THE UNWRITTEN LAW.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 September 1917, Page 5

THE UNWRITTEN LAW.

AN OFFICER ACQUITTED. Australian-N.Z. Cable Association. London, Sept. 11. At the trial of Lieutenant Douglas Malcolm, of the Field Artillery, charged with the murder of Auton Baumberg, otherwise known as Count Deborch, for the prosecution it was admitted that Deborch seduced Malcolm's beautiful young wife while he was absent at the front. Malcolm returned and discovered the intrigue, thrashed Deborch and pleaded with his wife to give up Deborch, but she refused, saying she loved him.

Malcolm challenged Doborch to a duel, but the challenge was not accepted. Malcolm subsequently shot Deborch, then lit a cigarette and walked across the street to a policeman to whom he surrendered and said "I did it for my hono;." The prosecution said the unwritten law had never been pleaded in a British court and hoped it would not be pleaded now. Sir John Simon defending Malcolm elicited the fact that Deborch was wellknown to the police as a white slavev, and had lived in London with a German spy variously known as Baroness Verernbcrg and Mr■> Meyer, who Tas subsequently shot in France. Malcolm was acquitted and the public cheered and demonstrated for Ave minutes, the officials being powerless to check the cheering which aho extended to the crowds outsid# the court. ACCUSED ACTED UNDEfi COMPULSION. Received Sept. 12, 5.5 p.m. i ' London, Sept. 11. Sir J. Simon, addressing the jury, asked them to say that Malcolm was not guilty according to law. and acted under compulsion, which tho law recognised Trhett every other reeourw for the defence of his own life and his wife's honor failed. He claimed that Malcolm intended to whip Deborah, who attempted to get a revolver from p drawer. Malcolm fired in self defence. The judge, in summing up, said the husband bad no property in his wife's body if she decided to give herself to anot'ier. He appealed to the jury to regard the supremacy of the law a$ more important than sympathy.