The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1896-04-11

ElJbs
81 knew he dare not" cried Mr..
Hedgehog, exultingly.
1.-THE defense Mr.. Svendeleri has set
up" said the solicitor, us what we law
yers call a justification"
whats that?" asked Mr.. Hedgehog.
1T is to the effect that the action
does not lie, because the libel is true In
| fact"
The private detective started and
turned pale.
you don't mean to say" he ex-
claimed, that svendeleri says it's true
| stole the itoughshod diamonds?"
That's precisely what he does say"
answered the solicitor, calmly.
well, of all the impndenee!" cried
Mr.. Hedgehog, as he gasped for breath
| The old seoundrel-=to think of it
fer him of all people to say such a
thing"
well, WELL" interrupted the solicit
CT, SITS no use abusing him. What
wanted to see you for was to get further
II struetions. You see the matter has
now taken very serious turn. The
defense put in practically makes Mr..
Sgendereli the aecHser and you the ac-
| clIsed. Your whole character is at
stake, and you must spare no efforts
to prove the charge against you false
Mustn't he first prove it true?" de-
raanded Mr.. Hedgehog.
Certainly, most certainly; but we
must assume he has some evidence to
60 on or he would scarcely dare to raise
such defense
That's wkward-dreadfully awk-
ward" muttered Mr. Hedgehog, dole
fully. I'm half sorry l began the ac-
| fion.t
You don't mean to suggest that
you are afraid of the charger" said Mr..
fftt.
so help me. Mr.. Pitt, I never saw the
diamonds" cried Mr.. Hedgehog. earn
q tly, "and nobody knows that better
tl.an Svendeleri; that's just what
makes it so awkward"
| The solicitor watched Mr.. Hedgehog
with puzzled air.
81 can't understand you at ALL" he
said, after long pause. IF you wish
to succeed in this action you had better
be perfectly =caHtlidi with me, ami the
first thing | must know Is what line
! we are to take-fght or capitulate,
| which is it to be2"
81 must leave that to you, Mr.. Pitt"
answered Mr.. Hedgehog, nervoiisly.
I'm afraid I've got myself into mess
e Svendeleri has been too much for me.
I'll that | can say is that | never stole
| TIE diamonds-Ili swear 1 never did,"
'sThen. in Heavens name, fight, and
fight with all your mightl' exclaimed
the lawyer, yehemently.
Mr.. Pitt was both sagacious and all
honorable man. At first he felt loath
to take up this action. To meet the
difficulties of the situation he and his
counsel, Mr.. Briteley, after long con-
ference resolved to adopt a course
which both of them, under ordinary
circumstances, would have shrunk
from. Usually the slaintiff in libel
ease is one of the first witnesses ten
dered by his counsel. He has to tell his
QR II Stoi anu W OC 1iooo
upoa 1t before he knows what evidence
The defendant is prepared to produce.
In the present case however. Mr..
tledgehog's counsel and solicitor te-
terInined merely to prove the receipt
of the Iibelous post cards by means Of
the caretaker at the building in which
were Mr.. Hedgehog's offices, and, hay
ing thus made prima faeie case, TO
let the defendant produce his witnesses.
This course was taken. The care
taser was called and swore she re-
ce!yed the post cards in question. These
were put in, and the judge unhesitat-
ingly held them to be defamatory.
Mr.. Briteley then announced that, he
being utterly in the dark as to the case
he would have to meet, would not ten
der his client as a witness until he had
heard the defense. The judge raised
some objection TO this course, but coun-
sci was firm, and in the end his lordship
called ON the defendant to proceed with
his evidence Of justification.
The first witness for the defense was
Lady Roughshod. She said the plaintiff
had been employed by her to investi-
gate the mysterious disappearance OF
certain bonds from her country resi-
dence Stabstable hall-in Doltshire.
While the investigation was proceed
ing she had informed him of various
facts, known otherwise, as far az wit.
ness was aware, only to herself and
lord Roughshod. Among these was
the existence of several secret drawers
in an ancient bureau which stood in her
ladyship's boudoir. Witness was not
absolutely certain whether she had also
told the plaintiff of her habit of placing
her jewels in one of these drawers for
the night when she had been out late
and felt too tired to put them into the
jewel safe, but she thought it was ex
tremely likely she did tell him. About
month after the termination of the
plaintiffs fruitless investigation into
the disappearance of the bonds Lord
and Lady Roughshod had attended the
county balla Peterborough which was
some five miles from Stabstable hall.
They returned late, and her ladyship
had as usual, deposited the jewels Shit
bad worn at the ball in the secret
drawer. In the morning her maid on
entering the boudoir found the window
had been forced during the night and
the bureau drawer burst open and the
secret drawer rihed
The next witness was the head wait
er of the George at Rottenborough
This witness identified the plaintiff as
person who under the name Of