ALLEGED BLACKMAIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 163, 1 July 1908, Page 3

ALLEGED BLACKMAIL.

"BOB" SIEVIER ON TRIAL. DAMNING EVIDENCE. Received 30th, 10.15 p.m. London, June 30. The hearing Of the charge against Robert Sievier has commenced at Bow Street • According to the evidence, since the - newspaper "Winning Ppst" started, (sievier almost weekly mide an attack upon J. B. Joel and family. Recently Sievier, being short of money, approach-ed-Joel for a loan, finally promising to abstain from publishing further alleged defamatory matter if given £SOOO. Joel •fered £2500 oil condition that Sievier gave » written promise. The latter refused, and demanded another £5000,, under threat to publish some incidents ot Joel's! life. T%e case was remanded, bail being re- . fused.

Away back in the early "eighties" Kievier, who was then known as It. S. Button, introduced to Australia the cash isysttm of betting, afid subsequently returned to England, where he married • into the aristocracy. Always a plucky bettor, lie ran into money on the Engliab turf, and attained world-wide notoriety by paying t'lie record price of 10,000 guineas for a yearling Ally by Persimmon from Ornament at the dispersal of the late Duke of Westminister's stud in 1900. This high-priced youngster, who was afterwards named ' Sceptre, justified Sievier'shigh opinion of fier conformation,' breeding, and quality, for she carried hie colors to victory on thirteen occasions, ereditng liim wit'.i £38,225 in stakes alone, and, as ijievier wag it heavy bettor, he always look ' large snms from the ring in connection with her successes. A few years ago he Was "warned off" by the Kngn-ui Jockey Club, but twelve months ago the r — disqualification was removed. In the meantime Kievier bad-been engaged as author and ncwsjiaper proprietor. Mr. Jack Harnato Joel is a financier ... and partner in the tiriu of Itarnato Bios., chietly identified in the Transvaal . goldfields. He is interested in all kinds of sport, and keeps a large breeding and racing stud.