Page: 6
THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, AUGUST 11, 1956.
The Rise and Fall of Derek Curtis-Bennett
1
The
High Pressures
-AND. THEN
The Crack-up
BY LEONARD MOSLEY
In this second and final article tracing the reasons behind the tragic end of Derek Curtis- Bennett, Q.C.. Leonard Mosley explains the reasons that led this complex man to drink; traces the man's course through the cross- roads that led to catastrophe...
T
HE
about
brutal the
latzzi
His wife Kave truth
encouragement, Hordid and crack-up of Derek strength to go on.
Curtis-Bennett, QC,
And Then these 1wo vital props
to his pride and mural
V
期
A
He turned, for comfort, to the bottle and to other things.
instance. Seedy bad
liquor and
Clube, for
clubs selling loud music out-of-hours in stale- smelling cellars.
one
Chapter Two
Curtis-Bennett in the days of high pressure: this was him leaving his chambers in the Temple during the Christie case.
Irundy, drugs, and his own sense of fullure had on Derek Curtis-
►
He drank all the time. He 'ara up deble and failed to pay them. The writs begn coming IIL Once he could not Ro into
XC90 court
Someone hud
All the while, the professional
Now, strepnes were increasing. when he lost a case, he had no
Bennett He found it to turn to. difficult to talk to his colleagues in Chambers, except to say, as he did after the Christie case: "Why couldn't have saved that mun
From the rope" Where did wrong" Do you think my father would have saved him? seized his luggage and his wig
He had forw friends, and and gown were in it. had a many enemies -for
At Beg he could and rough tongue and was curl and hud
rude to subordinates, He had his work in the courts. AAA
tu The fie
talk do when his though drunk doubts about hiirwell 'began bol
children. And then, suddenly, In 1949 there was a divorce case. His wife won her case. No one,
Curtis-Bennett's knowing
be- havi
was surprised at that. She moved away, with the children.
Curtis-Bennett could
ix llove. at Arst, than 1
- that it happened.
permanent.
is that he lacked the moral strength were pulled away from get it back, fibre, the mental stamina, m
Jus
No
"First
father ciled. and the emotional stabilityger was the great Sir Henry to stand up to the demands around to guide and advise him. And then in 1949, at the upex of his job.
Derek Curtis- 1 his
Career, Bennett lost his wife, too. Not by death, but through his own stupidly.
So, when the pressures became too great, he took the cowardly way out--and eased his way into oblivion with a bottle of brandy in one hand and all the
best pain-killing drugs available in the bedside cupboard,
But don't be too hasty condemning hun for that,
The job Curtis-Bennett
did
in our courts of crimind justice.
Is one of the most
appallingly
feult and savagely demanding
that any man can choose,
It is hard enigh to be the
Judge in a murder trial.
I! is a tremendous responsi
brillly 10 be counsel.
a prosecuting
But when the verdiet 15 i and the accused man or woman has been found guilty and ven- tenced to death, for both these men there need be no feeling of nagging doubt,
The judge, as he removes the black cap, can rightly absolve himself from any blame for all he has
the done is to gulde feelings and opinions cxf the jury; the nctual verdict of Gulfty has been left to them.
can
The prosecuting counsel always assuage his conscience "I am not by telling himself:
this
to blame for sending person to the gallows. All I did. was to follow my briet and lay the facts before the jury."
But Derek Curtis-Bennett was almost always particularly In murder cases the barrister whose job it was to defend the man in the dock, and save him from the rope.
And who could he blame when the verdict was in, and sentence of death had been spoken?
Only himself for being inefficient in the presentation of
weak his docta,
in his cross- lacking examination.
in per- suasion in his picas on behalf of his client.
Je
Io
That 1
clopent why his associates were glad when he decided to marry for a second time. They know the difference
Inges between Derek Curtis- Bennett and tris new wife. The gap between their stations tn
and life
interests WIS even
He mude overtures to his ex- wore in the hope of securing o ut comfort reemitation He thought aird the rst that it was going to be easy. He could not belleve the truth
he hadi -that
thrown his marriage away and would never
And with divorce,
last the emotions prep this unstable was torn away. The great Derek Curtis-Bennett began to tofter. He had always been a nerve- ridden man, of course, One of wider.
called hima "A Iris colleagues mental knuckle-grower."
terror of flying, for had instance. He was in two minds the whether to accept one biggest briefs of his career-the In trial + U Saw for treason
He eventually brought Burma, himself to make the flight.
Friends say he never reenver- et frun it, and henceforth hnd terrible nightmares in which his plane was crashing in flames.
