The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-09-04 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE.

On klenday, at the Highgate Petty Sessions, Miss Louisa
Cox, a young lady reaiding with her parents at Stafford,
house, Finchley, appeared before Cob net Jeakes, Mr. Elan,
and Mr. Lelnelle, to answer two summonses taken out by Dr.
Berson. The first was for mend, usly breaking, injuri, g.
and spoiling a certain box his property, thereby doing
damage to the amount of ss. The second for unlawfully
taking and boiling without just cause certain papers and
writings his property. Mr. Poncione. Pm., appeared to pro-
secute and Mr. Poncione, sea, defended.

_
Dr. Reuben Berson, who said he was a teacher of
languages, Doctor of Laws and Philosophy, Scholar
and Exhibitioner of Oxford, and now residing at
Fiucliley, deposed that in February loot Miss Louisa
COX was introduced to hien by the Assistant-Master of
East-end College Mr. Groom. They were engaged to
be married shortly afterwards by the consent of her
parents, and he gave her presents, among them being
an engagement ring. He went to Oxford for the pur-
pose of taking Holy orders in July, and on the 15th
he received two letters from the father of Miss Cox,
who keeps the East-end College, Finchley, telling him
not to take the final step, but to return to his (Mr.
Cox's) house. On the lith of July, Mrs. Cox and her
daughter Louisa came to his lodgings at Oxford and
asked him to return, which he did, after much
persuasion, on the following Monday. Miss Cox
took part of his luggage home with her, consisting
of two black bags and a hat-box. In one of the
bags by Miss Cox's request he put the letters which he
had received from her. He gave his word to her father
to be surety for i.:300 for him. Be went to town in
the morning about eleven o'clock to give lessons, and
returned between one and two in the morning of Fri-
day, the 30th of July, when he saw a light in his bed-
room and some one moving. about. He was let in by
the servant, and as be was very tired he went to sleep.
In the morning he went to his box, which was standing
on the landing outside his bedroom door, and found the
hasp had been wrenched off, and thirty-five letters
that he had received from Miss Cox extracted, be-
sides his diploma from the University of Vienna,
and several other credentials from Austria, which
were sealed and signed by the English Consul
at Vienna. He went downstairs, and said to
Mrs. Cox, "Who broke open my box ?" and the
servant coming-up at the time said, "I suppose
Mies Cox did it with the screwdriver that I brought
her." lie said to Mts. Cox, "Why did you allow
Miss Cox to open my box?" and she said, "I could
not help it; I could not fight with her, and that is
what every English girl will do." Mr. Cox then male
his appearance, and said he could no., help it; his
daughter was of age and had acted for herself. On
being asked where Miss C,ix was, he said "Oh, she is
if and you will not find her." Dr. Hereon got into a
trap with Mr. Cox and drove down to Finehley, and
as they were passing the East-end Railway Station he
saw Miss Cox and her aunt standing at the door. He
told Mr. Cox to step the horse, but instead of doing
so he whipped it and it went at a rapid rate past the
mat ..n. Seeing Mr. Cox would not stop the horse,
he caught hold of the reins himself, stopped the horse,