Massachusetts Spy And Worcester Advertiser

PLYMOUTH, Nov. 22.

The Court of Common Pleas held a session in this town the present week. A civil action was presented to the jury, which although the amount in dispute was small, was strongly contested. This action was brought by a respectable surgeon of this county, vs. the town of Easton, for the amount of his bill, for the successful amputation of the limb of a pauper belonging to that town. As the fact of his being employed was proved, and there appeared to be no evidence of extravagance in his charges, the jury by their verdict awarded to the plaintiff the full amount of his demand. In the course of this trial a very extraordinary practice was developed, which, for the honor of humanity, we hope is confined to the litigant town: the practice of putting up at auction, and selling to the lowest bidder, the payment of the claims which might accrue against the town on account of the medical attention to its paupers. Should this practice become general, there is much reason to fear that suffering humanity would become the victim of speculators in a very barbarous traffic.