THREE POUNDS DAMAGES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20242, 30 April 1929, Page 14

THREE POUNDS DAMAGES.

WELLINGTON SLANDER CASE. COMMENT BY MAGISTRATE. [HV TELEGRAM.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, Monday. A slander action, in which £3OO was sought from Mrs. Jessio Jackson, ot Webb Street, by Mrs. Emma Mulcahy, of Wellington, was heard before Mr. J. >S. Barton, S.M-, in tho Magistrate's Court to-day. It was claimed that defendant a letter to a solicitor and to Mulcahy, plaintiff's husband, which allegedly identified plaintiff with a woman named Smith who once stood her trial for the murder of one Conway, and whose story was recently recalled in the press by telegraph messages from Auckland, a clipping of which was enclosed with tlio letter. It was claimed that bv the letter and clipping defendant meant that plaintiff had by poison murdered one Conway and one Brown; that with respect the death of Conway she was under suspicion of murder; th.it she bad committed a criminal offence in administering poison; that she was a person of no repute by reason of suspicions attaching to her actions, . After evidence had been heard the magistrate said he was satisfied defendant had sent the letters, but that in view of the circumstances of the parties' conduct he would award £3 to plaintiff, but more as a fine-on defendant. If they could not behave themselves in future he suggested they be bound over to. keep the peace.