SOLICITOR LIBELLED

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 May 1936, Page 7

SOLICITOR LIBELLED

EX-CANDIDATE TO PAY £5OO. LONDON, March 18. Damages of £5OO were awarded at Birmingham Assizes yesterday to a Walsall solicitor, Mr. C. L. Hodgkinson. in his libel action against Mr. Joseph Wilfred Harper, who stood as a Christian Socialist candidate for Walsall at the last General Election. The detion was based on libels in letters, postcards, and newspapers published aftei- Mr. Hodgkinson had acted for Harper’s wife in drawing up a separation agreement.

It was stated that Harper seemed to think that Mr. Hodgkinson had been “exploiting his unfortunate matrimonial experiences.” Mr. Hodgkinson, in evidence, denied tire allegations made against him. Harper, who conducted his own defence, said: “I feel now that the words used were much too highly coloured, and I cannot possibly justify them. This whole thing has sprung from an unhappy marriage.” LOSER FOUND DEAD. LONDON, March 19. The body of ?»Ir. Joseph Wilfred Harper was found yesterday on the G.W.R. line at Bradley, near Bi’ston, South Staffs. He had been knocked down by a train and his body badly mutilated. The driver of a goods trains was the first to see Mr. Harper’s body on the line yesterday. A passenger train had to be stopped while the body was removed. At the Genera! Election Mr Harper polled oniv I.iSO votes out of a total of more than 49.f’00, He appealed to crowds in the street to sign his nomination papers. “I am the hum.:.a cocktail,” he told his supporters. “My slick, unorthodox and determined methods will enable me to overcome all obstacles quickly to reach the position of Prime Minister.”