“INTIMATE” LETTERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 March 1939, Page 8

“INTIMATE” LETTERS

MAID AND EMPLOYER. LONDON, January 12. Relations between a housemaid and her employer were followed by an atempt al blackmail, it was alleged at Leamington Police Court yesterday. The woman, Marjorie Eileen Elizabeth Smith, 25, the wife of a labourer, of Clapham-terrace, Leamington, was committed for trial charged with uttering a letter demanding £ 3 from Mr “X,” with menaces and without reasonable or probable cause. Mr J. F. Claxton, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, said Mrs Smith, who had one child, aged two, went to the household of Mr “X” in 1929. Early in 1931 Mr “X” started to take an interest in her and intimacy took place. The same year she left Mr “X’s” house and went to Boscombe. They corresponded, ami in 1932 she returned to his employ and intimacy was continued. She finally left his house in 1934. Later she went to his office and told him she was married and had no money. He gave her 10/-. Subsequent. letters from her asking for assistance he ignored, but in November last he sent her £l.

Mr “X,” in evidence, said he began to receive menacing letters in Julv, 1937. In a letter on December 30 last she referred to his letters and wrote: They are very personal and very intimate, but the best of ii is that my name is only mentioned once and then only in the letter heading. They might be written to any intimate girl friend of yours. If they were not so intimate I should not have kept them. I bet you are sorry you ever wrote them. If you want them you must send what they are worth, which is more than you sent, before, and I will send them by registered post. Thas will be the end of it, so please yourself.

Mr “X” said he took - that letter to the police, on whose instructions he wrote, saying that, ho could not afford to send any more money. On January 2 she replied: “I must have £3 by tomorrow. and so why not off you? I would do anything to get it, even by causing trouble in your house.” Detective Woodward said Mrs Smith said: “Ii is no good hiding anything. Yes, I did write the letters.”