ان
11 least, Thought,
Its associates he will have someone to confort him and reassure him in those dark and lonely hours when the doubts look grimmest the worntes ure most
He had loved Margaret Dun-
and can very dearly. He had fought hard to win her, for this charm-
ng amable.
and intelligent woman had many suitors for her
hand, including some of Curtis- Bennett's own rivals at the Bar He cherished her. He made her the mother
of
his
three
terrifying.
Unfortunately, it was too late. The crack-up had already begun,
young and attrac Not even tive wife was strong enough to Jousen the stranglehold which
CITY
VID
eveti
The odd story of Kurttisbenet
* instance the attruction uf Derek Curtis-Bennell !for women, cuttalder tb]m lester to a Tandon newspaper
From ID LD37
Mrs. Treur wha kurttisbeurt, cetiouneed the shebaine Snezú after appearing as witnew In a case fun which Mr. Carthy- Bennett was defence counsel :
**Mr. Derek Curtis-Bennett for an Is alone responsible my eyes hit upon LBAL rokutsit, devastatlig profile of his, my wayward heaṛt was no longer laɔay kreplag—| fell in love with blin mad hug to my breast the fact, an In love one foollafily will, that Ian connected with the lored one if only phonetically
11 am emtetit), howeveč. that he not called Winter- botham, as that is a cold kind
take fur of name Lo
kiring.
Dit in the last weeks dvink look away his powers of thought and speech. An eminent legal friend gol
him » couple of briefs and waited for him to He never appear in court appeared. He was dead drunk.
his sofa al home.
After Irla harassed and howtoded and bewildered second whe had killed heractt the crack-up became a crash,
11
I don't
want to be a hundred
says THE BEAUTY OF POZNAN
T
HE Beauty of Poznan sits in her father's
garden. It is a glow- ing summer day in the 1870's and her fair hair shines like a Grecian helmet that has been polished for a triumphal parade.
by ANNE SHARPLEY
No wonder her clever young
the Stoles, nephew from
02 Her head in bent with unknown but promising youth Bernard Baruch, Whe
mock seriousness over her called
improssed when he mot his sewing and she displays her young aunt on visit with his hands with 1 conscious father to the old home i prettiness as she sewB. All Poznan,
to
the time she is listening. Despite becoming
close ad- There it is--the rustle as viscr
President Roosevelt the bushes are drawn aside and one of the most influential Mr inen in the United States, Baruch has remained impress ed.
MRS, MALVINA ZIMMT as the was 80 years ago
and several pairs of regard her intently.
Oh, he tried to pull himself fogether at Orst. He went into Wha Mursing home, but expelled because of his conduel. His friends gathered round. In a desperate attempt to save him, and came up with the offer of a private portion of £10 a week. "Can He laughed at them: you imagine ine," he said, with the a savage laugh, "living on £500 I once made 1 year when £10,000? You would never have dared to offer that to my And then, he added father." sudly: "But then, you would
would never have needed to, you?"
Cyea
For just as durable
As the
type of beauty that was adinired then Ly the admiration
evoked.
She has always beca his favourite aunt, "He was ** protta as a boy of 10 to be seen with me," she remembers,
And though Bernard Baruch may be her nephew anti a mere octogenarian, it was she who went to see him at Claridges to 53 save him the climb up the sal to the second-floor where she Ilves with her drughter.
NO PROBLEM
The stairs are still no prob- They belong to the officers of tem to her ("Her heart," says Military Academy. Every her doctor in ectasy, "Is so It's a pleasure to listen
Gay they stop to look at her as strong they
pass the garden-the
to it"). famous Beauty of Poznan,
*
Now. 80 years loter. Mra Malvoa Zimmt, the Beauty of Poznan.
sits in another garden -in Kensington.
She had wanted Mr Baruch to come and all in the garden with her. It could have been
ke old times
like the times before she was left widow in 1906, before the long years in Berlin between wars, before she had to escape to France in 1930 and go into hiding in Nice during the Oc- cupation.
The
courteous
At which he went back to his flat, took up the bottle again. In two weeks she wiil be and died. Alone—except. per-100 and the time when young haps, for the sad and
with sighing officers peered ghost of the father he tried so awe at pretty giris known
but never qulie Beauty of so-and-so"
Are not only over for her-but for all of us, alas.
40
hard to equal,
tid.
(COPYRIGHT)
THE ROOM WHERE SIGHS
COST
200 GUINEAS
At the end of July the buying and selling of the world's treasures ended
Here until October.
JOHN CLARKE steps into Christies' salesroom for a last-of-the-season look at one of the world's most famous auctioneers.
