My life : a record of events and opinions - Wallace-online.org
Share Embed Flag
Download ePaper

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

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

wallace.online.org
from wallace.online.org More from this publisher
12.07.2015 Views

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

MONEY MATTERS 371of the solicitors, and a voluntary arrangement wasarrived at. I was to pay all the costs of the suitand ;{^I20, amounting to £2^7 ; while £\\q stillremained nominally due to me from Hampden.These terms were formally agreed to by Hampdenand his son-in-law, and were duly carried out. Ofcourse I had also to pay Mr. Walsh's costs in theaction and my own lawyer's billfor the settlement, aswell as those of the action for libel, and the variouscriminal prosecutions of Hampden I had beencompelled to undertake.About this time he printed one thousand copiesof a two-page leaflet, and sent them to almost everyone in my neighbourhood whose address he couldobtain, including most of the masters of CharterhouseSchool, and the residents as wellas the tradesmen ofGodalming, It was full of— " scientific villainy androguery,"— " cheat, swindler, and impostor."— " Myspecific charge against Mr. A. R. Wallace is that heobtained possession of a cheque for £\oQ)0 by fraudand falsehood of a party who had no authority todispose of it." To save trouble, I drew up a shortcircular stating the main facts already given here forthe information of those who had received Hampden'sabsurdly false libels, and thereafter took no furthernotice of him.He continued to circulate his postcards and tracts,and to write to all manner of people, challengingthem to prove that the earth was not flat, for severalyears after. The last of his efforts which I havepreserved is an eight-page tract, which he distributedat the Royal Geographical Society's Exhibition ofGeographical Appliances, in December, 1885, inwhich he attacks all geographical teaching in hisusual style, and declares that " at the present moment

MONEY MATTERS 371<strong>of</strong> the solicitors, <strong>and</strong> a voluntary arrangement wasarrived at. I was to pay all the costs <strong>of</strong> the suit<strong>and</strong> ;{^I20, amounting to £2^7 ; while £\\q stillremained nominally due to me from Hampden.These terms were formally agreed to by Hampden<strong>and</strong> his son-in-law, <strong>and</strong> were duly carried out. Ofcourse I had also to pay Mr. Walsh's costs in theaction <strong>and</strong> my own lawyer's billfor the settlement, aswell as those <strong>of</strong> the action for libel, <strong>and</strong> the variouscriminal prosecutions <strong>of</strong> Hampden I had beencompelled to undertake.About this time he printed one thous<strong>and</strong> copies<strong>of</strong> a two-page leaflet, <strong>and</strong> sent them to almost everyone in my neighbourhood whose address he couldobtain, including most <strong>of</strong> the masters <strong>of</strong> CharterhouseSchool, <strong>and</strong> the residents as wellas the tradesmen <strong>of</strong>Godalming, It was full <strong>of</strong>— " scientific villainy <strong>and</strong>roguery,"— " cheat, swindler, <strong>and</strong> impostor."— " <strong>My</strong>specific charge against Mr. A. R. <strong>Wallace</strong> is that heobtained possession <strong>of</strong> a cheque for £\oQ)0 by fraud<strong>and</strong> falsehood <strong>of</strong> a party who had no authority todispose <strong>of</strong> it." To save trouble, I drew up a shortcircular stating the main facts already given here forthe information <strong>of</strong> those who had received Hampden'sabsurdly false libels, <strong>and</strong> thereafter took no furthernotice <strong>of</strong> him.He continued to circulate his postcards <strong>and</strong> tracts,<strong>and</strong> to write to all manner <strong>of</strong> people, challengingthem to prove that the earth was not flat, for severalyears after. The last <strong>of</strong> his efforts which I havepreserved is an eight-page tract, which he distributedat the Royal Geographical Society's Exhibition <strong>of</strong>Geographical Appliances, in December, 1885, inwhich he attacks all geographical teaching in hisusual style, <strong>and</strong> declares that " at the present moment

logo

products

Resources

Company

Terms of service
Privacy policy
Cookie policy
Cookie settings
Imprint
Change language
Made with love in Switzerland
© 2024 Yumpu.com all rights reserved

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!