POSTCARD LIBELS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 193, 4 January 1913, Page 1 (Supplement)

POSTCARD LIBELS

SCHOOLMASTER SM PR I SON El) FOR TWO YEARS. CURIOUS REVELATIONS. London, November 17. A series of libels by postcards, extending over three years, had a Sequel at 'the Warwick Assizes, vhen Archibald Brownhill, forty-one, a schoolmaster, was sentenced 'to two years' imprisonment for publishing defamatory postcards concerning Alderman W. H. Evans and family, of Sutton Coldiiekl. Two well-connected young 'men, named Martin, neighbors of Alderman Evans, were last year put 011 their trial for the offence, but after a lengthy hearing were acquitted. The prisoner, Brownhill, is now ordered' to pay the. costs of both prosecutions. One feature of the evidence was the statement for tfhe defence of Captain the Hon. G. Anson, the Chief Constable of Staffordshire, that the handwriting on the postcards was ''exactly the same" as that 011 the postcards received from the "Wyrley Gang," who for many years past have committed numerous horsemaiming outrages in South Staffordshire.

Browii'hi'll, who disappeared shortly after the conclusion of the previous triail, and corresponded, it was alleged, in a code with his family, gave evidence on his own behalf. He said that he 'had resided in Sutton Coldfield for seventeen years, having carried on a boys' school. He had had 110 grievance or feeling against the Evans family. From October, 1909, until the completion of the previous trial, he was constantly assisting Alderman Evans to' ascertain the authorship of the libellous documents. jHe had neither written nor posted a single document. During the period in question a number of communications similar to those received by the Evans family were 'received by him. In some cases the documents were disparaging..to himself and to his school.

Brownhill was examined in detail with regard to the various letters, all of which he denied sending. He also denied that after the last trial at Warwick he had had any differences with Mr. Evans over financial matters, as was suggested in some of the libellous* documents. Questioned with regard to the posting of letters, Brownhill said it was his custom to go out, either walking or cycling, to post letters in the various boxes in t'lie district. He had. dione this sort of thing for many years. He could not suggest how it was that libellous documents were found in the boxes he was in the habit of using after he had visited them.

Mr. Joy (for the accused) questioned prisoner at length with reference to his disappearance. He went away, he said, because he had heard that Mr. Evans said the trial cost the Martins £BOO, and it would cost him (accused) a good deal more. That, he said, rather worried him, and he thought it would be a wrong t'hing to spend money upon it. The only way he could have raised the money would have been by getting a loan on some of his mother's capital, so he thought he would go away to where no one knew him.

Prisoner said that when he was in prison he received libellous documents from Leeds and .Manchester. Brownihill, ill cross-examination, admitted that he assumed the name of Driver to escape the attentions of the "Brown Bears," these being t'he code words for the police. (Laughter). He also changed his appearance for a week.

Captain the Hon. G. Anson, Chief Constable of Staffordshire, said lie had for some time been receiving cards bearing the words, "G. 11. Darby, captain of the Wyrley Gang." They 'had been coming for the past nine years. Mr. Joy: What do you say as to the handwriting of these libellous cards? Do they correspond with those you have been receiving from the "Wyrley Gang"? Witness: They are in exactly the same handwriting. Mr. Justice Scratton, in giving the sentence, expressed entire agreement with the verdict, and .said the libels would disgrace the lowest class of man.