A CRIMINAL LIBEL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1984, 19 December 1889, Page 3

A CRIMINAL LIBEL.

The name of Hughes-Hallett, which was so unpleasantly familiar to the public three or four years ago, is once more before us, but this time it is Mrs Hughes-Hallett. A curious case came before the West London Police Court recently, being a criminal libel action against’a Mrs Bloomfield Moore, by a Mr Chandor. Mr St. John Wontaer appeared for the prosecutor, and from his statement it appeared that Mrs Moore and Mr Chandor met at the house of Mrs Hughes-Hallett, and became very friendly—so friendly indeed, that Mrs Moore offered to adopt Mr Chandor as her son, and appoint him her secretary at a salary of £2OOO a year. Subsequently she discovered the real character of the man, and broke with him. She then wrote to Mrs Hughes-Hallett the letters which formed the subject of the libel, and stated that she had learned a mjmbe

of facts concerning the plaintiff, that the detectives at Scotland Yard would be able to give an interesting account of him. When in Paris, it continues, he had insulted the Hon. Miss ——, a girl of fifteen; he had been publicly thrashed by two noble lords; he had deserted his wife and children, and was living with a mistress; he was an inveterate liar, an unprincipled scoundrel, and was living on this same mistress’ money. Another letter stated that Colonel Hughes-Hallett, who was abroad, could not be aware of the shameful position of affairs in his house, and that Mrs Moore’s purpose as a woman was to protect a woman. Mrs Hughes-Hallett was called for the plaintiff, and deposed to the receipt of the letters; and in cross-examination she said that she had known Mr Cbandor for two years, but did not know what was his profession. She was on the most friendly terms with him, for he had helped her to extricate herself from the trouble in which Colonel Hughes-Hallett had left her. She said, moreover, that Mrs Moore had advised her to trust her husband rather than Mr Cbandor, but that her advice was inconsistent. Lord Robt. Montague was next put into the box, and deposed that he had received letters from Mrs Moore for Mrs Hughes-Hallett. Further evidence was given for the plaintiff, and then Mrs Moore made her statement that she wrote the letters with the best of purposes, to be of assistance to Mrs Hallett. The case was then sent up fur trial, bail being allowed.