THE CASE AGAINST MR MILNER STEPHEN.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3109, 20 March 1883, Page 3

THE CASE AGAINST MR MILNER STEPHEN.

[By Telegraph,]

Christchurch, March. 20. •, The adjourned case of George Collier » V'lilner Stephen to recover £2 2s, fee ■nftid t° defendant for an alleged care of a attracted a girl, came on again .at the Magistrates Court this morning Additional evidence was called bv' the plaintiff to prove that the conti. acted leg had not been cored and \‘hat other parties alleged to have been cJ«red by the def ® , derived no benefit from him. For the defence throe witnesses were called, and testified to h»Tintf denvedbenehtfroin defendant’s treatment. The Bench had no doubt whatever, that a judgment must be given for the defendant, as fraud had not been proved against Mr Stephen. Mr Collier, With M ledge of defendant’s antecedents, took the child to Mr Stephen , it was a perfectly voluntary act. Mr Stephen had assu/ed plaintiff that hecoaidcnrelhe child, and there was nothing to ahowthat defendant did not belie™ this. It was perhaps a pity that he should, but it was more pitiable to believe that a man could cure, by miraculous means, diseases that bad baffled the skill of men trained m the noblest profession—-that of curing the ills flesh is heir to. The Bench did ,not doubt that Milner Stephen honestly believed in his power. It seemed also that the defendant took advantage ■of the joy of the friends of the patients who were supposed to bo .relieved, to extract from them worthless .certificates. That seemed to be the worst feature in the case. There < was .nothing strange in Mr Stephen takinga tfoo. Ordinary medical men W®J ed 4heir fees, though they did not e»

cure. In the present case there was no evidence of a contract to cure, or not to be paid. If Mr Stephen had never said it was a perfect cure (assuming that he had said so), he would be still entitled to his fee. Judgment would be for the defendant without costs.