A SEDUCER SHOT DEAD.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 September 1917, Page 3

A SEDUCER SHOT DEAD.

TRIAL OF THE HUSBAND. DEFENDANT ACQUITTED. [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION",-®-COPYRICHT.J (United Service Telegrams.) (Received This Dnv at 12.25. p.m.) LONDON, September 11. The trial of Lieut. Douglas Malcolm of tho Field Artillery, charged with the murder of Anton Baumberg, otherwise Count Deborch, for the prosecution it was admitted that Deborch seduced Malcolm’s beautiful young wife, while he was absent at the front. Malcolm returned and \ discovered the intrigue and thrashed Deborch. He pleaded with hi!f wife to give, up Deborche, but she refused saying she loved him. Malcolm challenged Deborche to a duel, but the challenge was not accepted. Malcolm subsequently -fffiot Deborche and that lit a cigarette and walked across the street to a policeman, to ■whom he surrendered and said "I did it for my honour.” The prosecution said the unwritten law had never been pleaded in a British Court and he hoped it would not be pleaded now. Sir John Simon, defending Malcolm, elicited the fact that Deborch was wellknown to the police as a "white slaver” and had lived in London with a German spy, variously known as Baroness Voremberg, and Mistress Meyer, and who was subsequently shot in France Malcolm was acquitted. The public cheered and demonstrated for five minutes, the officials being powerless to check the cheering which also extended to crowds outside the. court.

COUNSELS PLEA. Received this day at 2.36 p.m.,) LONDON. September 11. Sir John Simton, addressing the jury in the Malcolm ease, asked them to say that Malcolm was not guilty, according to the law, and that he acted ilndor compulsion, which tho law recognised. when every other resource for tho defence of his own life and his wife’s honour failed.