CLARK, M.L.A., THRASHED FOR SLANDERING THE QUEEN.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2303, 4 August 1880, Page 2

CLARK, M.L.A., THRASHED FOR SLANDERING THE QUEEN.

SECOND EDITION

(From the “ Melbourne Telegraph.) Extraordinary interest and excitement was created in the city on Saturday evening by a rumor that the senior proprietor of the “ Williamstown Advertiser,” had, had been publicly chastised because of the scurrilous and dastardly reference to Her Majesty that appeared in his paper a few weeks ago. The facts of the affair are, that early on Saturday afternoon a gentlemen named Mr D. C. F. Moodie, of Adelaide, visited the office of the journal referred to, at Williamstown. Not finding the principal proprietor, he went into the Lord Clyde hotel, which adjoins the “ Advertiser ” office, and despatched a messanger to Mr A. T. Clark’s private residence, informing him that a person wished to see him at the hotel on >public business. In a short time Mr Clark was seen coming towards the hotel, aud the landlord drawing Mr Moodie’s attention to to the fact, the hitter advanced, and met the member for Williamstown on the sidewalk, and introduced himself. He then informed Mr Clark that he had seen in Adelaide the brutal aud disloyal paragraph that had appeared in the “ Williamstown Advertiser ” of the 15th day of May, and that he had come purposely from Adelaide to either exact an apology or to publicly insult the libeller. He then handed to Mr Clark the following document which the latter read through deliberately : “ To Mr D. C. F. Moodie : “In the issue of the “ Williamstown Advertiser,” of which I am the principal and therefore responsible proprietor appeared the following words bearing reference to her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen of Great Britain :— ‘ An obese not overburdened with brains, old woman dubbed Empress.’ For the insertion of these words I now, through you, most abjectly apologise, and consider them the words of a traitor, a coward, and a snob—and an unprovoked attack upon an absent and innocent lady, who is revered by every true man.

“ Proprietor, “ Williamstown. Advertiser.,” Mr Moodle then offered Clark a pencil, and asked him to sign the apology, Clark refused, whereupon Mr Moodie said, “Then I must tell you you area traitor, a coward, and a snob, and I shall publicly insult you.” He then struck the Williamstown several smart blows across the shoulders with a light cane he had in his hand. Clark defended himself, and tried to strike Moodic, but the latter parried the blows, and told Clark he would knock him down if he struck again. The scuffle then ended, and the legislator calling one of the few persons who had been attracted to the spot, sent for a policeman, saying to his assailant, “ I shall make you pay for this.” Hearing this, Mr Moodie walked along the footway with Clark, telling him that he had been guilt}' of most disgraceful and cowardly conduct. Clark asked Moodic how the paragraph injured him, and in what capacity he interfered. “Simply as an English gentleman, and in defence of an absent slandered lady,” was Mr Moodie’s reply. A policeman then arrived, and the member for Williamstown, having drawn him aside, whispered something to him, and the officer then came and arrested Mr Moodie, the latter warning the officer that he did so at his peril. Mr Moodic was taken to the lock-up and confined in a cell on a charge of assault. In about twenty minutes a gentleman, whom Mr Moodic never saw or heard of before, came and bailed him out. This was Air James Balharry, of the firm of Alfred Woolley and Co., Market Street, who had incidcntly heard of the matter and had promptly interposed to do the stranger this timely service. Mr Moodic, who had long resided in South Africa, and is now issuing, through George Robertson, a book on Zululand, was accompanied by his Zulu bodyservant, who stood at a respectful distance while his master accomplished his mission. The charge of assault was heard at the Police Court and Mr Moodie was fined £3.