THE SPORTING LIBEL

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 25 July 1913, Page 5

THE SPORTING LIBEL

CABLE NEWS

(United Prtu Auociation—By WUctric Telegraph—Copyright.)

WOOTTON v. SIEVIER. VERDICT FOR PLAINTIFF. (Received Jtily 24, 9 a.m.) LONDON, July 24. The - oa&o in which Wootton, the horsotrainer, -claimed damages from Robert Sievier, the publisher of "The | Winning Past," for libel, 'has been concluded. The jury found for the plaintiff, and awarded him a farthing damages. In addressing the jury on behalf of Sievier, Mr Marshall Hall said Wootton had done everything he oould to conceal the facts. He had several banking accounts, and Shad sent large blocks of money to Australia. His jockeys oould not call their souls their own. They were promised a thrashing if they did not do as they were told. The stable was run on commercial lines, ihence Wootton's opportunity of perpetrating fraud on tho public. Mr F. Smith, on behalf of Wootton, declared that Sievier, animated by malice, poured out a volume of filthy insinuations, because Wootton had refused to give him information. Sievier himself lhad been warned off tihe turf. When a member of the alleged ring gave evidence they were not even cross-examined. Regarding the alleged pulling six years ago, Sievier then made no complaints to the stewards, but instead he wrote denouncing Woofton's detractors. Mr Justice Darling, in (summing up, suggested that the increase in fouls was possibly due to riding with shorter stirrups. The jury returned a verdict tlhat the words complained of were not true in substance or fact*, and were not fair and, honest comment, but they were published without malice. Judgment was entered, with costs.