The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-04-02 00:00:00

TAMPERING 'iVITH a WITNESS.

The case of Lewis v. James, heard on Monday in
the Chancery Division before Justice Kay, was a
motion on behalf of the defendant, Mr. A. A. James,
asking that Sir William Thomas Lewis and Morgan
Reynolds, the plaintiffs, and William Boyle might
stand committed to prison for contempt of Court, In
attempting to bribe Mrs. Arthur Owen Davies, a wit-
ness in the cause for the defendant, and to induce her
to conceal herself, or remove to some place where the
defendant should not be able to find her, the said
plaintiffs having employed William Boyle to make
the attempt. The witness, Mrs. Davies, had originally
brought an action to recover possession of certain
coal seams in the parish of Bettwys, Glamorganshire,
against the plaintiffs, Sir William Thomas Lewis,
Morgan Reynolds, and one James Kempthorne.
Another action was brought by Sir William
T. Lewis and Reynolds against Mr. A. A.
James to enforce specific performance of an
agreement whereby the plaintiffs agreed to leave the
coal seams to the defendant. The defendant, in his
counterclaim, asked for damages. Mr. Hemming,
Q.C., Mr. MacClyrnont, and Mr. Bramwell Davis, for
the defendant., alleged that about the 15th February
the plaintiffs obtained Mrs. Daries's address, and on
the 2nd March got William Boyle, an old friend of
the late Mr. Davies, to go to 349, Albany-road, Cam-
berwell. There he saw Mrs. Davies, and offered her
£2OOO on oondit;on that she went where she could
not be found; no harm could happen to her unless
she appeared in Court. He paid her several visits, and
urged her to sign some document, and have her lug.
gage ready. On the 9th March Boyle again pressed
the offer of £2OOO, one-half now, the other half when
she had gone away to the Isle of Wight, where she
would be hidden. Sir Henry James, Q.C., Mr. Marten,
Q. 0., and Mr. Phipson Beale, for Sir William Thomas
Lewis and Mr. Morgan Reynolds, while admitting
that it was contrary to the etiquette and rules of the
legal profession to have communication with Mrs.
Davies during the trial of the actions except through
her solicitor, said that it was not proved that the plain-
tiffs had given authority to Boyle to act as he had done,
and it was not a case for committal. Mr. M‘lntyre, Q.C.,
and Mr. Boome, for William Boyle, said that he knew
nothing of the other actions; he tried to settle her
action, but not to get her out of the way. Mr. Jus-
tice Kay was of opinion that Boyle was aware of all
the litigation, and that it as desirable to get the
woman out of the way, one reason being that the
woman should not give evidence. Boyle had com-
mitted a serious eontempt of Court. To tamper with
a witness in an action, to induce her to go away by
an offer of money, was a gross contempt of Court,
and interference with the fair trial of the action. As
to Sir William Thomas Lewis, there was no evidence
against him of complicity in an act so gross as Boyle
committed; he was not aware that Boyle meant to
spirit her away. As to Reynolds, the case was not so
plain; but he denied it explicitly, and the Court
woulA nnt assume or infer that a person in Mr. Rey-
nolds' position would do an act of this Raw. m.
lordship made an order restraining Boyle from oom-
innnicating with Mrs. Davies, and ordered him to pay
the costs of the motion. He did not think fit to give
Sir Willi‘m Lewis or Morgan Reynolds their costs.

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