LIBEL ACTION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 74, 22 February 1930, Page 9

LIBEL ACTION.

HEAVY DAMAGES AWARDED. ALLEGATIONS AGAINST ROUMANIAN. LONDON, Feb. 20. M. BarJju Jonescu, a Roumanian, who was Prince Carol’s host during his stay in England in May, 1928, was. awarded £12,000 damages in a libel action against the Evening Standard. The action, which was heard in the King’s Bench Division, lasted thirteen days. The Evening Standard alleged that M. Jonescu’s name originally was not Jonescu, and that he was not really a Roumanian, but a Pole, who went to England with some Belgian refugees in war time. M. Jonescu’s counsel said that his client was respected and prosperous until the allegation was made. Thereafter people regarded him as an imposter, which resulted in his bankruptcy. Lengthy evidence, much of it on commission, was brought from Roumania to support the declaration that plaintiff’s name had always been Jonescu, and that lie was born in 1885. A plea of justification was entered for the defence, which alleged that the plaintiff’s name was Moritiz Lieba, who was born in 1891. His father was of Polish descent. The costs of the case are estimated at £20,000. A good deal of stir was created in England in May of 1928 by the unexpected visit to the country of Prince Carol, who was accompanied by Madame Lupescu. He was the guest of M. Jonescu at his Surrey home. After a whole day’s inquiry and conference tin authorities decided that the presence of Prince Carol in England was undesirable and he was asked to leave the country. The Prince appealed to the Home Secretary, however, who decided that lie must at once leave .the country.