NAME AND NATIONALITY

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 45, 22 February 1930, Page 9

NAME AND NATIONALITY

JONESCU LIBEL ACTION

NEWSPAPER TO PAY £12,000

LONDON, 20th February.

After a thirteen days' hearing in tho King's Bench Division, the Rumanian, M. Barbu Jonescu, who was Prince Carol's host during his stay in England in May, 1928, was awarded £12,000 damages in a libel action against tho "Evening Standard." ( The "Evening Standard" had alleged that M. Joneseu's name originally was not Jonescu, and that he was not really, a Rumanian, but a Pole, who went to England with some Belgian refugees in, war time.

M. Joneseu's counsel said that he was respected and •' prosperous until the allegation was made. Thereafter people regarded him as an imposter, which resulted in Ms bankruptcy. Lengthy evidence, much of it on commission, was brought from Rumania to support the declaration that plaintiff's name had always been Jonescu, and that he was born in '. 885.

A plea of justification was entered, for the defence, which alleged that tho plaintiff's name- was Moritz Lieba, who was born in 1891. His father was of Polish descent.

Tlio costs of tho case are estimated, at £20,000.

[ A good deal of stir was created ia England in May of 102S by the unexpected visit to the country of Priuco Carol, who was acconipanied by Mudumo Lupeseu. Ho was the guest of Mr. Joiieseu at. his Surrey home. After n wholo day's inquiry and conferenco tho authorities that the presence of Priuco Carol in England wns undesirable and ho was asked to leax-o tho country. The Princo appealed to tho Homo Secretary, however, who decided that ho must at once leave tho coW.vy.