SIR JOSEPH HAWLEY 149 



paid, but the increased circulation would, it was 

 supposed, leave a balance on the right side. The 

 possibility that Sir Joseph would appeal to the 

 criminal courts did not enter into the calculation 

 of the conspirators, and great was their consterna- 

 tion when, on the advice of Mr. George Lewis, 

 criminal proceedings were instituted against Dr. 

 Shorthouse and his printer. 



In the issue of The Sporting Times published 

 a week after the one containing the libel. Dr. 

 Shorthouse pleaded that the writing and publica- 

 tion of the article ** reflecting in the most un- 

 warrantable manner upon the character and 

 conduct of Sir Joseph Hawley " were entirely 

 without his knowledge, and that he read it with 

 surprise and disgust. He explained that he was 

 ill when the paper containing it was prepared for 

 the press, and declared that he was sure the 

 calumny had caused more pain and annoyance 

 to him than it had done to Sir Joseph. 



Dr. Shorthouse was sentenced to a term of 

 three months' imprisonment and fined ^^o. 

 The writer of the libel was believed to be one 

 Alfred Geary, who for a time acted as private 

 secretary to General Peel, but drifted into journal- 

 ism via the wine trade. It was said that he 

 pressed Dr. Shorthouse to allow him to take sole 

 responsibility for the attack on Sir Joseph, but 

 that the Doctor refused to relieve himself of the 

 consequences. 



