redundant. I would imagine that all other Parises (Parae?) are minor to, or named after the original Paris, so there needn't be any confusion.
Quite depends on your audience, doesn't it? It is precisely because there are so many named-after-other-places place names in the US that we must specify whether we mean the original or one of the copies.
If my From: space below said only "120 miles south of Berlin," it would be a not-unreasonable assumption for folks on this board to think I was posting from the western edge of the Czech Republic. If I were to say "I'm 120 miles south of Berlin" in conversation at lunchtime today, the people around me would understand that I meant Berlin, New Hampshire.
There are, AFAIK, eight cities named Boston in the U.S.: in Massachusetts, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Virginia, Alabama, Arkansas, and Connecticut. Because of the duplication of place names, we are conditioned to add more information, to specify precisely which Boston we are talking about. This may then carry over to our discussions of place names that non-USAans consider unique and not in need of qualifiers, but it is a quite necessary bit of information around here.
I'm 101 miles SSW of Portland right now. I'm also 2541 miles ENE of Portland right now. There is no contradiction!
Four Five Kitties
and now back off topic
i live about 3 km from Wyoming (not the US state) but the suburb near Gosford (no not the one from the movie) New South Wales (not the Wales next to england) Australia ( not Austria but the one with kangaroos dingos and emus)
dav(where was i)
-------------------- Wake up --- time to die So I'm Evil Get over it
People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people Posts: 1551 | From: NSW Australia | Registered: Jun 2002
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posted
Well, after all that, in answer to your two questions . . .
quote:Originally posted by Just A Horse Chestnut: I was wondering if anyone remembers this happening? If so, did James Beauchamp ever give an explanation as to why they thought this would be a good idea?
I'd have to say:
a) A few people, but no Brits do.
b) Possibly, but if they did, it seems to have been lost in the mists of time.
Posts: 3100 | From: London, UK | Registered: Nov 2001
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Dara bhur gCara
As Shepherds Watched Their Flocks Buy Now Pay Later
posted
quote:Originally posted by Four Kitties Fricassee:
quote:Originally posted by Dara: I think that the general consensus outside the US of States is that Paris, Kentucky and Paris, Texas are Paris, Kentucky and Paris, Texas. Paris, France is just Paris, and I think non-US readers find the 'France' bit redundant. I would imagine that all other Parises (Parae?) are minor to, or named after the original Paris, so there needn't be any confusion.
Quite depends on your audience, doesn't it? It is precisely because there are so many named-after-other-places place names in the US that we must specify whether we mean the original or one of the copies.
If my From: space below said only "120 miles south of Berlin," it would be a not-unreasonable assumption for folks on this board to think I was posting from the western edge of the Czech Republic. If I were to say "I'm 120 miles south of Berlin" in conversation at lunchtime today, the people around me would understand that I meant Berlin, New Hampshire.
There are, AFAIK, eight cities named Boston in the U.S.: in Massachusetts, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Virginia, Alabama, Arkansas, and Connecticut. Because of the duplication of place names, we are conditioned to add more information, to specify precisely which Boston we are talking about. This may then carry over to our discussions of place names that non-USAans consider unique and not in need of qualifiers, but it is a quite necessary bit of information around here.
I'm 101 miles SSW of Portland right now. I'm also 2541 miles ENE of Portland right now. There is no contradiction!
Four Five Kitties
Yes, point taken. On the other hand, if someone asked you "Where's Paris?" and you didn't live near one of those Parises, you'd almost certainly say "France," wouldn't you? My point is that with Paris, TX or Paris, KY, the TX and the KY are necessary modifiers. With "Paris, France", I believe the "France" to be an unnecessary modifier.
-------------------- This wrinkle in time, I can't give it no credit, I thought about my space and it really got me down. Got me so down, I got me a headache, My heart is crammed in my cranium and it still knows how to pound Posts: 2794 | From: London, UK | Registered: Aug 2003
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quote:I must have missed the thread which carried snopes' extensive confirmation.
Oh, that. I hear he keeps it in the lost-legends section.
quote:I must be hanging around here too much because an uncited "Several UK papers ran articles on the incident at the time" followed by a clearly American follow-up article just doesn't "do it" for me anymore.
