The New York herald., 1922-03-15
ANCIENT LAW FREES
WIFE AS COERCED'
Mrs. Violet Peel Benefits by
Justice Darling's Stand in
Turf Betting Case.
WORKED WITH HUSBAND
But Old-Time Rulings Hold a
Woman Dare Not Contra
dict Her Spouse.

Special Cable 10 THE NEW YORK HERALD.
Copyright, Iesg, by TIE NEW YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
London. March IA.
Mrs. Violet Peel. charged with OBJ
tanning money from bookmakers by
means of kilograms timed earlier than
they were actually sent. thus making
bets on races after the result was known.
was discharged to-day when Justice OAR
ling ruled that "the evidence shows that
she did everything in the presence Of
her husband" and that presumption of
coercion exists"
II had been previously testified that
she was allowed 81. 900 yearly by her
father. Sir Robert Jardine. She gave
her husband, Capt. Owen Peel. f200
monthly. Her husband, who pleaded
guilty to similar charge. was sentenced
to twelve months imprisonment by the
Second Division Court.
The trial of Mrs. Peel attracted a
large number of persons prominent In
social and sporting circles. including the
parents of the beautiful defendant, who
was fashionably dressed. adorned with
Jewels and carried fan instead OF SMELL
ing salts. as on the previous day. JUS
tice Darling. in basing his ruling on the
ancient law, said
II should say there is evidence that
she obtained money from bookmakers
in this manner. but It was proved that
the two defendants We're husband and
wife and that raised quite another ques-
ton. This is well established law and
/ am perfectly satisfied that 1t does ap-
ply to the offenses which are charged
against the defendant in this indictment.
It is founded on the assumption that a
woman would never dare to contradict
her husband.
Ancient Law Invoked.
although I am bound to administer
this law the assumption, whatever 1t
may have been in Saxon and Norman
times, is no longer in accordance with
facts. It is absurd to say that woman
does not dare to contradict her husband.
Evidence shows that the defendant did
everything in the presence of her hus-
band and one is driven to the conclusion
that the presumption stands, although
there was a prearrangement. She was
not in the post office while anything was
done at all. Capt. Peel handed the tele-
grams in and kept them back. She had
a suspicious conversation obviously with
Dow "a clerk in a London stock brokers'
office). She afterward paid geo TO
Dow. He (PeeD was there all the time
and before she left the telephone he
spoke to her.
Let us presume that she said: Para
gon (the name of the winner Of the
race) has won and he sent tho tele-
grams. He was there all the time
when she took part in the fraud. In
all these circumstances I come TO tho
conclusion that the doctrine stands. I
am bound to apply the law. although
II is In my judgment a case I should
have been bound to leave to jury had
she not been the wife of Capt. Peel
Justice Darling pointed out the laws
relation TO coercion which coun-
sci had invoked. He said they went
back to the days of King Ina OF the
West Saxons and were incorporated in
the enactments by King Canute and that
those were the laws affecting the status
of women to-day.
Outside the Pale.
In passing sentence Justice Darling
remarked that the acts to which Pee.
had pleaded guilty were quite outside
the pale of that society in which honest
gentlemen would desire 70 move. He
said that Peel in making the bets had
left nothing TO chance and that no had
taken advantage Of an old man and IA
young girl-~the postmaster and his as
sistant through whom he had sent the
kilograms placing the bets. The Justice
added that IL was right in his judgment
a. 4. IL. IL