Evening star., 1942-01-24
One Dollar Awarded
To Judge Hedrick in
$4,000 Libel Suit
PIointiff Who Charged
Article Injured Reputation
-Must Pay Court Costs

lIhe sum of 81 was awarded last
night to Judge Benjamin M. He'd
rick of the Arlington County CVa9
Trial Justice Court In his $4,000
libel suit against Crandal Mackey,
attorney.
The verdict of the 12-man Jury in
the County Circuit Court was de-
livered after two-and- half hours
of deliberation and, because the
judgment did not amount to $40. the
plaintiff will be required to pay court
costs, officials said.
Judge Hedrick filed the suit
against Mr.. Mackey, claiming injury
to his name and reputation as a re-
suit of front page article which
appeared in the Chronicle, county
weekly newspaper, of October 4,
1910. The article charged Judge
Hedrick with being unfit to hold
public Office
Admitted as evidence was a tram
script Of proceedings of the Eighth
District Council of the State Inter-
grated Bar in which Mr.. Mackey
brought II charges of misconduct
against Judge Hedrick.
Third Marriage Denied.
The transcript disclosed charges
by Mr.. Mackey that Judge Hedrick
November 7, 1918, and that, before
obtaining final divorce decree, he
married another woman while he
was assigned to duty with the
United States Army in Honolulu, on
December l, 1920. The council pro-
ceedings also disclosed another
charge by Mr.. Mackey that Judge
Hedrick married again in New Ha-
ven, Conn, on August IL, 1885, with
out having obtained a divorce from
the woman he allegedly married in
Honolulu.
John Paul Jones, counsel for
Judge Hedrick, explained to the jury
yesterday that his client had mar
ried in Honolulu after receiving a
letter from his first wife that their
marriage had been dissolved by a
divorce decree in the State of Wash
ington.
Judge Hedrick denied having
been party to a marriage ceremony
in New Haven. Mr.. Mackey said
the woman involved in this alleged
marriage is now resident in
Bethesda, Md, and has pending in
the Montgomery Country Circuit
Court a suit for annulment of mar
riage to Judge Hedrick.
Conviction Is Denied.
Mr.. Mackey also told the Jury
that the woman whom Judge
Hedrick admitted on the stand hav-
ing married in Honolulu, has filed
suit for divorce in the Arlington
County Circuit Court, and that the
final decree has not been rendered.
The Eighth District Council
transcript also disclosed a charge
by Mr.. Mackey that Judge Hedrick
had been fined $40 for driving while
drunk on Conduit road in Wash
ington on July Is, 1889.
In an effort to substantiate that
allegation, Mr.. Mackey yesterday
showed the jury papers he said were
certified and corroborated the con-
viction by a United States commits
sioner of the United States District
Court in Baltimore, Md.
Mr.. Jones denied Judge Hedrick
had been convicted of the driving
charge.
Judge Walter T. Mccarthy, who
presided at the trial, pointed out
that the jury could not determine
the truthfulness or falseness of the
charges made by Mr.. Mackey before
the Eighth District Council. The
general issue of the suit was the |
extent of damage, if any, caused
Judge Hedrick by Mr.. Mackey, the
judge said.
Mr.. Mackey denied that he wrote |
the article complained of. or that |
he published or caused its circula-
ton.