ALLEGED LIBEL

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 117, 15 February 1928, Page 11

ALLEGED LIBEL

THE MITCHELL-HEDGES CASE f EVIDENCE FOR DEFENCE (Rec. February 14, 9.5 p.m.) London, February 13. In opening the defence in the action in which F. A. Mitchell-Hedges "is claiming damages from the ‘‘Daily Express,” Sir. jowitt said: “I suggest that Hedges is an impostor, making a claim he cannot substantiate. No doubt he has been at Panama and has talked with Indians and had certain interesting experiences, but the man who has written up those; experiences as Hedges is an impostor.” William Shaw, chartered accountant, of Dublin, one of the attackers, 'detailed the abortive hold-up of January 6 and the successful attempt of Jaiiuary 14, when Kenneth Taylor was tied up, but neither Hedges npr _Edgell was knocked down or hurt" in any way. Edgell deliberately made the grass untidy in order to . suggest that a scuffle had taken place. The whole thing was a prank to advertise M|onomarks, the idea' being ; that Hedges’ bag should be discovered in a sensational manner by means of the Monomark. ' .

Cross-examined, Shaw admitted that after Hedges had issued the writ against the “Daily Express” he (Shaw) had signed a statement to Hedges* solicitor that Hedges and Edgell were' in no way privy to the hoax. ■ Shaw added 1 that he was now thoroughly ashamed of having signed the--state-ment.