Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1858-09-13
Dailp Sirginiau.
Trial and Conviction of Walter Savage
Landor for Libel

AT the Bristol Summer Assixcs. on the Odd Of
August. the case Of Ycscombe and another ayf-
Ian n was brought on for trial. The court was
dcnscly crowded, the social position of tho parties
imparlng to it more than usual interest. The
action for libel.
Tho declaration contained four counts, tho last
OF which was tor breach Of contract not to re-
peat amy libcls against the plaintiffs The defen-
dant denied publication and the undertaking
Mr.. Sladr, in opening the case said he had tho
honor TO appear for tho plaintiff in this case. Mr..
losconbc was II Clergyman who had resded some
time in Gath, nndhal mixed with tho frat society
in that city. The defendant was the celebrated
poet and author whose works Ind procured for
him world wide reputation, nnd any thing that
dropped from lils pen approaching 10 serious
imputnion could not he silently passed over but
must have serious notice taken Of it. THO action
was brought for the purpose Of rcscucing Mrs.
Ncscombc from most foul false and malicious
libel which had como from tho pen Of l.andor and
which was contained in book called "nry Sticks
Fagg"tted,i by Walter Savage l.andor and which
Ind been circulated with great rnpidity through
ont Bath The plaintiff asked tho Jury to step in
bctwcca his wifi and Mr., landor to protect her.
aud to deter Mr. l.nndor from tho persecution he
hnl adopted against hor. 1t impossible To
discover what motive had induced Mr. Iandor TO
pursue Mrs. Icscombc in tho manner he had done
for up to May in last year they had bcen tho
most intimate terms and almost daily visited
The only possible motive that could be suggested
certain conduct that Mrs. Ycscombc had pur-
sued towards young lady who was nj one time
in hor house. Mrs. icsco,nbo had considered il
rieht to recommend TINT voun, lady sLnulJ h, rn
moved from Bath to ChcienLnm, fr immediately
after that removal Mr.. landor had begun TO pub
lish some Of the mos, libcllous s,atcmrnts wo.
possible to conceive. lilo published n PAM
phlot headed Mr.. landor and the Hon. Mrs
Ycscomhr," aud in TINT he charges her with six
in II tr;nl been puilty of p,riury . Tint Le had
given her els to my for him and TINT ,b, had
rurlon.l hnU the money 3 Tbnt Mrs Yes
romLc Ind stocn az out ot n letter which Nr
Lanlor Ind trusted to her to nut in tho po,, Office.
4 That n irnd,smnn nnm.l Jullv Lul scnt Nr.
Ycsromha n rcc,int for tho moncv far snmn gond..
,hot thr money WINS mot ,c,nrncd I'm, shoe h,I
nyoil,d herself If tho recent 8 That bc;ur in
III, .loo shan ,r 4. mon n,n,,1 R.,L. thor, ,..ro
IL. an ,h, rnun,,r md ~ ,f II haI r,unJ ,h.;r
wny into Mrs Yr.romLc'. n,cLrt & Tint Mrs
Yr.comL Ina ohta;nrJ rloo from Mr. Tan,ior ,,,.
ON tnlse nrctenccs Tbrs, elm r,,s ,vsre circn,,nI
,hrn,,ah,,,, ,ho "a h.l, "r u,,h ,,J !, .a, -;
hlr ,n occnsa,;n,. m "ra
Mr. Yc.rnml,c nousui,c1 Mr. SmcL nm nitnrnry Of
Eo,,, ,,bn ,yr,t, - lam, l,,or ~ H. IanJa.' l.,
which he nsted G,r nm onnlncv wb;ch wnn,d H.,
s,t;.lnrtnrv to Mr. Yc.ramhcia rr;en,s .nL ,ho
public. 4, TINT letter no answer wa, scnt hn,
another pamphlet wnspublishcd and thnt nttackcI
SlnrlI For ly hny I,,t,r IL
WINS hrndeJ mr. lander Th1catcncd )" md I, con.
cludcd with ,hcse words "Would il le unlawful
to order n rhuirmnn ,o cndgcl ,he r,llow Far b;s
in.ncnce9" After this there w,s no o,hcr course
to hc odontod suyc thnt of bringing nm actin :.
Tho object IF nm nction. ns tbey wore aware was
IN chnllo,,o Tho ,r,ducer IN nrnve m. ,rutb f h;s
nccusnt;op IF i, wns shown 70 n ;urv IN Lo truo
thcn il was nm onswcr 4, tho action MI TonJor
nloadel tho truth If ,he l;LoI Mr. yoscomhe ,yo.
nrcnarod m rn 10 trial ot Wells whom .hor,Iy hc.
tnra tbs oa.;res n gsntiemon n,noJ Fnrs,a. ~,
friend of Mr.. Landor, and who had been the edi.
tor of tho Examiner newsrancr cnmc dawn from
London and called on Mr., Slack, and after some
conversation the following apology was agreed up
on: Two published statements concerning Mrs.
icsconhe rn,itleu Mr: hhnuor ana MIR. fcS-
from me ana ha'ihg been required by my friends
to Snhcr Mr. Forster TO institute an inquiry, and
ho having stated TO me that l had not sufil-
cicnt authority Tor tho publication, here
by i"'iy ana "nresHrvcdiy withdraw all such char
ges contained IA the statements above referred
m'-". y l., 10 ths' hy the desire OF MIR.
SLACK was aducd promise mat the hbels should
not DE repeated ihis was done upon an inter
Vicw with M'ssrs. iayior d Williams, solicitors.
oil bath. MI stuck then wrote to MIR. Forster,
stating that, considering the advanced age lbc-
tween ~ ana ?o) oil inc defendant, his clients had
cohsented 10 accept the apology. inc result OF
oil TINS was that Mrs fescombe became bone Of
contention IN the city. bath was divided, Her
hcalth was broken through the unJustihable CON
duct on hir. Landor The INK was hardly dry
with which tho apology waswritten, and in which,