But he never come and so her life followe Its established marry routine,
Although she did not any of the officers but a lexlife merchant instead, the wordless It is sunny she will sit in compliment of those young men the garden remembering with
clarity has endured for the Beauty of that curious
and pre- Poznan for 80 years. How few cision that is one of the won- of our generation will have any- ders of old age-the events thing so romantic and charming her youth, 1-10 ponder over when we reach
a hundred?
of
There seemed to be no
Sat under the trees, her hair feeling, ng animosity on either
ilt by the sun and the Baruch sido or anywhere. The twinkle
features still clear and deter- When 1 went to see never left Sir Alec's eye, nor
Mrs mined in her face, she makes Malvina Zimmt-the Beauty of an astonishingly the smile on the face of
Ane the Poznan-she entered the room But she will pol be who disputed the with the dignity that she was graphed
certainly taught in her youth- but how few of us
are being
and big business;
picture. photo-
Instead she gave me a picture she was the
at bought a Munnings painting of balding man In the last Ave months Christion Sir Alex and his fellow ponies for 550 guineas, and t sale. auctioneers (all of whom are at once looking well pleased; a partners, and one of whom is Baeburn portrait came up. "The
A sale at Christies is wonder-taught in ours. Completely erect of herself when Sir
sold properly," Alec's son) have
said the catalogue, ful spectator sport, as well as she slood by the door Beauty of Poznan. £1,000,000 worth of pictures, "of a great-great-great-nephew
those who commanding the гоот before china, furniture, books,
of the sitter,
"I do not want to be 100. It Inte conduct it and those who take she moved
it-something does not interest me," she told seen u Alm me sharply, perhaps reminded Smoothly the sale went on. There was constant movement part could teach many sports that I have never
star do effectively yet. When too vividly of her youth by the Here was a Romney portrait in the salesroom, constant talk, men a thing or two about
she sat down it was really more picture she gave me. being sold by order of the and how Sir Alee kept track of sportsmanship.
(COPYRIGHT) trustees of a decoted third bids that might be shrugs, sighs,
winks, nods or grunts was be- yond my understanding.
baron. 21
"Pity it's side-face,” sald A
Face-aches' we
SAT on a wooden chair mackintosh who bought. in a crowded room, and picture for 1,500 guineas as
hardly dared to calmly as if she were buy little dealer sitting behind me. I sympathised with him when breathe. For on the chair ing a pound of groceries; a "People like full-face portraits he said to one man: "Are you
if she better.
No? call bidding, sir? next to mine sat a lean man girl who looked
a lightweight mackin- were on her way to a wed- these ones. Rather rude, I sup- wave your catalogue, sir."
with the man tosh who every few seconds ding at St Margaret's who pose, but it's the way the sitters 1 sympathised
always, have a hund to their who had carnel the rebuke, check in the side-face pictures." for it was barely perceptible did not bid at all.
stern-ioned commination,
in
gave
#
sigh.
volved in it.
18
the
Ruffled
Then don't
And
üg
A
been
-
of an enthronement.
SUED A SORCERESS FOR A REFUND
By MANSON CLARKE
a retired
VITCHES still operate in a Devon man told a court that who, they alleged, had an “evli
his wife be- eye' and
was responsible for some of the remote he had deserted
their family's misfortunes. rural districts of southwest cause she practised witchcraft.
During the The Romney brought 1,400
In the early 1940's
present decade England, according to
a British "witch hunters" There were men and women
in Germany guineas and taught me a lesson. Such sighs at that mo. of every age and
witch farmer, who was charged with have been paid up to 20 guineas degree, and
British student of It was down in the catalogue as mony nationalties, and all
assaulting a woman, said he had for denouncing a witch. In one of ment were costing 200
craft. This makes strange committed the alleged George Romney. by
Another them were under the spell of a picture entered under the head-
offence year there were 15 trials of guineas aplece, for that silver-haired, elderly man, firm
reading, indeed, in 1956, but because the woman had cast these German "witch hunters.". ing Romney came up. It was
on him and his farm. was the way bidding was of voice and sharp of eye as a
sold for 20 guineas. When only Then its smoothness was mildly British Medical Association belief that he who draws blood
Smoothly the sale went on. only recently a report of the spell
Working on the time-honoured going at. Christies, and my tracker-Sir Alec Martin, the artist's
Mr W.A. Robbins, is given surname neighbour was deeply in great auctioneer,
without first name or Initials it ruffled, "Hullo, hullo," a voice referred to U death from from a witch frees himself from British school Inspector, who means that the picture is of his called, when a lot had
out has studied witchcraft for 30 He stood in his pulpit-like
and caused the woman's fore- years, and recently that in Brl- rostrum, and as he amounced school, and probably not by him. knocked down for 20 guincas, witchcraft in the Devon- her power, the farmer bit
"Hullo, hullo, I was bidding."shire area not long ago.
