HORSE-WHIPPING A PRACTICAL JOKER.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1528, 21 December 1886, Page 3

HORSE-WHIPPING A PRACTICAL JOKER.

We find the following in the New Zealand (Wellington) Times:—Considerable excitement has been occasioned in Nelson by a disgraceful practical joke, which has already endangered the life of n lady upon whom it was played, produced a horsewhipping tor its aseuired author, and ia about to lead to a Police Court trial for ' assault. A Nelson gentleman, recently left with the inteDtion of visiting Cbrietchurch to see the races. His wife was in a delicate etute of health, and a few days after his departure a letter was sent to her purporting to be written and signed by a well-known man who holds a re. ponsible position in a business firm. This letter stated that the lady's husband had met with a fatal accident on the Christchurch racecourse. On reading this the unfortunate wife fainted and fell down, hurting herself severely in doing so. On recovery she was delirious, and her health is Btill in a precarious state, although steps were immediately taken to disprove the statements of the letter. In fact, a telegram was sent to her husband and he at once hurried back and gave the person whose name was attached to the letter a severe horse-whipping. The latter laid an information for assault, and denies that he wrote the letter, but if it is a forgery it is said to be an admirable one, and the individual in question has shown no anxiety to discover who it was that i'uitated his signature.