A LONDON SCANDAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8472, 24 January 1891, Page 2 (Supplement)

A LONDON SCANDAL.

QUEER REVELATIONS IN A SUIT

FOR DAMAGES. London, December 9. —An action for damages has been brought by Harry Marks, proprietor of the Financial News, against G. XV. Butterfield, the African Company promoter, who Marks charges libelled him by issuing a pamphlet it) which he accused Marks of stealing jewellery and moneys from Mrs. Koppel, widow of the proprietor of the New York Jewish Times. Mrs. Koppel testified yesterday as to the intimate relations that existed between herself and Marks, and to-day she was subject to cross-examination. She declared she signed receipts for moneys without knowing t).■* nature of the documents, but she was probably drunk when she signed them. Marks used to make her drunk. She signed a bill of sale of the paper to Marks, but received no money for it. She might have signed a denial of the charge that Marks had robbed her, but she never heard of it. She had never sworn to such a denial. Soon after becoming acquainted with her Marks got her to sign a power of attorney. She did not then know what that meant. She was then on affectionate terms with him. They lived together as man and wife and she was ready to sign anything for him. Mr. Burch, a clerk in the employ of Butterfield's solicitor, proved a copy of the warrant showing that Marks had had Mrs. Koppel arrested in New York as a lunatic, and papers showing her release and subsequent action against Marks. The case is exciting much interest here, owing to Marks' position and his rapid financial success. He is a member of the London County Council and expects to stand as a Tory candidate for a seat in the Commons.