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1911. W. No. 238.

In the High Court of Justice [in ENGLAND]
KING'S BENCH DIVISION.

BETWEEN--JOHN JAMES WEST, Plaintiff,

AND

WILLIAM DENNIS WILSON, Defendant.

Statement of Claim.

1. The Plaintiff is a farmer and is also a rate collector employed by the Fermanagh County Council and resides at Crocknacrieve County Fermanagh Ireland.

2. The Defendant is of independent means and resides at Cretingham Rookery, Framlingham, Suffolk [England].

3. On or about the 16th March 1909 the Defendant falsely and maliciously wrote printed and published and/or caused to be printed and published of and concerning the Plaintiff and of him in his capacity of rate collector of the Fermanagh County Council in a certain handbill or pamphlet under the heading "The Cooney Breed, Women and Money wanted by Outlaws" the following words:

"I, William Dennis Wilson...hereby charge William Irvine...with conspiring, combining, confederating and agreeing together with John West, Crocknacrieve, Ballina Mallard, Ireland (meaning thereby the Plaintiff)...to deport girls...to use for improper purposes across the seas, in an irreligious way...These conspirators...are deporting girls from one country to another country, across the seas. Lots, e.g. of 36 and 50 &c., going from Ballina Mallard as white slaves."

meaning thereby that the Plaintiff had been guilty of a criminal offence had abducted girls for immoral purposes was a conspirator who under the guise of religion had conspired to procure girls to have carnal connection with men and was a person unfit to hold the office of rate collector or any other such office.

In particular the said words were published to the chairman of the Fermanagh County Council being enclosed in a letter addressed to him by the Defendant dated 19th September 1909.

4. On or about the 8th May 1910 the Defendant falsely and maliciously wrote printed and published and or caused to be printed and published of and concerning the Plaintiff in a certain handbill or pamphlet under the heading “50 Girls Entrapped” the following words:

“BAND OF WOMEN CRIMINALS CAUGHT.
“Tullyhogue Dungannon, Co. Tyrone, Ireland,
“May 8th, 1909.

“A series of mysterious seductions has recently occupied the attention of the Press in various districts, including Ballinamallard, near Enniskillen, in Ireland, the destination of several girls having been discovered under circumstances which pointed unmistakeably to foul play.

"There was no definite clue to work upon until a detective was employed, acting on certain suspicions, disguised as one of the fraternity, attended upon the kidnappers: Alice Pipe; Annie Smith; May Carroll; Emma Gill; J. Hughes; McClung and Company, Unlimited, in their Chapel in Leadbetter Street, Belfast, who was at once struck by highly offensive blasphemy emanating from these women during the temporary stay which was with difficulty concealed, but hearing sudden conversations behind the scenes, glanced around and saw the very girl, of tender age, of surprising good looks, who had been decoyed, that was sought for, previously in vain. The detective dodged these seducers and obtained other detectives, who, on searching, found that other 50 girls had been entrapped.

“A quantity of doggerel literature was found on them, and shortly after three of this woman tribe were arrested, who, according to their statements, constituted a band of robbers under the leadership or patronage of J. West (meaning thereby the Plaintiff), W. H. West...Most of these are enormously strong and masculine-looking, and have terrorized girls, silly as young geese, harmless as doves, into their traps during the last 17 years, who, of course, were unaware of the misdoings behind the scenes.

“So far, these 50 seductions and others also have been traced to the gang, who netted by them a large sum of dollars.”

meaning thereby that the Plaintiff had been guilty of a Criminal offence, had abducted girls for immoral purposes, [that he] had been a party to the seduction of girls of tender age and had been a leading instrument in, and had lived on the prostitution of 50 girls and had made a large sum of money by such prostitution and for purposes of gain consorted with procurers and procuresses.

