THE WIDOW'S SCOURGE.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 11 February 1881, Page 2

THE WIDOW'S SCOURGE.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Lover? of Justice. It will be gratifying to tlie public in general, and to unprotected Widows and Orphans in particular, that their relentless pert secutor, who has so long be»»n permitted to indulge in his natural {aching) propensities of gratifying his wolfish craving 9 for thelifeblood of his unprotected victims, has been brought to bay at last. We read of an invisible agency being represented as a roaring lion walking up and down seeking whom he may devour : but here we have the visible agent of the invisible walking up and down, not as a roaring lion, but 08 a prowling wolf, seeking whom he may devour. Whetted, by success in his wolfish raid 3 on former victims, encouraged by Lynch law, and revelling in anticipation of an illegal judgment, he with triad strength, exercised his diabolical machinations by casting his slimy net to on trap more victims with the cunning of the serpent, but was rather incautious in bis last inglorious device. Just as he. thought his nefarious scheme was realised, his plan matured, Lynch law victorious, and hi* prey within bis spacious maw, he fouc^d out to his intense mortification that Lynch law was not tolerated, that ftevell judgment was not justice ; and worse than all,' that ; his contemplated victims were protected by the lnw of the land. Justice interfered, and deprived him of the pleasure; of slaking his insatiable thirst in the lifenblood of his anticipated prey, as circumstance's ■ permitted him to do on former occasions. He had to retire to his frousy den, contemptible in the eyes of allmon, inwardly cursing justice and its dispensers, denouncing Lynch law as unprofitable and his illegal judgment as only leading to hopes unrealised — laden with guilt, shamo, and littlenes ; if his sordid soul could be susceptible to euch. I trust there 13 not another specimen of his class to be found in this, or any other community, and it is gratifying to know that after his' inglorious race is run, and the atmosphere is purged of his presence from amp.ngMj* us, the Inangahua is not likely to be infested by any of his progeny. I am, &o. ; JUSTICE.

P S.—We are quite awa«e there are a few and happy to think but very few, who are zealous disciples of the agent referred to, but their voices and their actions are held in contempt by the majority of the public. All are cognisant of the fact that every community is more or less subject to be infested with a sprinkling of such pestiferous parisites. (?) TRUTH. Mr Jones continued- giving a history of proceedings between the parties up to the time of the publication of t lie alleged libel. Ke quoted a number of authori* ties in support of "(he line of the prose* cution, and concluded by calling the following cvi 'ence :— Francis Courtney, sworn, said : I am a farmer residing on the Buller Eoad ; I was in Eeefton on the 31st of January last. I know the accused, and was in his hotel in Eeefton on the evening in ques« tion ; I went to the hotel to inquire after Mr Carreras, and then had a conversation on different matters. A little girl came into the bar, and I asked him if it was one of his grand children. He replied no, and said it was one of hjs own. I remarked, I thought it was one of Mrs Parry's. I thereupon asked how Mrs Parry was getting on. He said she was all right at present, but had been to a lot of trouble lately. He then gave me a piece of paper folded up, and said read that, and it will show. I opened and found it to be written matter, headed " Widow's Scourge." I was rather amused at the contents ; I read it partly then ; I have it still, and produce it now. (Document put in and marked A.) When I read it through, I understood to whom it referred to. By my own reading, and the inference I drew from it, I considered that it referred to Mr Aiken. 'Ihrcu^h knowing that Mr Aiken had a lawsuit vritb the widow, Mrs Parry, and

