WOMAN STRIKES CURATE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume 1, Issue 7, 13 February 1914, Page 8

WOMAN STRIKES CURATE.

ECHO OF LIBEL ACTION. By Cable. —Press Association.—Copyrighti (Received February 13, 8.45 aim.) , LONDON, February 12. The Rev. Thomas Ghent has issutect a summons against Mrs Fitzgerald for striking him in the street at Stockwelh (Received February 13 ; j 11.40 a.m.) LONDON, February 12. The defendant, Fitzgerald, has been bound over to keep the peace. [The Rev. Thomas Ghent,, curate of St. Andrews, Stockwell, brought a libel action against Police-Sergeant Fitzgerald, of Clapham, and obtained £IOOO damages after two trials. The grounds for the action were that Sergeant Fitzgerald interrupted a church service by alleging that Mr Ghent had misconducted himself with Mrs Fitzgerald. At the first trial plaintiff's counsel claimed that the case was one of paramount importance on account of professional men, such as doctors and clergy, having to visit 'women, sometimes in their bedrooms. The judge occupied four hours in his summing-up. He emphasised the fact that Ghent wrote no objectionable letters. There was not a single circumstance reflecting upon him. He lived a happy, moral life. There was no evidence that Sergeant Fitzgerald was engaged in an attempt at blackmailing, as plaintiff alleged. Apparently one juryman dissented from the rest. The jury retired twice and disagreed.]