The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1882-07-18 00:00:00

CHARGE OF LIBELLING MR. ROBERT WILUAMB

Yr. Thomas Elliot, of London, was charged at the
Mansion House oa Friday (before Alderman Staples)
with been on the 11th of November. MI, nether-
fully published a certain false sad d.( amatory libel
concerning Yr. Robert Williams. • member of the firm of
Kean. Williams, Derma, and Co., bankers, of Birchln-
lana—)lr. George Lewis apparel for the reneeentiou ;
Kr. Washington, solicitor, defended—Mr. Lewis briefly
opened the caw stain that the defendant, Kr. Elliot,
claimed, rightly or wrongly, to be matted to some
property under the will of some one who died ma far back
as the year 1767. The defendant appeared to have put
forward bills in all directions, in which he made thereat
of fraud against Kr. Williams, the prosecutor, who knew
abeolutely nothing about the matter, and who had never
been • traria of the property. The defendant was
applied to, to admen this course of satioyance, but he
declined to do so, and consequently Kr. Williams had been
, reluctantly c impelled to come forward ead Institute the
present proceedings. The bills containing the statements
complained of were sent to Years. Williams. Deacon. and
Co.'e tank, and in various other directions. His
attention was tilUnsately_ called to the attar, and he
wee informed that Kr. Williams was an otter strainer
to the mailer; but he then commenced to send sand-
wich-men about the streets with awards which
ran as follows: ' The Plundered Estate of the
Gould., of Upwey, in the county of Dorset. of • million
stadia, from the next-of-kin in 1817 by the trustee. the
Rev. William Churchill. of Winteeborne ihickland. The
trustee said that Robert Williams. senior, of the firm of
Williams Deacon, and Co., hankers, London, managed
the 'bon estate for him. —T. Zurcirt, one of the Next-of.
Ki n. —36, Hanover-gardens, Kenning ton Park, June, "
—Notice was at once rent to the advertising agent, who
had been employed by the defendant to send out the men
w.th the piacardi, and he at once told the defendant that
he would not permit it to ontinue. The defendant had
an interview with Kr. Gladden, the prosecutors solicitor.
and it was expiated to him that r. Williams knew
nothing whatever about it, and he was warned that if such
Dracaena were continued steps would be taken against
dim. The defendant, however, declined to desist, and
hence the present summons was applied for and grouted.
Even them, if the defendant woe prepared to offer an
apology and undertake to lave off the system of annoy-
ance the prosecutor was prepared to accept it, but Kr.
Lewis felt it right that M. Witham" should go into the
witness-box and have an opixortanity of denying the
statements oontaloed in the alleged libel as to his ever
having anything to do with the property in question
Kr. Robert Williams. sea, was then calla, and deposed
that he wee. member of thu firm of Williams, Deacon,
and C... bankers, of No. 13. Birthin-lana and Dorchester.
The envelope predated. with the bill enclosed, wee remithee
at their banking-house on or about November 11th last.
Witness had also received one of the placards in an save.
ope, bearing date the !let June. The bill spoke of witness
as a trustee of the WA Kr. Gould, of Cam. Dorset, but
he never wee the trustee, and had never had SAW money
of the trust through hi. lune. He bad no knowledge
whatever of the Gould trust, or of the defendant, whom
he had never seen before that morning.—ln orosa-examth,
ation the withal. said he knew nothing either of the estate
of Jetta or James Coed. He know the Rev. W. Cinuchill,
rector of Winterborne etickland. He was a customer oi
his, ad also a private friend, whom be had known all his
life. He was a joint trustee with him in any matter
relating to the Gould Basta —AD. W. Goddess. a member
of the firm of Kama Mar& Godden„ and Co., of ft
Old Jewry. 'Winton to the prosecutor, gave earthen
as to aortae iaterwiews he had with the defendat,
when the later gag* knew he might have to lc to
Vad that be &Melted a libel, but fat that he
en.o other course open but to go on alreolating
the nowt —George Naas, an advertising agent, gave
evidence with reference to the emphasised 4 the
men to walk about with the Placed/ And at the oessteen
of the ma for the prosemstion Kr. Washingtoo, addree•
log the Court, said that the defended had heard Kr.
Mlliame say that he had bad asibine to do with the
estate, and be wee satisfied. To • artan extent he had
, been (oilseed when the matter was explained to him on
the 6th inst., since which time he had disoontieued
' publishing the matter relating to him. Kr. Elliot only
knew that a Kr. Williams was trustee under the will of
Kr. Geoid, and having a clam to some property he simply
wanted to now who the trustee really was. He was very
Borg if he ha 4 given any Pain to Kr. Witham, the
prosecutor is this wetter, now that be had beard him ear
that he had had oaten to tle with the sefata—Kr.
Lewis said that the prosecutor had a object except to
' have the pease kept —Kr. Alderman Steeds said that as
the prosecutor wee satisfied to have tha matter wihdrawn
' he had no objection to that aura being pampa ; but it
; must be on the condition that Kr. Elliot paid all the oasts
, to which Mr. Williams had been put.—The defendant,
addressing Kr. Williams. said he deeply mad heartily
regretted the course he had pursued towarle him. Be
, had acted =der the impression that he was the trade*, or
otherwise be would not have resorted to that mode of
Procedure. Re had aver had the least desire to r• flea in
the etightest degree upon the honour of Mt. Williams
I is a goatioaue, and he had nmr winked to hart hie
, or an one else, loollap.—The summons wit thee with
, draws.