1961-03-25 — Page 5

A British Crossword Puzzle

:

THE JUDGES

AND THE

JUDGED

part five

The day when Mr. Justice Swift's

sense of fun

deserted him ...

THERE may have been greater judicial wits than Rigby Swift, but never judge with richer humour, a livelier sense of fun.

By EDGAR LUSTGARTEN

had more than

once changed house to cocape the Evil Eye: and that he believed in the exis- tence of a ghostly talking mon-

goose, which supposedly haunted

a farm somewhere on the Isle of Man, and about which he had written a book, with a psychical

The Mongoose was

Mr. Justice Swift: A lively sense of fun-but

his anger

could be frightening

18

22

24

"Between those dates, did you, Stephen, Tallents about this

"Yes," said Mr Fuller.

"Did you go to see him about this action?"

10

11

13

16 ...

120 121

sce Sir Stephen Tallents, the action?" head of public relations at the BBC7"

"Yes,"

Gladstone

"Did you discuss that memorandum with Sir Ceell Levita?" "Yes."

26

"Is this

Yes."

copy

of that

ACROSS

DOWN

1 Clambered.

a Malediction.

8 Namo,

3 Man.

10 Wife,

12 Coin,

you had seen Mr Murray?"

"Yes," replied Sir Cecil. "Did you go to see him about

Mr Lambert?"

standing between Mr Gladstone

"YCB."

"What in the world had it to memorandum?" do with you?"

"Nothing at all."

'Breakdown"

"When I appreciated," Sir Coell Levita sold, "that there a gross misunder- had been You could usually read it in his face a specialiat, describing their joint cherubic moon with wide mischievous eyes, and investigations on the spot. Murray and myself concerning the named what I had said about

"Did Sir Stephen Tallents lips parted as though in constant readiness to Jeff, one learned, and was 80 plaintiff. I decided that, in the ask

you to do your best old. It knew Rusalan, interests of both the Flim In- to stop this action?" Sir Fatrick smile. You could usually hear it in his voice-in years

Arabic, He stitute and the BBC, the truth went on suavely. those full, warm tones, laced with a Northern Flemish, Italian,

brew, Welsh and Hindustani. should be made known, so I "No."

Mr Norman.' accent, which conveyed an almost boyish zest for It sang nursery rhymes. It pran- went

"Why go to the plaintiff's merriment. You could usually experience it, and tied the tonle eol-fa scale. It

was Interested in flying. It kill employer and tell him your side even share it with him, whenever he tried a civil ed a creat many

of the case?" cause in which there lay one spark of.potential never out of season, and could comedy.

But there was no readiness to smile, no zest for merriment, no truck with comedy on the part of Mr Justice Swift that November morning back in 1936. He was angry-and his anger could be frightening to behold. And yet, initially, this jury suit for slander-now in its third successive day at the Royal Courts of Justice-had seemed what the theatrical profession call a "vehicle" for the display of Swift's most familiar characteris- tics.

and was to prove in the upshot, even more serious fur Sir Cecil

Mr Richard Lambert, then the occasion would have been Editor of The Listener, com- privileged and the statement plained Chat Sir Cecil Levita, justified. All this was doubtless then well known in public life, serious enough for Mr Lambert had told Mr Gindstone Murray of the BBC-significantly lap ping his forehend as he did so --that Lambert was in effect, mentally unbalanced, and that the BBC should get him off the British Film Institute Council (where he and Lady Levita had come into sharp conillet).

Sir Cecil denied saying so, but plended that if he had done tas Mr Gladsteno Murray sware),

But the allegations felled on by the latter to support and es- tablish his

justification plea could hardly have fulled to pro- voke mirth among others--quite irrespective of their falsity or truth.

It was said that Mr Lambert dabbled in the occult; that he

cat:

rabbits, but

Overruled

Instantly defendant's ael was upon his feet. objection. however, irmly

13 Mammal,

14 Beyond.

coun- 16 Change Swift, 10 Painter,

overruled his 18 Stretah.

bo

20 Den.

22 Equip,

23 Border.

"Let the memorandum read; aloud," he said.

The effect of its essential 24 Rebuke,

25 Tree,

Sir 20 Throttled.

part was stunning. "I saw M Lambert on March 6th," Stephen had recorded. "I told hini I was instructed to tell him that he went on with the course which he had indicated the previous morning there was a serious danger that he might well prejudice his position with the corporation,"

"What did he say?" "That Mr Lambert was suffer- ing from a nervous breakdown." What in the world had it to do with you?"?

"Nothing at all." Swift snorted. He would have dearly

the to join in questioning himself, but Sir Patrick was now in full and devastating spote..

"Did you go to see Sir Stephen Tallents with the object of per- sunding the BBC to stop this action?"

