A BISHOP IN COURT.

Evening Star, Issue 3511, 25 May 1874, Page 3

A BISHOP IN COURT.

1 The ‘ Sydney Morning Herald ’ reports that at the Maitland Circuit Court ,on Thursday, the 30th April, Mr S. C. Philpotts and wife brought an action against the Anglican Bishop of Newcastle, Dr Tyrrell. The declaration was as follows : —“ Sydney Cowper Philpotts and Helen Palmer, his wife, sue the Bight Reverend William Tyrrell, Lord Bishop of Newcastle, for that the defendant falsely and maliciously, in a letter addressed to the Rev. James Robert Thackeray, clerk, wrote and published of the plaintiff, Helen Palmer, in a defamatory sense, the words following, that is to say— ‘ Two ’ (meaning a second charge against the said James Robert Thackeray), ‘ intercourse with a Mrs Philpotts, of West Maitland’ (meaning that there was a report current that the said James Robert Thackeray had illicit intercourse with. the plaintiff, / Helen Palmer.) And also, for that the defendant falsely and maliciously, in a letter addressed to the said James Robert Thackeray, wrote and published of the plaintiff, Helen Palmer, in a defamatory sense, the words following, that is to say : ‘it has been . represented to me * (meaning the defendant) ‘that it has been a matter of common talk in West Maitland that you (meaning the said James Robert Thackeray) had had improper intercourse with a Mrs Philpotts, and a statement has been made to me that a man had declared that he had seen you* (meaning the said James Robert Thackeray, engaged in such intercourse with the plaintiff, Helen Palmer, as aforesaid). And the plaintiff 1 claims L 3,000.”, To this declara- ; tion, the defendant said that he is not; guilty. The evidence of the plaintiffs,; the Rev. Mr Thackeray and the Bishop' of Newcastle, Was taken, atid the case; (which occupied two days) resulted in a’ verdict for the plaintiffs for 40sdamages, and his Honor Mr Justice Hargraves granted costs.