Kissing Women Patients on His Visiting Rounds

Twenty-one Defendants in suit for Libel

A remarkable case was heard in Mr. Justice Darling’s Court on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, when a former Rushden Doctor, who admitted during the proceedings, that he was in the habit of kissing his patients, sued 21 people for libel.

The action was brought by Dr. Arthur William Wilson of 202 Tuffnell Park Road, London, in respect of a letter signed by defendants, and sent to their landlord Mr. Solly. Dr. Wilson was formerly of Rushden, selling his practice in August 1892 to Dr. H. S. Baker. The letter of which Dr. Wilson complained, said Mr. Patrick Hastings, K.C., opening plaintiff’s case was as follows

“Re 78, Tuffnell Park Road – Dear Sir – We the undersigned dwellers in the immediate vicinity, desire to call your attention to the scandalous state of affairs that has existed and still exists at the above premises. During the war we believe the premises were used as a brothel. Since a divorce petition has been filed by a Mr. Vidal, citing Dr. Wilson, of 202 Tufnell Park Road, as the co-respondent. Dr. Wilson visited the premises practically every night, and these visits culminated in a serious fracas on the night of May 23rd 1920”

Dr. Wilson, went on Mr. Hastings was 55 years of age. “Odd and eccentric as he is in some respects” he added, “he has earned the love of thousands of his patients. He is one of the largest-hearted men in the district.” The doctor was married and his wife was an invalid. He was known in the district as the “singing doctor”, because he sang on his rounds and in the houses of his patients. Dr. Wilson attended Mrs. Vidal, who lived with her husband at 78 Tuffnell Park Road in her confinement and had visited the house almost every day since. Mr. Vidal had taken divorce proceedings, citing Dr. Wilson as co-respondent, but the petition had not yet been set down.

Dr. Wilson gave evidence, and emphatically denied there was any truth in the alleged libel.

Mr. Hastings: Was it your habit to kiss Mrs. Vidal? – Yes. The kissing was in the presence of Mrs. Vidal’s sisters, father and mother. “I have kissed the mother too” he confessed. He had never committed misconduct with Mrs. Vidal.

Mr. Justice Darling: “Was this kissing a habit with all your patients?”

Dr. Wilson: “No not all. But with many – when I got very friendly with them. It was just a habit, that’s all”

In re-examination Dr. Wilson said he had kissed about a dozen of his patients altogether.

Mrs. Vidal, giving evidence, said “Dr. Wilson is the whitest man I know. There has been no impropriety at her house.”

The hearing was resumed on Wednesday, when Mrs. Vidal, cross-examined a letter in which she said she would go and live with another man, but declared she never had any intention of doing so. “I wrote it to hurt my husband, to be candid “she said.

Miss Florrie Withers, film actress, said she had lived with Mrs. Vidal at 78 Tuffnell Park Road and had never seen anything wrong there.

Mr. Thomas : Did Dr. Wilson ever kiss you? – Yes.

Mr. Bandy, Mrs. Vidal’s brother, said Dr. Wilson used to kiss everybody at the house.

Reginald George Pennington said he wrote a letter to Mrs. Vidal as she requested him to write a “passionate” letter.

Mr. Thomas “ Did you understand what the letter was for? – Yes

To procure a divorce which would be a miscarriage of justice? Not as I thought.

Evidence for the defence was given, showing that 78 Tuffnell Park Road had been used by immoral people. Dr. Wilson, it was said, went in by a latch-key. The case was settled by a judgment for defendants, with costs.

Dr. Wilson consented to this course on defendants accepting his statements that he did not know the character of Mrs. Vidal’s house and did not commit misconduct there.

Mr. Justice Darling said the defendants had performed a public service.