The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-09-12 00:00:00

THE ARMSTRONG ABDUCTION CASE.

At Bow-street Police-court on Monday the case of
Eliza Armstrong was further proceeded with, Mr. W.
T. Stead, editor of the Pall Mall Gazette, Mr. Samp-
son Jacques, Madame Combe, Mr. Bramwell Booth
(of the Salvation Army), Madame Maurey, and Mrs.
Rebecca Jarrett being charged with having taken the
child from the custody of her parents, indecently
assaulted her, and administered to her a noxious
drug. The court was full, and throughout the day
there was a crowd of people in front of the building.
Mr. Poland having stated the case for the prosecu-
tion, Eliza Armstrong gave her evidence, a.nd her
mother's evidence having been partially taken, the
proceedings were adjourned, all the defendants being
allowed out on bail.

Tuesday was mainly occupied in the cross-exami-
nation of Mrs. Armstrong and her daughter Eliza.
The girl admitted that she was treated kindly, except
that she had to work hard whilst in France, and that the
only occasion on which she was subjected to an inde-
licate examination was at the house where she was
taken after leaving her home. Mrs. Armstrong, who
was closely questioned as to her character, acknow-
ledged that she had been fined several times for
drunkenness and using obscene language, but she
vigorously protested against this being any justifica-
tion for the defendants taking away her child The
case was again adjourned till Saturday.
Describing the scene at the rising of the Court, a
correspondent says that probably a thousand persons
were waiting outside in the hope of seeing the de-
fendants leave the building. Generally speaking they
were of a very rough class, while some were pick-
pockets. A fnw of these were weeded out, and tem-
porarily taken into the station by the police to keep
them out of mischief. Despite this precaution some
of the more respectable onlookers found themselves
suddenly deprived of their valuables. For half an
hour the crowd was engaged in rushing from place to
place, attracted either by the stopping of cabs at the
entrance or by cries of "Here they are." In every
case they were disappointed, but their proceedings
were not the less dangerous. An inoffensive old
woman, who was carrying what appeared to be
a copy of the War Cry, the journal of the
Salvation Army, was mistaken for Mrs. Jarrett.
Immediately a gang of roughs rushed upon -her
with threatening gestures. Fortunately she was
opposite the door of the police-station, round which
a number of policemen were standing. The officers
with great promptitude ran to her assistance, drag-
ging her into the station out of the very grasp of the
mob. Though somewhat frightened, she was not
hurt, and walked away shortly afterwards. While
this was going on there was a block of cabs, carts, and
carriages in the street, and many persons in the crowd
had difficulty to avoid being run over. One carriage
was occupied by ladies, who appeared very much
frightened, and urgently entreated their coachman to
drive on, although to do so was impossible at the
moment. Turning out in stronger force the police
now kept the footpath clear, and soon afterwards
Mr. Stead, accompanied by Mr. Lickford, one of
the legal gentlemen engaged in the case, issued from
the 7principal doorway of the court, and walked
quietly towards the Strand unrecognised by the mob.
At the same time the few who knew him felt consider-
able anxiety on seeing a rush made in his direction,
but equal relief when the object turned out to be an
empty hansom which had stopped against the foot-
path. About an hour after the court had risen, and
when the crowd had begun to diminish, the police
cleared the street in front of the building, an opera-
tion followed by the entry of the prison van into the
courtyard. Five minutes later the van re-appeared
and drove away. One or two persons hooted as it
passed, and then explained that the defendants were
inside the vehicle, a piece of information which we
understand was true, excepting with respect to Mr.
Stead. Of course they were not prisoners, but were
being carried to a place where they could be set down
safely. Feeling that they had been outwitted, the
mob gave a groan or two and dispersed.