DISPUTED PARENTAGE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8358, 19 February 1913, Page 10

DISPUTED PARENTAGE

MAN’S REMARKABLE LETTERS TO A BREWER. “YOU ARE MY FATHER.” LONDON, January 12. Remarkable letters, auegeu to have been written by a man winning to shake oh the stigma of illegitimacy, formeu Uio sueject of a case at Jjawford’s Gate, Uloucestorshire, iu which William Riddiloril, 41, was cnaiged with leiomousxy senmng to Job England a certain letter demanding money witli menaces without any reasonable or probable cause, at Eioton, on June 18th. Mr S. L. Harvey, who appeared for prosecutor, said Mr England was a retired farmer and brewer. of Upton Chcyney, Litton. Defendant maintains that he is the legitimate son of the prosecutor, which the latter denies. It was common ground that he was the son of prosecutor's first wife's half-sister. From a child he had been brought up by prosecutor and his first wife. Ou January 13th last the prosecutor's first wife died, and about six months after, in July, prosecutor married a Miss Newport, who had nursed his wife through her last illness, and afterwards was his housekeeper until \he married her in July.. That marriage had appar*Un,tly brought about trouble between the parties. Thinking ho would lose all he expected from his suspected father ,by the second marriage, delendant had written extraordinary letters, at the same time demanding money from the prosecutor. Prosecutor stated that he and his first wife brought up defendant from a child. They did not treat him as a son, but clothed and fed him. That was up to aboutitwenty years ago, when they placed him on a little farm at Wamiley. The defendant and his wife went on so badly that he paid his rates and taxes, and looked after the horses for him. He afterwards employed him as a drayman, and maintained four of his children for about four years. The defendant had already been bound over to keep .the peace for writing threatening letters to him in August last. About the time of his marriage to Miss Newport, which took place on July sth last, witness received a long letter, in defendant's handwriting. which contained the following : As you do not try to come to any terms to bring about a ibefcter understanding between us, I must give up all hopes of your happiness, and. mind I do not care what lakes place now. You .have given that beautiful wife of yours the position which my aunt worked so hard for aH those years—in so sho.<c a time. Now you are going to give her all you promised me and my children. I will do anything and stop at nothing. ... I hope to live in Bitton in a week or two, and if you go to live anywhere X shall hunt you out until I find you out, and satisfy mo. If you do drive me to it you will live to repent it. Mr Harvey read several other letters. Oue dated July 9th, in reply to one from prosecutor, stated: “I shall drive youi on-Av hairs in sorrow to the grave, where you ought to be." On November Ist prosecutor received a poitcard from defendant, on which he wrote: "I am going to have this matter settled once and for all. I have got all proofs that yon ore my father.” Mary Ann England, wife of the prosecutor gave evidence as to the receipt of several letters from defendant, portions of which were read by Mr Harvey, In one he wrote: it is too late. The wicked thing you have done, dropped into a dead woman's shoes in so short a time. Yon are standing between a man and his rights, who does not care for anything, and will stop at nothing. Defendant was committed for trial at the next Gloucestershire Assize.