I guess I see your point, Doc J, but in the interest of fairness I might add that snopes quoted a report by Agence France Presse, which is a news organization out of Paris, France.
quote:Anyway, I guess I'll just have to accept that the article is true. It just seems strange that none of the corroborating evidence (names, places, organisations) can be confirmed, and that nobody I've spoken to has any recollection of this event. I admit that seven years is a fairly long time ago, but saying that, it would have been a fairly shocking piece of news.
A couple interesting follow-ups, then.
quote:Lawyer on Theft Charge Senior partner accused of stealing £73,000 from clients
Guy Jackson The Birmingham [UK] Post Pg. 1 5 March 1998
The senior partner of a Birmingham law firm that was closed by the Law Society has been charged with stealing more than £73,000 from clients.
Andrew Westall (53), the senior partner of Edgbaston-based James Beauchamp, will face six charges of theft at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on April 6.
Last year, his practice was at the centre of controversy when it invoiced the grieving mother of a dead lawyer, who had worked for the firm, for dealing with affairs relating to his death.
Three months later, the firm was closed by the Law Society after separate allegations of financial irregularities.
[...]
In March last year, The Birmingham Post revealed how one of James Beauchamp's solicitors, Mr Christopher Bryant, hanged himself. The firm then sent his 80-year-old mother, Mrs Irene Brierley, an invoice for £12,278.16 for dealing with the aftermath of his death.
The bill included a claim for £1,350 for nine hours work, at £150-an-hour, which included breaking into Mr Bryant's house with police after he failed to turn up for work, and discovering his body.
The firm withdrew the bill after complaints from Mr Bryant's family to the Law Society.
An inquest on Mr Bryant ruled that he had committed suicide.
The closure of the practice in June, which was unconnected to Mr Bryant's case, followed allegations of financial irregularities.
The two partners, Westall and Mr David Waterhouse, had their practising certificates suspended by the Law Society.
Last night, a spokesman for the Law Society said the two men were still suspended from practising.
quote:Lawyer Who Billed Tragic Mother Freed
The Birmingham Post Pg. 5 13 February 1999
A Birmingham solicitor who sparked outrage when it emerged that he had charged £12,000 for dealing with a colleague's death walked free from court yesterday after admitting stealing money from the estates of deceased clients.
Andrew Westall saw his firm ruined after it was revealed he invoiced the grieving mother of his colleague for breaking into the dead man's house and finding the body.
At Birmingham Crown Court yesterday Westall admitted stealing from client accounts in a desperate bid to keep his ailing practice afloat.
The 54-year-old father-of-two, of Jacobean Lane, Knowle, Solihull, was sentenced to 18 months in jail, suspended for two years.
He admitted the theft of £83,000 from client accounts.
[...]
Mr Richard Wakerley QC, defending, told the court Westall had not profited personally from his dishonesty and the bulk of the money had been returned.
The lawyer's financial difficulties stemmed from reports in the media about invoices his firm made to the grieving mother of a colleague, he said.
Mr Wakerley said assistant solicitor Mr Christopher Bryant had committed suicide and Westall dealt with matters arising from the death.
Mr Bryant, a former chairman of Moseley rugby club, was found hanged in his Bearwood home on November 18, 1994.
An inquest later heard he was a workaholic who suffered from stress and Sandwell South Coroner Mr Peter Turner recorded a verdict of death by suicide.
Westall reportedly charged Mr Bryant's mother £12,278.16 for dealing with the death. The details of what Westall had charged were revealed by The Birmingham Post in March, 1997.
The family refused to pay the bill and made an official complaint to the profession's watchdog, the Office of Supervision of Solicitors.
Yesterday the court was told that clients deserted the firm as a result of the publicity and two partners left, leaving Westall in a dire financial situation.
Westall left the court without comment.
-------------------- Se non è vero, è ben trovato. Posts: -99014 | From: Chapel Hill, North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2000
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quote:Originally posted by Dara: Yes, point taken. On the other hand, if someone asked you "Where's Paris?" and you didn't live near one of those Parises, you'd almost certainly say "France," wouldn't you?
No, I'm just enough of a pedantic PITA to say "which one?"
