Judgment Days

Labour leader John Blackman of Eastbourne, England, had no intention of paying the alimony his wife had demanded. And those who tried to make him pay put their lives at risk.

 

Blackman’s stubbornness first brought him into court in April 1922. He was sent to jail. Shortly afterward one of the magistrates, John Duke, died.

Blackman again failed to pay and was again sentenced. After the hearing, Major Molineux, one of the magistrates, fell seriously ill and soon died. A few minutes after sentence was passed at Blackman’s third appearance in court on the same charge, magistrate H.D. Farnell suffered a seizure and died without regaining consciousness. Still refusing to pay, Blackman was again arraigned in October 1923, this time before Judge MacKarness in the Eastbourne County Court. The judge once again sent himto prison. Blackman finished his sentence in time to attend the judge’s funeral. Late in July 1924, Blackman received his fifth sentence. By September one of the magistrates present at that hearing, J.T. Helby, was dead.

Blackman’s comment on the five deaths was this: “It may be an insignificant coincidence. I bear them no ill will.”