"I went to try to get a settle-a dreadful thing," he said with solemn emphasis, "that, when a ment of the action," admitted man brings an action demanding

redress for a wrong, his em "Did you get information ployers should be approached from Sir Stephen Tallents which behind his back and asked to you gave to Mr Lambert at that bring pressure to bear on him to lunch?"

settle."

Swift had listened with gradu- on occasion turn itself into a ally lowering brows 15 this exchange developed. There were

ilked The rectal of Jeff's personal colleagues who excelled him in

and history

accomplishments the splitting of legal hairs and naturally created o hilarious the niceties of construction, but

to which

Swift's none in stalwart championship atmosphere contributions werc cagerly of individual freedom and indi- awaited.

vidual rights. He did not like But the judge appeared less what he thought that this than customarily puckish. Some portended-and he liked it even even imagined him unwell, or less when it actually took shape.

more Ilkely. out of sorts. But his keen furensic instinet had detected in the skein of tire case than simple a darker thread defamation; a thread only first - and then but partially → uncovered when Sir Patrick Hastings, for the plaintiff, was questioning the defendant.

He listened...

were not dis-

"Did you tell Mr Gladstone Murray," asked Patrick, "that, # Mr Lambert missed from the Film Institute Counell, you would go to see your friend, Mr Norman, the chairman of the BBC?"

"No," replied Sir Cecll. "Did you in fact go to see Mr Norman very soon after

Mr Fuller. Lunch date

Mr Fuller-a governor of the Brish Film Institute—had made his bow as a very minor witness. Sir Cecil's counsel call- ed him on one or two points of detail; most probably ex- pecting, and quite certainly in- tending. his spell in the lime- light to be short and uneventful. Sir Patrick however, deter- mined otherwise.

"Do you know" he began his cross-examination-"that the writ in this action is dated March oth?"

.

"Yes."

"Did you tell Mr Lambert that Sir Stephen Tallents had told you that if he persisted, the BBC would tum him qui?”

"Certainly not." "What in the world has this action to do with the BBC!"

"Nothing at all."

The Judge was new making visible efforts to restrain him- All his worst suspicions self. were confirmed as Sir Patrick dexterously dealt his coup de

"Yes," said Mr Fuller. "Did you ask the plaintiff for grace. lunch on March 24th?"

"Yes," said Mr Fuller.

"Did you later get to know of a memorandum made by Str

Summing up that afternoon the judge did not reject the chance to speak his mind. "It is

The jury awarded punitive damages against Sir Cecli Levita: the enormous sum of £7,500, AB Swift, having grant- ed judgment accordingly left court for the day, it was noted that he had regained much of his normal cheerfulncas. -

NEXT: Lord

Justice Lawrence

-(Lanam Express Service),

YESTERDAY'S.

4 Prettio.

b Chosen,

6 Blamelessness.

7 Gouging,

Fabulous creature,

11 Shakes,

15 Conjunction,

'17. Girl,

10 Impress,

21 Plenty,

33 Suspend.

CROSSWORD-Across: 1 Lack, Rear, Hale, 9 Shop, 11 Rapt, 13 Sopik 14 Hay, 10 Sever, 10 Vivid 21 Rants, 23 Nincs, 24 Age, ⇒ Careful, 20 Shot, 30 Silo, 31 Arid, 22 Dok, 33 Cent. Down: Loss, 2 Crop, a Warna, 4 Rep, & Rosy, 7 Lager. itaving, 10 Plain. Then, 15 Artful, 17 Voɛés, 15 Vies, 20 Decor, 23 Satin, 24 Avid, 20 Fine, 27 Lost, 29 Hat,

CHESS

By LEONARD BARDEN

22

(609])

In this position Black moved 1... QR-R1 and only drew How could he bave won by force?

London Express Sertice.

TARGET:

Lith many

words of four feitura

or shar 2011

Juu

Trom

TAN

HAT

To making

each letter

MET

Baen

letters un the square the left?

the words.

may be agEN

once on 17.

Word TAKAT. Bontai Lie large letter, and there, musc De at fenat: bijo' Teti-letter word lin the flat. No plurals: no:foreign words; no proper antice. TODAY'S TARGET: 14 wards, good: 20 words, very good

excellent. Golation

on Monddy.

YESTERDAYS) - BOLUTION:

·Able alma amble amiablð ampla Appal appeal apple bank bail bala bail batm bell ile bit blame himp Impala IMPALPABLE Impel label Inblat labila lama lamb lame lamia lamp Lapel leal leap liable hei Bab Baie Umpama mail male mall maple meal mile mil pall pale pall palm pały palpable papal peat pita pili pimple plea pílabia ption. --(London Express Farisien).

Your

fun

really

starts

when

you're

there!

Have more time to be gay... more time to relax!

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