LIBELLING AN ACTRESS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7091, 27 August 1901, Page 4

LIBELLING AN ACTRESS.

DAMAGES, £2500.

' In the London Sheriffs' Court, before Mr Under-Sheriff Burchell and a special jury, an important theatrical libel action was tried. The.parties were Miss Hettie Chattel, leading lady in the sketch at the Hippodrome (plaintiff), and the pro-: prietors of the Daily Mail (defendants.): Mr Marshall Hall, for plaintiff; saidhe should ask for substantial damages,' as the libel complained of was a serious one, and defendants had treated it in an off-hand manner. Plaintiff was a young; lady of considerable'stage ability, and had for the past two or three years played leading parts in a number of. wellknown pieces, such as " The J.P.," and "The Life WeLive.", At the last Hippodrome pantomine she was engaged to play the part of principal boy, and, in fact, so highly did the management think of her that she was still engaged there. Whilst "she was playing in the pantomine last February the Daily Mail printed the following paragraph, headed; " Miss Rosie Boote " :—

" Miss.'Bosie Boote, whose name is frequently before the public just; now, is the daughter of Miss Hettie Chattel,, the principal boy in the Hippodrome: pantomine. She was "discovered by Mr George Edwards whilst playing in Bradford, and was engaged by him to go to America with 'In Town.' She afterwards joined the oast of' The Messenger Boy,' in. which she has made a considerable success with her singing' of Mr Lionel Monckton's song,' Maisie.'" '. That, said, counsel, was sheer nonsense.: Missr Chattel.', was only 28 years of age, arid the idea that she wae the mother of Miss Boote—who, by the way married the Marquis of Headfort recently was preposterous. : The publication of the statement he had read oaused Miss. Chattel extreme annoyance, and, 'moreover, tended to greatly injure her prospects in the profession. The Daily Mail proprietors were writtento for an apology, and all they did, said council, was to print a half-harted paragraph, which they considered sufficient for the purposed It wasnot sufficient however, and he asked the.jury to mark their sense of it.":by awarding heavy damages. Plaintiff was well conneoted, and.was the daughter'of a well-known surveyor and auctioneer at Bromley, Kent. Her brother, too, was a ; well-known theatrical manager and proprietor at Broad-stairs. '" : '' Plaintiff, a smartly attired and goodlooking young lady,. was sworn, and bere out counsel s statement.- Her theatrical experience extended' over a period of 12 years; Tho paragraph complained of made it look as if she was older than she was, and might have the effect of injuring her in her profession. . Mr Avory: But Miss Kellie Parren was at her best at 38.

I don't pretend-to have the ability of Miss FaiTen. (Laughter.) Mr Marshall Hall, ■ addressing the jury, remarked that these . dastardly attacks on the characters of individualswere scandalous, and pandered to-the tastes of gossips who were anxious to hear the least bit of scandal in connec-. tion with the private life of individuals in; whom they could- not possibly have the ; -least .bit of interest, , Had: the slightest trouble been taken to investigate the report it would have easily been discovered that it was not only inaccurate, but utterly impossible for the allegations to be true.' . ~' Mr Avory contended that the'apology inserted by the Daily Mail removed any aspersion: which might have been cast on plaintiff's character. She had not lost her engagement, and, being so Veil known, had really sustained no material damage. • ...';-' ■.:■•' ■:■'■' -. After a consultation in private for 25'| minutes the jury returned into Court' with a verdict for plaintiff for £2500, the i foreman adding : "We only wish it was a.criminal offence taking, a person's character away without giving the name of. the informant."

The verdict was received - with' applause in Court. Judgment in accordance with the finding of the jury was entered, with costs. .- -