The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-04-01 00:00:00

iagal.

Tun Ronny llostaster. t the Warrick assizes on
Thursday, Richard Guinness Hill woo placed at the
bar, and pleaded " Not platy" to an indictment charging
lii iii with having, at the parish of Rugby, on the 7th of
January, 1859, unlawfully and wilfully mad°, or caused
to be made, to William Ilerbert, then being registrar of
births fir the district of Rugby, certain false st iteineuts,
regoireek be made known and registered, concerning a
male infant born of the body of one Auly Geo Nina Hill,
by the said Richard Giiiiiiiess Hill, her husband, on
the sth of January, 1850 The prisoner having been
giving in charge to the jury, Mr. Field rose and 'aid
that, us counsel inetructed for the pro,ecution, lie bud
carefully read the depositions it.:ainst the prisoner, and
hal come to the conclusion that in consequence of the
death of the person to whom the statement was alleged
to have been made be could not reasonable expect that
the jury would come to a conclusion that the prisoner
was guilty. With his Lordship's sanction, therefore,
he proposed to offer no evidence to the jury. His Lord-
ship said that he placed so much confidence in the ex-
perience. learning, and judgment of the learned counsel,
that he was satisfied to act on his asset-mice, and the
case would therefore proceed no further. The prisoner
was then discharged.
TUE MARQUIS OF WERTMEATRI L %DT WEST-
WRATH AND CHAPMAY. —This mole Come before Mr.
Creswell Creswell and special jury on Thursday.—The
Marquis of Westineath i rayed for a dissolution of his
mairiage with the filarchioness on the ground of her
adultery with George Edward Climpinan, and he claimed
£6OOO damages from the co-respondent. Neither ,
the respondent nor the co-respondent ap-
peared. Mr. Serjeant Slim, Dr. Deane, ,
Q.C., and Mr. Turrer were counsel for the petitioner. !
—Dr. Deane, in the absence of Mr. Serjeant Shee,
opened the ease. He stated that the petitioner, on the
Bth of February, 1858, married the ren:iondent, whose
maiden name was Maria Jarvis, at all Saint's Church,
St. John's Wood. She Was a person of humble position
in life, and was also considerably younger time the
Marquis. She possessed great personal beauty, singularly
pleasing manners, and winning address. Previous to
the marriage the Marquis made a settlement upon her.
The settlement was liberal, considering Ids eireuin•
stances; for his estate was small and his income
straitened fora person of hie rank. He was also liberal
to her and to her family as long as the cohabitation
lasted, end them was no reason why they should not
have lived happily together, in spite of the dis-
parity of position, for she WAS not an educated woman
and not of age. They did live happily down to July or
August, 1860. Lady Westmeath then went to Dieppe.
She was shortly followed by his Lordship, who did
not stay long, tint returned and left her there. At
Dieppe she male the acquaintance of George Edward
Chapman, the son of the British Consul, and he
became intimate with her and with the lady who
accompanied her, who ens now dead. In September,
1860, Lady Westmeath returned to England, end again
lived with the Marquis at his house in Bayswater.
She continued there till May or June, 1861, when,
the excites that her health wee not very good, she
obtained his permission to pay a visit to Matlock in
Derbyshire. To Matlock elm never went, but stopped at .
the Victoria-pork Hotel, near Sheffield. There she was
met by Chapman, who was in sonic business or another
at Sheffield, and he took apartments for her at Mrs.
Chapman, and for her maid-servant Mr. Chapman and
Lady Westmeath lived and boarded in that hotel for
upwards of a fortnight, passing as nom and wife. Lady
Westmeath then returned to the house of the Marquis
in town. From that time down to the 17th of
November, 1861, she was in the habit of visiting Mr.
Chapman at 6, Chester-terrace, Eatondiquare. In
January, 1861, Mr. Chapman' had taken lodgings there,
telling the people of the house that lie was privately
married to the dangliter of some wealthy person in
London, that it was desirable that the marriage should
be kept secret, but that his wife would frequently come
and pass the night with him. Lady Westmeath con-
tinued to visit those lodgings as Mrs. Chapman until
the 17:1 of November, when a letter which she had
given to her maid to post, addressed to Mr. Chapman,
was handed by the maid to the Marquis, who Mime.
diately sent for his solicitor, Mr. Howard. The letter
was in these words:—" Sunday Night "I have not
been able to leave my bed to-day, darlingeat pet. I
could hardly breathe, and could hardly hold up my
head five minutes together. Nothing but inability
to move should have kept me here this evening. Fidget
is talking of going out of town toonorrow ! I hardly
like asking to remain at home, my beloved, and yet
there is a probabilty of my being able to see you and
spend the evening. If I can possibly get away I
promise you that my cold shall be no obstacle ; for
what is health or life to time if they are not to be spent
with thee? I feel very low-spirited to night—almost
wish that the chapter of my eventful history was
drawing to a close. Now, my beloved one, I must say
good night, for E---- is holding the candle by any
bedside. Dearest one, do not wait et home if there is
any necessity for you to go out, or if you wish it, as I
can very well wait your return, even if Jam fortunate
enough to get out for the afternoon and evening.
Blissful dreams, darling. God bless you.—" Chickie."
In conclusion the learned counsel said it NASA for the
jury to say what compensation, as far as money could
be a compensation, should be paid by Mr. Chapman for
the wilful injury he had inflicted on the Marquis.—
Evidence was calied,,and tl e jury, after a quarter of an
bones deliberation gove a verdict for the plaintiff with
£5OO damages. His Lordship granted a decree nisi,
with coati., against the co-respondent, but refused to
certify, for a special jury, as no appearance had ben
made.