Four Five Kitties
-------------------- If swimming is so good for your figure, how do you explain whales? Posts: 13275 | From: Kindergarten World, Massachusetts | Registered: Jul 2003
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quote:I must be hanging around here too much because an uncited "Several UK papers ran articles on the incident at the time" followed by a clearly American follow-up article just doesn't "do it" for me anymore. Sorry snopes, not even from you.
a) I don't see much point in quoting seven different news articles, all of which say the same thing in slightly different wording, just to satisfy someone's pedantry. If I say that several UK newspapers ran the story at the time, it's because I looked the story up and verified that several UK newspapers ran it at the time.
b) I wasn't aware that the Agence France Presse was American. I don't think they're aware of it, either.
quote:It just seems strange that none of the corroborating evidence (names, places, organisations) can be confirmed
All of the story is easily confirmable. At least, by people who know how to do this sort of thing.
quote:Originally posted by snopes: All of the story is easily confirmable. At least, by people who know how to do this sort of thing.
Smackdown!
-------------------- If swimming is so good for your figure, how do you explain whales? Posts: 13275 | From: Kindergarten World, Massachusetts | Registered: Jul 2003
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Morrison's Lamentable Fowl
The Red and the Green Stamps
posted
"Ouch"
Main Entry: ar·ro·gance Pronunciation: 'ar-&-g&n(t)s Function: noun : a feeling or an impression of superiority manifested in an overbearing manner or presumptuous claims
The man was being polite. There was no reason to be a complete dick in responding to him, was there?
posted
My, y'all are very thorough. And just a little intense. Thanks for all the follow-ups.
As for James Beauchamp: they got what they deserved. Imagine working for that firm all those years and they couldn't even swing the man an employee's discount?
Posts: 1651 | From: Columbus, Ohio | Registered: Aug 2004
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posted
Well, I've spent hours on the web checking this story, and
quote: quote:I must have missed the thread which carried snopes' extensive confirmation. [Wink]
Oh, that. I hear he keeps it in the lost-legends section.
Billy "Mot de Cambronne! Mot de Cambronne! Mot de Cambronne!" Biggles
-------------------- Cogito ergo sum, non sum qualis eram. Putting Descartes before the Horace every time. Posts: 377 | From: East Anglia, UK | Registered: Dec 2003
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posted
Now it's time to be morally outraged (just for the fun of it, c'mon, we all say what I'm about to say for the fun of it).
Well, actually there's not much to say. It would seem this fellow did this as a scam more or less, as opposed to a genuine company practise where they really did feel justified in it. It would have been a sweeter thing to bite into if it was "the evil company feeling justified"... Eh, oh well, we can always dream...
Posts: 958 | From: United States | Registered: Dec 2000
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quote:Originally posted by Four Kitties Fricassee:
quote:Originally posted by snopes: All of the story is easily confirmable. At least, by people who know how to do this sort of thing.
Smackdown!
Smackdown ? Not really. Some of us just don't have access to full-text news databases.
Posts: 3100 | From: London, UK | Registered: Nov 2001
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quote:I don't see much point in quoting seven different news articles, all of which say the same thing in slightly different wording, just to satisfy someone's pedantry. If I say that several UK newspapers ran the story at the time, it's because I looked the story up and verified that several UK newspapers ran it at the time.
Blimey. The reason we COME here is because we're pedants! Didn't anyone see my anorak hanging up as they came in?! It's not fair simply to say: well guys, I've had a look and it's true, and then leave us with an unattributed quotation, and then post a sarky reply when someone deigns to ask for an attribution. Traditional standards of snopesian research demand that we see references (thank Bonnie!).
-------------------- I want you to lay down your life, Perkins. We need a futile gesture at this stage. It will raise the whole tone of the war. Posts: 4495 | From: Surrey, UK | Registered: Jun 2000
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RichardMi
The Red and the Green Stamps
posted
Paris or Paris or Paris.
This should be in Automobiles but any of our Irish friends read the Car Buyers Guide article about the rally in Paris, Texas that is? Richard the rallymaster
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posted
This is where it gets really heavy. The law firm is called James Beauchamp. There is an interview with James Beauchamp at this spot. He doesn’t actually mention the Bryant case, but he gives a lot of valuable insight into the way the law works in England.
Billy "a bloke I met in the pub says he knows more but he isn't saying" Biggles
-------------------- Cogito ergo sum, non sum qualis eram. Putting Descartes before the Horace every time. Posts: 377 | From: East Anglia, UK | Registered: Dec 2003
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