CHARGE OF LIBEL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18861, 8 November 1924, Page 11

CHARGE OF LIBEL.

CROWN ABANDONS CASE.

LONDON. Oct. 25. Refusing to accept a Hollo prosequi and insisting on undergoing a third * trial in order to clear her character Miss Dorothy Thorburn, aged 25, who had been charged with criminal libel, smilingly entered the dock at the Norwich Assizes, and within a few minutes walked out again, acquitted, the Crown declining to nffer evidence against, her.

It is stated that the prosecution cost the authorities £2000, and Miss Thorburn £4000. Miss Thorburn's mother states that the family received 300 anonymous letters and suffered four years' misery. Two juries had previously disagreed in the case of Miss Thorburn, who held a" good social position in Sheringham (Norfolk), and who was rharged with circulating defamatory libels.-"it was alleged that postcards had been sent to prominent residents of the town, imputing dishonourable or immoral conduct to them, and to others. A constable gave evidence of having seen Miss Thorburn post several of the cards in a letter-box, while a * female private detective who had secretly obtained a domestic position in the Thorburn household for the purposes of the case swore tha't she had failed to discover anything to connect Miss Thorburn with the letters. H. de Vcre Stackpoole, the novelist, gave evidence at-the second trial to the effect that Miss Thorburn was a level-headed girl who would be unlikely to write such letters.