head to bleed.
tain there were definitely black Having sighed his way each lot, overalled porters, who
and white (good) witcher In 1952, a Frenchman west so their сце
"No, you stopped, sir," said up to 2,800 guineas, he gave never once missed
In some elismg in Devon, far as to sue an alleged sorceress country villages, he said, it was hoisted the
Old pictures ... best to his rival, signing off
for the return of money and believed that the seventh child Masters and moderns - inta
It seems that in many homes certain articles he said he had of a seventh child automatically. with a shake of his head. I view, supporting them on baize-
Two pictures hardly bigger
"Not stop," said the voice, there are stili prople who could breathe again and look covered tables OT pointing than postcardis, by FransescCO round me at what I suppose dramatically at a picture hung Guardi,
sold for 1,800 Alec were
commanded. it was and Imagine they
The last recorded conviction sea humped four chickens, 12 candies and a of a wich in England was that on the wall. is one of the most famous
guineas, a Londacer river scene, brought back and its sale
birch broom box of nails. re-figures: riding the
of Jane Wenham, of Walkern, with stage at bay as a matter of sumed, in accordance with the across its yellow face.
Belief in the black arts rooms in the world the
is Hertfordshire, in 1712, of sale in the
But course, for 50. A dapper man printed, rules
This is borne out to some ex- still held in parts of Germany The man who had
woman was who looked as though he had catalogue.
actually burned stories and Italy. In 1951, four Italians alive for witchcraft in Suther- tent by the strange Just loft his club round
the crted "Hullo" bought it for 45 which come to light from time were tried at Frosinone, Italy, and as late as 1722 corner in St James's Strebt, guineas.
(COPYRIGHT)
The close friends of Curtis Bennett know that he took his astbacks in the counts with A sence of personal grievance,
just professional was not disappointment,
said ona of principal salesroom of William (Lord Christies. How Haw) Joyce was sentenced to death, he was badly shaken. Everyone told him he had con-
them.
"Lot
1
Fluttered
The room is octagonal five hundred guiness I'm bid" 21," Sir Alec announced, ducted a brillant defence, but and (like, the whole build- Catalogues fluttered, and in
he couldn't get it out of byle mind that he had somehow failed. My father would have saved tim, he kept saying. And nothing we could say, would persuade him otherwise,"
While his father was alivé, and he himself, was "happlly married to his first wife, Mar- garet Duncan, he found theme
doubte gnawing
of his pro-
Uve with
ing) air-conditioned, and one minute and five seconds, the pictures crowded its crim picture had been sold for 2,000
guincas, son walls. It was filled with the strangest assortment of people I have ever seen
one room.
Calmly
In
I timed the auction. In the first half-hour of the two hours it lasted, 40/pictures were sold, I totted the pricom up. In 30 minutes Sir Albe sold 13,943 gulnens' worth of pictures.
John
1. wondered what old There were restless, olive Christio,, who founded the firm Lessional adequacy powiblo to skinned men in palm-beach in 1780, would have thought. They showed me, al ́ontalogue suita, who never sat, but of his fret, sale of "Cremations His father kept, uriner hin sthat - tamtavourablo verdicts were rosimed about throwing bida Household Furniture of a Noble what you had to sorpect when over their shoulder when ist John Omrielle sold was
Personaro (Decteerd)," The first- you chose the most dmcult pide, the spirit moved them; red pint
of the law-abd", always
for the denDETE
acted
girl
a green plastic plates. They, Intched 108.
Stags at bay
Sir Alec.
Bring the picture back, Sir glance fearfully at the full moon an his rival. He died ever became a white
on claimed £55,
MANDRAKE. THE MAGICIAN
AT THE PALACE THEY THINK
· HARDA”. ELOPED WITH SOMEONE
PERFECT! GO BACK TO THE PALACE AND KEEP YOUR
EARS OPEN!
THEY THINK WEVE ELOPEDI [-WHAT LUCKI THAT MEANS-- NO POLICE FOR A WHILE, IT GIVES ME TIME--
·AND AN IPEAT
to time. Only a few years ago for the murder of a woman
HOW COULD NARCA ELOPET
YET--SHE IS A PRINCESS-
THIS IS HER
PALACE SHE
MAY HAVE FELT
DIFFERENT
HERE
By Lee Falk and Phil Davis
A PRINCE OF ROYAL
BLOOD-MORE
·BUITABLE THAN “A==MAGICIAN,
IS THAT WHY.
SHE ELOPEDT
AFRAID TO TELL ME
TALK
ABOUT
MAGIC!
witch.
Have you seen
Admira
[