AN AMUSING CASE.

Evening Star, Issue 14627, 25 July 1911, Page 1

AN AMUSING CASE.

AX JRATK NEWSPAPER OWNER. An oloment ot huiror enlivened an action arising out of a wealthy lander) proprietor starting a provincial newspaper, "' The Rirkdalo Pioneer and A insdale Chronicle.' which was beard by Mr .Justice Channel] and a, jury in the King's lieneh Division on June 8. The d-fcr.dam "••;« Mr Charlev .Joseph Wold-HhindolJ, ni" Rlundell House. Kensington. of Lnl worth Castle! Dorset, and Lord of tbe Manor of fuee Blundcll, Blundell Sands, and lie was. sti"d by -Sir Wm. Cooper, manager of the " fiirkdalo Pioneer.' for salary and damages for i\ rongfu) dismissal. Counsel said that the defendant was the owner of considerable property n>ar Southporr, and in 1010 there ' was a scheme on foot for the amalgamatioi of Southport and Rirkdnle. Thinking this ■ would adversely affect his interests, Mr Weld-lilundell started a local paper to proient. it. Plaintiff secured liis nosition on the paper through Mr Ivor.ley. whom defendant employed as manager of ' The Englishman.' Plaintiff's agreement, continued counsel, was for 1"2 months certain, and three months,' notice was to h< given on either side. When Mr Cooper took up his duties at Rirkdale be found t l-i-it the paper had not been published for the two previous week--. ]t had been printed, but one lot of papers lay at the office and the other at the railway station. 'Laughter.) On Angus' :'.S defendant complained of a report i: the paper of a police court case. It. was a perfectly proper report, hut defendant gave orders to stop one issue Oi the paper- on account oi it. and eventually lie stopped the paper. Later. Mr Cooper went on to 'The Englishman." but that also stopped. In defence. Mr Weld-Rhmdoli s.aid that plaintiff would have to prove him a lunatic to make out this agreemeei. There was no case against him at all. The Judge: I'n]"ss you ariMver >' ther-'" is a -very clear- case. His Opinion of the Press.— Mr Woid-Blundell said that thenhole ease (if it could be so called) turned upon » doeiiment v. Inch 1>" first saw on Wednesday, and which wns made behind his hack. The whole thing was a vulgar conspiracy, such a conspiracy as. alter two ami a-half years' experience of Fleet street, be had been led to expect. There was nothing else in the Press but imposture, collusion, and secret conspiracy. {Subsequently, however, after hearing Mr Kealey's evidence, he said he wisher] to apologise for the remarks he bad made.) Talking about certain payments made to plaintiff up to December. 1010, defendant said that apparently if one condoned an offence one put oneself in a devil of a mess. (Laughter.) The Judge: Plaintiff wrote to yon I lie terms upon which lie was willing to take the engagement, and you did not repudiate that '■? Defendant: I rely on my actions, noon my words. 1 have an er.ormou' quantity of correspondence, and ever; thing except what is absolutely ueref sary goes into the waste-paper basket (Laughter.) ""Then you have to suffer- for that,' replied the Judge. Defendant went into the box: to giv* evidence, but paused, evidently waiting for questions to he put. At last he said: "Oh, von are waiting for me?" The Judge: Yes. Defendant: Good heavens. (Xangliter.) He indignantly denied the suggestion that he started the Birkdale paper to oppose the amalgamation of the two distriets. That, he thought, would have been a serious imputation against him had it not come " out of a barrister's mouth, who used any stick to throw at a dog." (Laughter.) The Judge held that there was an agreement, and the inrv returned a verdict for the plaintiff for £llO 16Y- or] Defendant gave notice of appeal.