PUNISHING A SCURRILOUS PARAGRAPHIST.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1098, 11 July 1882, Page 4

PUNISHING A SCURRILOUS PARAGRAPHIST.

(Sydney “ Daily Telegraph.”} The action brought in the Supreme Court at Adelaide by Joseph Charles Augustus Rundle against Messrs. Von Doussa, Fade, Bom, and Haytread, to recover £lOOO damages for an assault committed on him by defendants, was concluded on Friday, says the “ S.A. Advertiser ” of 20th instant, when a verdict was returned for the plaintiff, damages £lOO. The circumstances of the assault, which was committed at Hahndorf in November last, are pretty well known. A great deal of annoyance had been felt in the township because of certain scurrilous paragraphs appearing in a paper called the “Adelaide Bulletin and Lantern,” reflecting on many of the inhabitants, and threats were held out that when the author of them was caught he would be punished. The paragraphs continued to appear for some months, until the defendant Von Doussa, thinking he had ascertained the offender, informed the other defendants and some of the residents that he was going to thrash the “ Bulletin ” correspondent, and invited them to join the operation. Accordingly on Monday, the 21st November, a message was sent by Von Doussa to Rundle, stating that Frank Ide, a lad in the employ of Von Doussa, who was also believed to be implicated in the writing of the objectionable paragraphs, wished to see him. Rundle went to the Post Office, was met by Ide outside, and was received with the cheering remark, “You are in for it, Joe.” Von Doussa then appeared on the scene armed with a hunting-whip, and on the plaintiff going inside Von Doussa made a short preparatory harangue, and afterwards commenced an application of the whip about Rundle’s legs. The youth was next pushed outside, whenPade, Bom, and Haytread were invited to join in the same method of punishment—a request they appear to have very readily complied with. On the plaintiff averring that he had “ had enough,” a rope was procured and placed around his body, and in this fashion he was escorted down the main street and introduced to the various people met with en route as “ the Bulletin correspondent.” After visiting the establishment of aMr Willmer, whose infirmity of bad eyes had been ridiculed in the “ society ” paper in question, Rundle received a parting cut with the whip and was released from his somewhat irksome bonds. His cup, however, was not yet full, for later on Von Doussa met him, and in a mild address, advised him that his “ career was run in Hadudorf,” and that ho had better “clear out.” This was the finishing touch, and nothing remained to the inhabitants but to gossip over the proceedings until this trial came on. It was urged on the part of the plaintiff, who denied in court that he had written the paragraphs referred to, that the assault had been most severe and cowardly, while the defendants and one or two other witnesses described the assault as of a very mild description, rather enjoyable than otherwise, because the plaintiff, according, to their statement, wore a pleasant “ grin ” on his face while the ceremony was being performed. It was also urged that, as the plaintiff had been about the town as usual after the assault, it could not have been severe, and that the £2O paid into court would amply cover the injury sustained. The jury, however thought differently, and returned the verdict mentioned above.