A Female Usurer.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 79, 30 September 1896, Page 2

A Female Usurer.

A case was recently heard at Bow Street County Court, London, in which ■ Mrs Stewart, wife of a ship's carpenter on board the steamship Himalaya, was sued by Maud Copland, a widow, for Lo i for money lent. Plaintiff said she was carrying on her late husband's business at 24 Church street, Plaistow. Defendant f owed Lo. ft was true she had paid L 4 10s 6d, but that was interest only and did not affect the principal. Judge French : Are you quite sure that it was interest i only? Plaintiff: (smiling) I am quite sure. It was moderate, very moderate. ; (Laughter). Defendant: I engaged a solicitor, but he is not here. I don't owe this money. It was only L 3 I borrowed, and I have been paying 4s 6d a week for over twelve months. — (Sensation in court) Jndge French: That is nearly Ll2, about 400 per cent. Plaintiff : Don't tell lies, Mrs Stewart. You know you had L 5. Defendant ; It was only L 8 ; your books j show it. Plaintiff: I have not been paid a farthing since October. Judge French : (indignantly) You bave had too many L farthings already. You shall not get an- , other farthing out of this poor woman. | She has paid yon tbe money already over j and over a;*aiD. I allow her five shillings for her attendance bere ; and, defendant, take care that you do not pay the solicitor any money, as he failed to come here for , you. — (Chuers in eoart).