5. On July 5th 1910 the Defendant falsely and maliciously wrote and published of and concerning the Plaintiff and of him in his capacity of rate collector of the Fermanagh County Council in a reply paid telegram of that date sent by the Defendant to the Plaintiff, including the following words:

"Now, Sir, on your oath, have you or have you not abandoned the practice of promoting the White Slave Traffic, under cloak of religion, for Cooneys' disorderly houses of ill fame and bad repute. Reply paid. Wilson, Cretingham.”

meaning thereby that the Plaintiff had been guilty of a criminal offence and had been guilty of procuring women and girls to have carnal connection with men for purposes of gain and had been consorting with procurers and further that the Plaintiff was a wicked and evil-disposed person intending to bring religion into contempt and was a hypocrite and was a person unfit to hold the office of rate collector or any other such office.

6. On July 22nd 1910 the Defendant falsely and maliciously wrote and published of and concerning the Plaintiff in a telegram of that date addressed and sent to W. R. Cooney, Enniskillen, the following words:

"Advise Edward seek protection with the police with John" (meaning thereby the Plaintiff) and William West and George Walker, Crocknacrieve far better than threats of mothers of seduced daughters with vengeance and choice of 'Tar and Feathers' cat of nine tails."

meaning thereby that the Plaintiff had been guilty of a criminal offence and had seduced women and girls and was a grossly immoral person.

7. In or about July 1910 the Defendant falsely and maliciously wrote printed and published or caused to be printed and published of and concerning the Plaintiff in a certain pamphlet under the heading "Treason and Plot A.D. 1910" the following words:

“To Ministers and Congregations and Absentees…

“…I pray you put the question to the powers that be and to the police: 'Will you institute new powers to deal with the White Slave Traffic. Especially the Crocknacrieve disorderly house of ill fame and bad repute' (meaning thereby the residence of the Plaintiff)…

Cretingham, Suffolk,
July 10th, 1910"

COPY I.

“Mr. Edward Cooney,
c/o Mr. John West, (meaning thereby the Plaintiff),
Crocknacrieve.

"It is reported, without proof, the lord of Crocknacrievism directed your steps to Salvation Army Barracks, Debenham, in this County.

“I have proof the Lord permitted me to hear you give testimony of your experience of your marvellous instantaneous ‘born again’ taking complete possession of you at the bedside of your 'd-e-a-r departed dying brother,' who you stated was ‘born again in a Methodist Chapel.’

“I had permission 'without gold, without silver, without brass, to receive advice from you, gratis, which I took severely.

“Of course, what is fair for you is fair for me, you will not refuse from me what you practise yourself, therefore I will give you a little of my advice without gold, without silver, without brass, without price, without money, gratis, which I trust you will take severely from me, as I did from you.

“Whereas you have been gulled, bamboozled, humbugged, bewitched, by William Irvine, whose irreligion varies from day to day, it is my sincere, solemn, conscientious, imperative duty to state he is a corrupt tramp, lecherous scamp, debased vagabond, exorcist employing certain damsels possessed with a lying spirit of divination which bring much gain in dollars and sovereigns by soothsaying, with hunter appetite, exhibiting infallible proofs of monstrous blasphemy, atrocious cruelties, crafty hypocritical mockery, impious impiety, unredeemed by a single virtue, cunningly backbiting, slandering and finding fault with those who have deserved well of mankind, preying upon girls, wrecking Widows homes, abstracting Maids and Youths, money, gold, silver and brass and food, by false promises, misrepresentations and fraudulent practices in a variable way with conspirators.

“My advice to you is:--

“(1) ‘Go’ to the Police at Ballinamallard to help the Public Prosecutor to find the whereabouts of this William Irvine and his Conspirators, Allies, Confederates and Accomplices, with a view to haul them before Judge and Jury for crimes ‘worse and worse’ than murder to ‘ignorant and unlearned,’ destitute, homeless, moneyless girls, detorted away across the seas, 7000 miles from Father, Mother, kith or kin.

“(2) ‘Go’ to Mr. W. H. West (who I will send a copy of this to), Secretary of County Council, Fermanagh (and let not this advice be like casting pearls before Swine), to thoroughly un-earth this underground work in money and girls in countless thousands.

