A SLANDER CASE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 146, 11 June 1908, Page 2

A SLANDER CASE.

AGAINST A DOCTOR'S WIFE. "A TRUMPED-UP CHARGE.'' Per Press Association Timaru, Lust Night. At the District Court to-day, before Judge Haselden and a jury of four, Hi's. Simons, proprietor of a tea-room, sued the wife of Dr. C. E. Xlioiuas for £21)1) damages for alleged libel contained in an anonymous letter addressed to J?. W. Burnley, a customer of iters, to 'her cure. The letter was written in a disguised infantile hand and stated that' pome woman it referred to was "110 good." Mrs. Simons had received a day or two before an anonymous letter warning her that she would get int'O' trouble with "that man." Each showed the letters to the other, Burnley produced two friendly letters 'written |to liini by defendant at about the time of the alleged libel (February last) to enable experts (Charles Edgar, of the Lyttelt'on Times' engraving department, and J. M. Millar, clerk) to compare MlO .anonymous letters with these, and they were of opinion that all four were written by the same person. No witness was called for the defence, counsel saying he would not subject defendant to the indignity of denying what he believed to be a trumped-up charge instigated by Burnley, a man who had been treated with most unusual kindness by defendant. He suggested to the jury that .Burnley had concocted the letters himself.

The jury found for defendant 011 al l issues, and judgment went accordingly with costs.