The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-11-24
THE ADAMs-CoLER1DGE SUIT.
A Verdict for Adams, which Is Promptly
Oyerruled by the Judge.
a.

A NerulcC IOr ADAMS, Ah1cn Is promptly
Oyerruled by the Judge.
[From He Journal of SHndGy.l
New YORK, Nov. 22-The Suns special Ca
BILE, referring to the Coleridge libel suit. says
"Lord Chief Justice Colerdge is placed in a
a most urenviable position before the public by
Mr.. Adamss suit, Adams seems to be sincere
and determined in his action, and has thus far
managed to secure a large share of the public
sympathy. During the proceedings he endeay-
ored to make strong point, morally, against
the COieridges-both father and son. He showed
that the Lord Chief Justices daughter was
perfectly aware that he was poor man, COM
PEELED to make his own way in the world She
had not been made victim of any deception in
this respect and she entered iDto,the engagement
with full appreciation of the change in her cir
cumstances which the union would entail, and
agreed to the marriage from motives of the
purest and highest affection. When she made
her family acquainted with her intention, her
father Adams alleged, became furious, and
treated her with meanness and barbarity
When he found that his cruelty served but to
increase her determination, he instigated' his
son Bernard to engage in the effort to poison
her mind against her betrothed. Bernards eff
forts toward this end eliminated in his compost
ton of the letter to his sister which
S fGsmS ths Gas' Of hi. the ssf0n Adams
said that Miss Coleridge was not
shaken in her affection by her brothers efforts,
and that the letter served only to excite her in
dignation. When her father found out that she
had delivered the letter to Adams, he disinherit-
ed her and turned her out from the parental
roof. Mr.. Adams further showed that Miss
Coleridge adhered to her engagement; that she
warmly supported him in his present action
against her brother.
Towards the Lord Chief Justice himself
Adams was very bitter. He described him as a
Judge who would move heaven and earth to
Illustrate justice when. it adversely affected
himself or his interests.
,ardC tr1a 70
a vigorous resistance. His plea in defense l.
that the letter. being a private communicate
from one member of a family to another-from
brother to sister warning her of her danger
must be considered a privileged" communica
ton, and, therefore not aetionable Adams
contends that the law concerning prvieged
communications must be confined in its protec
ton to only such communications as those, for
instance, which pass between lawyers and their
clients, and can not be extended to cover mali
cious and intended injuries.
80 far as the rulings of the judge have indi
Gated he appears inclined TO support the plea
raised by the defense. Lord Chief justice Cole
ridge has been subpenaed to appear as a witness
on Monday next, to which date the hearing was
adjourned Miss Mildred Mary Coleridge, the
heroine of the case, has also consented to appear
on the witness stand"
A London teleg. am, dated the 22d, says:
@The action for libel brought by F. NJ Adams,
barrister, against Bernard Coleridge, was re-
sumed to-day. Adams continued his opening re-
marks He sadh had much affection for Miss
Coleridge but he had not thought of marrying
her
'.Attorney-general James submitted that the
plaintiff had case and must be non-suited
1.-THE judge ruled that Demands letter was
priviledged communication and Adams, in
der to maintain his case, must prove express
malice or dishonesty on the part of Bernard. He
decided to leave the case to the jury, reserving
to himself however, the right to decide the
action on poEt of law, in the verdict was
not warranted by the evidence
adams continued his statements, and said he
and Miss Coleridge were now resolved to marry.
1.-THE case was submitted to the jury, who,
after some deliberaton brought in a verdict for
the plaintiff for e., 900. The judge overruled
the verdict and gave a verdict for Coleridge,
with costs"
A BIASED JUDGE
Mr. Justice Manisty's summing up to the jury
was dead against the plaintiff He instructed
the jury that it was wholly unnecessary for Mr..
Bernard Colerdge to prove the truth of the
charges which he made in his letter to his sister
1t was evident that he believed them to be true,
and there was no proof that he had acted cor
ruptly or maliciously. The jury demanded to be
shown the original letter sent by Mr.. Coleridge
to his sister. Mr.. Justice Manisty at first re-
fused to comply with this demand, but after
some haggling he consented, and the original
document taken into the jury-room The
jury was absent fifty minutes, and when the YER
dict in favor of the plaintiff was rendered, there
was a burst of applause which the court officers
were unable to suppress. When Mr.. Justice
Manisty reversed the verdict of the jury
there was tremendous sensation Mr..
Adams was thoroughly satisfied with
the verdict Of $4,000 in his favor, and
would have boon satisfied with verdict of three
farthings He knew thatthe jury was with him
when he closed his case, and if he had not
had that knowledge he would have prolonged
Lord Chief Justice Colerldge and Miss Mildred
Coleridge upon the witness stand He feels now
that he has been tricked, and he has resolutely
determined to carry the case on appeal TO a
L: hac Of tod A.