Girl Slandered: Story of a Venus Act That Never Was

NZ Truth, Issue 1030, 22 August 1925, Page 9

Girl Slandered: Story of a Venus Act That Never Was

Window of Frosted Glass, and an Alleged " Social Gimlet " (From "Truth's" Hawkes Bay Rep.)

A rather unusual slander case was heard before Magistrate R. W. Dyer at Napier, when Evelyn Maud Presling 1 , aged eighteen' claimed £25 as a balm to her injured feelings from Edward Arthur Drew and his wife, Alice Drew. . The statement of claim was a fairly lengthy one, but mainly it alleged that Alice Drew, on April 26, had,, falsely and maliciously slandered the plaintiff, imputing a life on the ipart of plaintiff which was anything but moral. Lawyer Dolan took up the cudgels on behalf of Evelyn, and in '■opening his case termed Mrs. Drew a woman with an ungovernable tongue. The parties were practically neighbors. CONFLICTING EVIDENCE. The story .of the defence was that the plaintiff, Evelyn Maud Presling, stood at a window of her father's house, exposed, m view of defendant and of defendant's son. (Denied by plaintiff.) Defendant swore that she did not use the words complained of, but merely said, "Go inside, you bad hussy," to which plaintiff replied with a string of abuse. Plaintiff stated m evidence that one Sunday morning she was standing by her father's motor shed m company with her sister, also a Miss Vei*coe, and the latter's brother. Someone drew attention to a person standing at the window in' Drew's 'hpusje, and witness remarked, "The face at the window," whereupon Mrs. Drew shouted out, "I don't want any cheek from you, you impudent little „ I'll tell your father on you and have you put away." When witness' father arrived home Mrs. Drew lodged her complaint, holding that it was witness who used the abusive language. Her father got very angry and threatened to chastise witness, so witness then called Miss Vercoe to prove that Mrs. Drew's story was false. An argument followed, and Mrs. Drew struck witness on the face. • Lawyer Mason (who appeared for the defendants): Did you call Mrs. Drew a liar? — Yes. Has Mrs. Drew done . any- cooking for 'your father? — Yes, once or twice when he was sick. Did you see Mrs. Drew from your bedroom window that morning? — No. ■ Did you see her son? — No. If Mr. and Mrs. Drew and their son swear that you exposed yourself to the son what will you say? — That it is false. Your father is a. violent tempered man, isn't her? — No. He is a bit stern, that's all.

I Did he knock you down when Mr 3. Drew complained to him? — Yes. Edith. Elinor Presling, sister of the previous witness, gave corroborative J evidence, and added that Mrs. Drew had said that her sister was always stopping men on bicycles and horses. Mr. Mason: What did your sister say to Mrs. Drew when the latter made remarks about your sister's yellow stockings and red dress? — She made a rude reply about Mrs. Drew's tight dress. What was it? — (Witness refused to say, but wrote down what it was.) Mrs. Drew has given you and your sister presents and taken you but, hasn't she? — Yes. Did your sister expose herself at the window that morning? — She could not do so, as the bottom part of the window is frosted.. Herbert James Presling, father of the plaintiff, said he first believed Mrs. Drew's story that his girls had cheeked her, so he thrashed them. Later, however, when he heard Miss Vercoe's version of what had taken place, he thought his girls had been telling the truth, so he again sent for Mrs. Drew. The latter then accused his daughter of immoral ways of living. Has Mrs. Drew ever spoken to you before about the girls? — Yes, about them fighting. Did Mrs. Drew once interfere when you were hitting your small boy with a piece of packing case? — I gave him a hiding with my hands. She seemed as if she wanted to break up my home by putting the children m a home. She also made some ..slanderous remarks about my girl. Why should she want to deprive you of your childi-en? — I don't know. She is a very quarrelsome person. Mrs. Annie Vercoe stated that she had heard Mrs. Drew accuse Evelyn of always having men about and living m a -very loose manner. Further evidence . of a similar nature was given . by. Agnes and Roy Vercoe and Linda Jarvis, after which Mr. Dolan asked permission to increase the amount claimed to £75. This was agreed to. The case for the defence was a complete denial. ■■■•.-.. The defendant, Mrs. Alice Drew, m the box,, said she had known the-Pres-ling girls for some time. She had tried to interest the girls m G.F.S. work. Witness had been a church worker all her life, and enumerated her list of activities m this direction. Witness went on to say that one day, she heard a voice crying, "Dada, get

the axe and kill me." On .going out she saw the litle boy Presling receiving a thrashing with a piece of packing case from his father. Witness suggested to Presling that he would do more good if he hit his girl the same way, and Presling replied that the girls were driving him mad. As to .what happened on the day of the charge, her version was as printed above. "I did not say the words complained of, and I deny them absolutely, even if I go to my Maker now. His Worship: You suggest these people have invented this thing? — Absolutely. Mr. Dolan: Do you mean to say that all the witnesses have perjured themselves? — Yes, I do. Edward Arthur Drew, the husband, was next called. He stated that with his wife he had lived m their present home for the past seven years and the home had always been a happy one. ' i . * He admitted complaining to Presling that his daughters were m the habit of calling out to men on bicycles, and this, he thought, did not help to keep the place respectable. He denied however, that he had said to Presling: "All sorts of people come to my place m mistake for yours." His wife had always tried to do her best for the girls. Mr. Dolan: Are you afraid of your wife?— No. Is she bad-tempered? — No. NOT A SOCIAL GIMLET. Hasn't she a reputation of being a "social gimlet" ?--I don't know what that means. Well, is she a "nosey Parker"? — No. William Morris Drew, adopted son of the two previous witnesses, gave evidence similar to that of his mother. Mr. Dolan: Have you got a young lady?— No. Do you ask this Court to believe that this girl knew you were at the window and exposed herself ,to you m the presence of three other girls?— - Yes. For your special benefit? — Apparently so. . . . . . His Worship decided that the calling of evidence bearing on the good character of the defendant, Mrs. Drew, was out of order. He said it might be suggested that Presling and his daughters had an interest m the case and might be influenced by that, but the other witnesses were not interested and their evidence could be accepted. The defence was a complete denial, and this amounts to saying that the witnesses had all combined ' to. fabricate a story to injure an innocent woman. He could not believe that the girl had exposed herself as stated, and judgment would be given for plaintiff for £30 and £12' 5s 6d costs. ,