My life : a record of events and opinions - Wallace-online.org

370 MY LIFEBailey for further libels. He was respited on publiclyapologizing in several newspapers.Some months afterwards, however, he beganagain with equally foul libels, and I had him broughtup under his recognizances, when he was sentencedto two months' imprisonment in Newgate.But within a year he began again as violently asever, and on March 6, 1875, he was indicted atChelmsford Assizes for fresh libels, and on proofof his previous convictions and apologies, he wassentenced to one year's imprisonment and to keepthe peace, under heavy recognizances and sureties,for two years more. (A full report is given in theChelmsford Chronicle, March 12, 1875.)Through the interest of his friends, however, hewas liberated in about six months ; and thereupon,in January, 1876, he brought an action against Mr.Walsh to recover his deposit of ;^500, and this actionhe won, on the grounds already stated ; and as I hadsigned an indemnity to Mr. Walsh, I had to pay backthe money, and also pay dl the costs of the action,about ;^200 more. But as I had a judgment for £6%^damages and costs in my libel suit against Hampden,I transferred this claim to Mr. Walsh as a set-offagainst the amount due by him. Hampden, however,had already made himself a bankrupt to prevent thisclaim being enforced, and had assigned all his actualor future assets to his son-in-law.There were now legal difficulties on both sides.I was advised that the bankruptcy was fraudulent,and could be annulled ; but to attempt this would becostly, and the result uncertain. On the other hand,Hampdenit was doubtful whether my claim againstwould not be treated as an ordinary creditor's claim inthe bankruptcy. There was, therefore, a consultation