PROSECUTED 313 



In an early part of the paragraph they were described 

 as " profit-seeking itinerant agitators " and " Hyde Park 

 plunderers of the poor." Two of them were mentioned 

 by name. 



It was a stupid thing to give such people the chance of 

 an advertisement, for we had plenty of rich enemies ready 

 to help them or anyone else to attack us. Thus it happened 

 that by some mysterious means the Attorney-General's 

 fiat was obtained for the prosecution of the editor, 

 proprietors, publishers and printers of St Stephen's Review, 

 and on this large order, fifteen or sixteen defendants were 

 proceeded against. The paper was owned by a limited 

 company which never had any shareholders except the 

 original seven clerks who signed for a share each, for the 

 formality of registration. These seven, or such of them 

 as could be found, were prosecuted. Messrs Judd & Co., 

 the printers, were in similar case, and the directors of 

 their company were included. One of these was Mr James 

 Judd, a highly reputable Common Council man, and his 

 indignation at the fate that had befallen him was really 

 amusing. " Nothing," he cried, " will induce me to go 

 and stand where criminals have stood ! " 



The first proceedings were at Bow Street. Mr Bowen 

 Rowlands, Q.C., appeared for us. and MrBesley for Messrs 

 Judd. The prosecutors were supported by numerous 

 rich Radicals, prominent among whom was Mr Dadabhai 

 Naoraji. The Rev. Stuart Headlam also assisted them 

 with evidence, and altogether we were up against a strange 

 crowd. Now, to justify a libel in criminal proceedings 

 you have to prove not merely that it was published for 

 the public benefit, but that every word of it is true. 

 One of the men whom we had mentioned proved to be a 

 teetotaller, and the word " boozy " as applied to him was 

 indefensible. Therefore, with him we effected an amicable 

 settlement. The other man went on, and at Bow Street 

 such a defence as justification is not gone into. We were 

 formally committed for trial at the Old Bailey, and 

 Mr Judd's horror on hearing this was such that, quite 



