THE UNWRITTEN LAW IN WAR TIME

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3189, 13 September 1917, Page 5

THE UNWRITTEN LAW IN WAR TIME

BRITISH OFFICER SHOOTS WIFE'S SEDUCER POPULAR ACQUITTAL London, 'September 12. Tho trial of Lieutenant Douglas Malcolm of the Meld Artillery, oliarged with the murder oi Anton Baumberg, otherwise known as Count Doborch, has been For the prosecution it wa3 admitted that Deborcn seduced Malcolm s beautiful young wife while he was absent at the front. Malcolm returned, discovered tho; intrigue, • and thrashed Deborch. Ho pleaded with his wife to Jgive-up lie-, torch, but she refused, sayine she loved, him. Malcolm challenged Deborcn to a. duel, but the challenge was .not accepted. Malcolm subsequently shot Deborch. He then lit a cigarette and walked across-, tho street to a policeman, and surren-, deraL saying: "I did it tor my honour The Crown Prosecutor said that the-, "unwritten law" had never iaaßritish Court, and he hoped it would' not be pleaded now. ■ , . Malcolm pleaded not gnilty. Sir John Simon, in defence of Malcolm elicited.that Deborch was well know!l to ) the nolice as a white ■ slaver, and Bad; with a Germans van-' ouX known as the Baroness Vereniberg and Mrs. Meyer, who was subsequentl) jury, Sir John-Simon asked them" to say that Malcolm was fotenilty according to the law, and acted-, unde g compulsion which the lawjocog-, S when every other ""j™'«js|. r^„es-a^wr&°m s iu, iD ThfjmlgTin. summing up, said -■**.. h/sbandS ™.£TC« hnAv if she decided to gne neraeu iu N.Z. Gablo Assn. . ..