THE WAKEFIELD CASE.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 December 1923, Page 5

THE WAKEFIELD CASE.

IMPASSIONED OUTBURST. DECLARATION OF INNOCENCE. Afler a dramatic outburst in the witness box ex-Archdeacon Wakeford failed in bis King’s Bench action for damages for slander against Mr. Henry Wright, managing clerk to the solicitors of the Bishop of Lincoln (says a London paper of October 18). In returning a verdict for Mr. Wright the jury expressed the opinion that the case should never have been brought into court. Mr. Wakeford was asked by Mr. Daniel Warde if he had committed misconduct at any time, and replied in the negative. Was the statement that you would be a very nice fellow if you would only keep the seventh Commandant calculated to injure you as a preacher,of the gospel? Mr. Wakeford (feelingly) : To ruin me. Not to injure, but to ruin me! Cross-examined by Mr. Charles, Mr. Wakeford said the Privy Council judgment* was a compromise judgment, adding: -If I were guilty of misconduct I ought to have been unfrocked.” Mr. Charles: We are not concerned with the leniency of the sentence. Mr. Wakeford (with emotion): Leniency! There is no leniency in holding a man up at every turn; marking him a victim and placing him at the mercy of men like your client. I am an innocent man! There was some applause in court when Mr. Wakeford said that his object in keep ing the case before the public was his obligation to God, to the Church, and to his family to clear himself of the foul aspersion.

Previously the Rev. George VV. Neatby. Vicar of St. John's, Highbury’, had said that about 18 months ago Mr. Wright told him he "traced Archdeacon Wakeford to hotels with women.” Mr. Wright, who said that for 41 years he had been with his firm, denied that he hail any feeling against Mr. Wakeford. He would like to see him recover his position, and had prayed for his restoration. He never said that he had traced Mr. Wakeford to hotels with women.