A LIBEL ACTION.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXI, Issue 11758, 12 April 1888, Page 2

A LIBEL ACTION.

A MINISTER SUED FOB SLANDfiB PER TOOTED PBES3 ASSOCIATION. Dunedin, April 11 The Bey Alfred Brunton, a well known Evangelist preacher hare, is defendant in an action for libel begun in 'the Supreme Oourfc to-day by Mrs Dalbedyhll, wife of a bank olerk. Tbe Hbsl is contained in the following passages in a letter written by Mr Brunton to a relation of Mrs Dalbedyhll in Tasmania ;— Dear Qol. Lethbridge, — Let me say one thing at the outset. Nothing " has raised poor Dalbedyhll (meaning the plaintiff's husband) so much in my estimation aa the way he has kept back his wife's (if she is his wife) disgraoe. Not even to me did he hint at it; uor should I have known anything about the affair but for a oasual word dropped wbioh made me put cort&in questions eliciting little by little the whole sad story. While>Mrs .Dalbedyhll has leit no stone unturned to blacken bis character, both to myself arid many others, Mr Dalbedyhll has never breathed a syllable of that which was only too ready to his hand, had he wished, to blacken hers. Now to my sad story. Mrs Dalbedyhll had a child, a daughter, before her marriage to Mr DalbvdykU. Though engaged to her for between two or three years, she never made known the fact to bim that she was a mother till two or three days before the wadding. He (meaning a certain person named Dunn)goeß on to say ' My eyes are being opened .now. I o*n sympathise with you (meaning the said John Dalbedyhll), and^ all you married in the' Garner family. P. 8. If Lizzie (meaning the plaintiff) does not look out she may go . to gaol for bigamy." But to go on'with my story. On June Bth Mr Dalbfldyhll wrote to his wife a letter I think. I have now given yon all the facts for your ooming to a fuller understanding of how matters stand between poor Mr Dalbedyhll and his wife — if she be his wife. As I think I said already, I am very strongly of opinion that she is not. The fact is he hae got into a morbid condition and feeling, and needs, if it were possible, a good rousing out of it. He thinks everybody is against him, and no doubt this most wretohed state of mind has been brought about by the treaohery (I can use no milder terms) of one whom I am sure he once both loved and trusted, but who has now so cruelly be- ! trayed him. I say vow, ought I not to i have said, she has discovered herself its his betrayer from tbe very first of their acquaintance. The letter, of which the above is part, was read by defendant. Two* hundred pounds damages are claimed. The oaie will be continued to«morrow.