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Tuesday 16 January 1951
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JOHN WREN JUNIOR, IN
BOX IN LIBEL CASE
MELBOURNE, Monday.
Counsel to-day challenged the authenticity of information laid by the wife of Melbourne financier John Wren, during the hearing of the criminal libel case against Frank Hardy, 33, author of "Power Without Glory."
Hardy was arrested and charged last October, but the case was suspended when the right of a magistrate to hear the case was challenged. The Supreme Court, however, upheld
the right.
The prosecution was initiated by Mrs. Ellen Wren.
The case came before Mr. Jackson, S.M., again to-day, and Mr. D. M. Campbell, K.C. (for Hardy) immediately submitted that Mrs. Wren had made her in- formation under duress from her husband, the "real informant."
"It is really a prosecution by Mr. John Wren, hiding behind his wifes skirts," Mr. Campbell
claimed.
Mr. J. Galbally (for Mrs. Wren) said that Mr. Campbell's statement was "outrageous, and blackguardly" before Mr. Jack- son advised both counsellors to conduct themselves as respon-
sible members of the Bar.
"I am not going to have this case turned into a dog fight,"
said Mr. Jackson.
He ruled it unnecessary to call Mrs. Wren to testify that her statement was not made under duress, as he was satisfied suf-
ficient proof had already been
given.
Mr Galbally said that "Power Without Glory" was, in some sense, a biography of John Wren. The character Nellie West in the book was the wife of John West, and upon whom it had imputed
unchastity.
Older people would realise that a totalisator described in the book was Mr. Wren's totalisator in Johnston Street, Collingwood.
His home, his sporting acti- vities and commercial undertak-
ings, his award to the first Aus- tralian V.C. and. all events of his career were described right up to the present day.
Those who knew Mrs. Wren easily identified her as "Nellie West," Mr. Galbally continued.
Mr. Jackson upheld an objec- tion by Mr. Campbell concerning Mr. Galbally's remarks about Hardy being a Communist.
Mr. Galbally said, Hardy had stated in the book that he be- lieved the perfect state existed in Russia and that it would soon replace capitalism.
Mr. Campbell objected to po- litical beliefs being introduced against the defendant.
The book, Mr. Galbally said, alleged that Mrs. Wren had had an adulterous relation with a bricklayer, and had given birth to an illegitimate child.
Such A Case "Once In 500 Years"
He added that only once in 500 years did a case of criminal libel occur such as the present
one.
"Evidence will be forthcoming, if necessary, to show that Mrs. Wren is a woman of outstanding virtue and has always led a good and virtuous life," said Mr. Gal- bally.
John Francis Wren, son of Mr. John Wren, said he had linked Nellie West with his mother immediately he had read
the book.
Mr. Campbell objected when Wren said he was Mrs. Wren's son. "He cannot say who his
mother is," claimed Mr. Camp-
bell.
Mr. Jackson upheld the objec- tion, and Mr. Wren continued that he believed he was the eldest of Mrs. Wren's nine children.
Five of the children, including himself, were named in the book, Mr. Wren said. His sister's meet- ing with a man named Andreas was also noted, and the fact that she, as a brilliant musician, had gone overseas to study music.
Mr. Campbell asked that the whole book be read in court, as it was absolutely necessary to the defence that the passages mentioned be present to the
court in full.
State And Federal Politicians Mentioned
During his evidence, John Francis Wren said he understood the character Tom Trumbleward to refer to the late Mr. Tunne- cliffe, M.L.A., and took refer- ences to Ted Thurgood to apply to the late E. G. Theodore, M.H.R.
Mr. Wren said that passages in the book describing purchase of a book by John West, en- titled the "Culture of Abdomen," reminded him of a similar book owned by his father.
His first reaction to reading the book was to "smash up" Hardy, Wren said.
He agreed that passages read from the book describing West's dealings in a Queensland daily newspaper, hotels, mines, stadi- ms, racecourses, theatres, cafes, houses, bookmaking, and trotting cases were much the same as John Wren's interests.
But he could not say whether Mr. Wren possessed nearly £2,000,000, as was claimed of
West in the book.
Other passages from the book describing John West coincided with John Wren's early life,
Wren asserted.
These included sporting acti- vities and the formation of a company to investigate gold de- posits in Fiji.
When said he took certain pas- sages in the book to mean that Ellen Wren committed adultery and had seduced a man named Bill Evans, and that the child he knew as his brother was the oc- spring of that union.
Mr. Campbell (for Hardy) said the prosecution had "picked out the eyes from the book that suited them, and have left out all the qualifying parts."
Mr. Campbel continued: "Our contention is that when the whole of the book is read, Mrs. Ellen Wren, far from being painted in a way likely to cause a breach of the peace, becomes someone deserving the, deepest
sympathy and pity.
"She would not be regarded as a bad or immoral women, but as lone who was driven into unfor-
tunate circumstances for reasons of unsatisfied affection and long- ing.
Mr. Jackson refused Mr. Camp- bells request that the book be read in full.
Cross-examined by Mr. Camp- bel, John Wren, Jun., said his mother would attend court to give evidence if necessary.
He and his father had discuss- ed between themselves who would be the best person to brng the libel action.
Wren denied it had been de- cided that if his mother brought the action, the defence of truth and public benefit could not be raised.
He said his mother had read the book and burnt it.
He did not tell Wren Sen., she had read the book until about three or four weeks before the criminal libel charge was laid.
Wren, Jun., said his father had not read the book, although he had told him it suggested he was mixed up in scandals, brib- ery and murders.
The hearing was adjourned.