seeing the word "aching" in the first paragraph, I thought that it referred to Mr Aiken, the person novr in Court. The words " prowliDg wolf," I concluded meant Aiken from reading the whole of the circular. I could not ?ay whether any particular inuendoes in the 3rd paragraph referred to Mr Aiken or not, but I tbiuk the whole paragraph refers to Aiken. In paragraph 4, the words, ' Slaking his insatiable thirst in the life* blood of his anticipated prey/ I also think refers to Mr Aiken. I also think j that the words in the sth paragraph refer to the complainant. I imagine that the word " widow " refers to Mrs Parry. Cross-examined by defendant : I do not recollect asking for any of the " scourge circulars," or if you had received any. I do not remember saying that it was the talk of the town, and that I would like to see one. I recollect some customers coming into the bar, but do not recollect you going away to the par* lor to serve them after banding me the paper ; don't recollect you going away. By the Court— l read some of the circular, and I then said to (he accused told him that I would* take it away and lead it another time. By the defendant— l am positive that you said I could keep it and read it. Yon did not say that I could read it while you were serving the drinks. I was not sent by any party to go and get the circular ; I went in to have a drink, and to inquire after Carreras. To the best of my belief jou were at the counter when 1 left ; I did not see you going into the parlor. John Trennery, on being assured that his expenses would be paid by Mr Aiken, said, on onth— l am the general and mining manager of the Golden Fleece: I ha7e seen one of the circulars now produced. Mr Campbell handed me one to read ; I took it way with roe, and read it the day after ; Ido not re» member the exact date. It might have been ten or twelve days since. He gave it Id me in the bar of bis hotel, Eeefton. From' the circumstances which I knew had occurred in connection with lawsuits between Aiken and Campbell, I thought the " Widow's Scourge " referred to Aiken. The word " relentless persecutor" in the first paragraph, I think, refers to Aiken. * f Wolfish cravings " in the 2nd paragraph refers to Aiken, and also the words contained in 3rd, 4tb, and sth paragraphs. Cross-examined by the defendant — After some conversation about the circular, I asked you if you had one, and I expressed a wish to you that I would like to see one. You told me that you had received four or five copies through the post. You also told me that you had found one or two with written slips attached to them pushed under the door. By the Court : The conversation began by Campbell asking me if I had received a circular ; I asked if he referred to a' pamphlet called the " Widow's Scourge,? and he said, yes- I thereupon asked him if he had any, and expressed a wish to see one. He then handed me one, James Irvine Aiken, sworn, said : I am a storekeeper rtsitling in Eeefton, and complainant in the action. I have within the last twelve months sued Mrs Parry on a bill of exchange accepted by her late husband ; I sued her as adniinistratirx to her husband's estate ; I re* covered judgment against her in the R.M. Court, That judgment was not satisfied ; I then took out a judgment summons against Mrs Parryg| An order wa* made by the Court for the payment of £10 per month. Mrs Parry filed a declaration of insolvency ; I opposed her application for discharge by my solicitor, Mr Lynch. Her application for discharge was granted. I received a circular, similar to one now produced, through the post, headed the " Widow's Scourge " ; I think the title « Widow's Scourge refers to me. * .Rentless persecutor ' refers to me, also the ' wolfish cravings' 'visible agent," prowling wolf,' 'wolfish rage,' In the words ' Lynch law ' my solicitor is referred to. The word ' revelling ' refers to the Magistrate who tried the case against Mrs Parry. ' ll* legal judgment ' refers to the judgment in the case myself against Mrs Parry in the R.M. Court. Whenever the personal pronoun, he, is used in the nominative, possessive, or objective case, in all the rest of the circular, refers to myself. The words * Revell judgment ' in the 3rd paragraph, refers to Mr Eevell. I think I received a copy of the circular on Saturday, the 29th of January, through the post office ; I had been unwell, and in bed till noon that day ; I have no family. David Ogilvie Preshaw,"on oath said, as follows : 1 am bouse steward of the Eeefton Hospital. I know the accused, Mr Campbell, and I also know Mrs Parry, who is his daughter and a widow residing in Beefton. I received a copy of the circular, the ' Widow's Scourge per post. There is no doubt in my own mind, but that the title refers to Mr Aiken. Wherever the pronoun he, his or him, occurs in the circular, it refers to the prosecutor, Mr Aiken. The widow referred to in the heading is the daughter of defendant. This closed the case for the prosecus lion. On being charged in the usual way, the defendant said— l know nothing what* ever of the printing or publishing of those Gircula*s.

Committed to take his trial in the Supreme Court at Hokitika next March. Bail allowed himself in £100, and two sureties of £50 each, which was tendered. Ciul Ca«es. Golden Trea«ure Company v. Murray ; No appearance ; case dismissed. M'L?nnan v. Hong How: claim for £12 Is 2d for goois supplied to the de» fendant Judgment for the amount with costs. Same v. Hong Chong ; summons not served ; enlarged till next Court day. Barmen r. Eastaway, claim for £18 10«, for goods supplied ; no appearance ; judgment for the amount claimed with costs. Sarce v. Phelan, claim for £4 19s ; judgment for the amount with costs. Lynch v. O'Neil, claim for £1 17s, for damage done by defendant's horse to the growing crop of plaintiff, at Crush* ington. Judgment for the amount with cost?. Barman v. Tengue ; claim for £18 11s \ for goods sold and delivered ; judgment for the amount claimed and costs. , The OpnrUhen adjourned to thisffflTnmornidg. —