“(3) ‘Go,’ make haste, to the powers that be ‘all over the world,’ to rescue the daughter of William Silliker, and the daughters of Widow Matthews, from traitors ‘worse and worse,’ than assassins in jeopardy, haunting dead strewn pathway in pandemonium.

“You gave me advice which I took seriously, now will you take my advice seriously and act accordingly as ‘one born again,’ influenced by 'your d-e-a-r brother born again in a Methodist Chapel.'

“W. D. WILSON, an Overseer."

Copy II.

"Telegram—July 5th, 1910--11.55 a.m.

“John West (meaning thereby the Plaintiff) Crocknacrieve, Ballinamallard.—Now, Sir, on your oath, have you or have you not abandoned the practice of promoting the White Slave Traffic, under cloak of religion, for Cooneys disorderly houses of ill fame and bad repute? Reply paid.—Wilson, Cretingham."

Copy III.

"Telegram--July 4th, 1910-11.55 a.m.

“West (meaning thereby the Plaintiff) Ballinamallard. —Please put the question to Walker and White Slave Traffickers at Crocknacrieve. Now, Sir, on your oath, have you or have you not abandoned the practice of decoying girls away across the seas for Cooney or Irvine or McClung or Hughes or other dealers in human flesh? Reply paid.—Wilson, Cretingham."

meaning thereby that the Plaintiff was a criminal, was an aider and abettor in the prostitution of women and girls, was a hypocrite and an immoral person, was concealing and harbouring criminals from justice, and resided in and kept a disorderly house.

8. On or about August 3rd 1910 the Defendant falsely and maliciously wrote printed and published or caused to be printed and published of and concerning the Plaintiff in a certain pamphlet under the heading "Treason and Plot A.D. 1910" the following words:

"50 GIRLS ENTRAPPED
“Band of Women Criminals Caught.
“Tullyhogue Dungannon, Co. Tyrone, Ireland,
“May 8th, 1909.

“A series of mysterious seductions has recently occupied the attention of the Press in various districts, including Ballinamallard, near Enniskillen, in Ireland, the destination of several girls having been discovered under circumstances which pointed unmistakeably to foul play.

“There was no definite clue to work upon until a detective was employed, acting on certain suspicions, disguised as one of the fraternity, attended upon the kidnappers: Alice Pipe; Annie Smith; May Carroll; Emma Gill; J. Hughes; McClung and Company, Unlimited, in their Chapel in Leadbetter Street, Belfast, who was at once struck by highly offensive blasphemy emanating from these women during the temporary stay which was with difficulty concealed, but hearing sudden conversations behind the scenes, glanced around and saw the very girl, of tender age, of surprising good looks, who had been decoyed, that was sought for, previously in vain. The detective dodged these seducers and obtained other detectives, who, on searching, found that other 50 girls had been entrapped.

 “A quantity of doggerel literature was found on them, and shortly after three of this woman tribe were arrested, who, according to their statements, constituted a band of robbers under the leadership or patronage of J. West (meaning thereby the Plaintiff), W. H. West...Most of these are enormously strong and masculine-looking, and have terrorized girls, silly as young geese, harmless as doves, into their traps during the last 17 years, who, of course, were unaware of the misdoings behind the scenes.

 “So far, these 50 seductions and others also have been traced to the gang, who netted by them a large sum of dollars.”

Meaning thereby that the Plaintiff was a criminal, was an aider and abetter in the prostitution of women and girls, was a hypocrite and an immoral person, was concealing and harbouring criminals from justice, resided in and kept a disorderly house, had been a leading instrument in the procuring of 50 girls for immoral purposes, that he had thereby obtained a large sum of money and for purposes of gain consorted with procurers and procuress of women.

9. In consequence of the premises the plaintiff has been and is greatly injured in his credit and reputation and has suffered much annoyance, and has been brought into public scandal, hatred and contempt.

The Plaintiff claims damages.

GEORGE F. KINGHAM

DELIVERED this 2nd day of March, 1911, by Herbert Z. Deane, of 265 Strand, in the County of London, the Plaintiff’s Solicitor.

Read Edward Cooney's Statement for Court

Read Wm. Irvine's Statement for Court