The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-01-17 00:00:00

POLICE RAID ON A LONDON CAFR..

At the Marlborough-street Police-court, London,
Tuesday, Harding Clark, of the Café de l'Europe,
Haymarket, was summoned by the police for having
his house open for the sale of intoxicating liquors
during prohibited hours, contrary to the provisions of
the statute 35 and 36 Vic., cap. 94; and George
Russell, Charles de L. Chastelaine, Arthur Egerton,
Charlotte Lee, Edith Bencher, Laurie Wilson, Daniel
Nichols, and Edwin White for being on the said pre-
mises during such prohibited hours. Mr. George
Lewis appeared for the defendants. Inspector Henry
Richards, of the C Division, said that at seventeee
minutes to one on the morning of New Year's Day he,
accompanied by Sergeant Juby, knocked at the door,
and was admitted by a man whom he believed to
be a porter. He then went into a large saloon at
the back and saw a waiter, who said that no
gentleman was there. Witness told him there
was a cabman outside waiting for his fare, and the
waiter replied, "Oh, is there?" Seeing another
man he told him the same, and he proceeded to the
front door and told the cabman that as there was no
one in the house he had better drive away. The cab-
man said, "The gentleman must be inside, as I have
here a rug and a pair of opera glasses belonging to
some one who has gone in." The man remarked,
"Oh they have gone—everyone has left," and the
cabman said, "Then they must have gone without my
seeing them.' Witness was about re-entering the
cafe when the porter came out, got into the cab, and
was about to take out the rug and opera glasses, but
the cabman stopped him. Then he (witness) was told
that a gentleman inside wanted to speak to him, and
he re-entered and saw Mr. Chastelaine, who said," I
am the lessee of the Empire Theatre—you know me,
don't you?" Witness replied, "I can't say that I do."
He said he was a particular friend of Mr. Clark's.
Witness then inquired for Mr. Clark, and was told
that he was not there, but at home. Mr. Chastelaine said
that he had, come there to have supper, and that Mr.
Clark knew nothing about it; he was a particular
friend of his, in fact, a partner with him in another
business. A man standing by said that his name was
George Pike, and that he was manager of the house.
Witness asked him if he knew there were any
persons inside, and he replied that he did not.
The witness told Mr. Chastelaine that as he had
a friend with him he should like to see him,
whereupon Mr. Chastelaine said that he was upstairs,
and that he would fetch him. As he was going
away for the 'purpose he and the sergeant followed
and entered a front room on the first floor, where
they found the defendants, in addition to Mr.
Chastelaine, and witness told them he should have to
take their names and addresses. He took the names
of three of the ladies, but the fourth he unavoidably
missed. They appeared to make a laughing matter of
it, but Mr. Chastelaine said, "It is no laughing matter
—it probably means ruin to my friend." One of the
gentlemen remarked, "We could,' or "should have
left before.' On the table were three champagne
bottles, several glasses, and cheese-plates. Two of the
ladies were smoking cigarettes. He told them he
should have to report the matter, and left the room,
followed by Mr. Chastelaine, who asked him into
another room, as he wanted to speak to him privately.
Witness told him that whatever he wished to say
must be said in the presence of the sergeant, and
then Mr. Chastelaine remarked. "This is all my
fault. Mr. Clark knows nothing about my being
here." The manager asked, " Have you any friend
of Mr. Clark's here ?" and Mr. Chastelaine replied,
"Unfortunately, half a dozen." The manager
denied that he knew anything of their presence.
Mr. George Lewis said that the restaurant was under-
let by Mr. Clark, and that was why the manager did
not know the defendants were there. Mr. Newton:
But the license is taken out in Mr. Clark's name.
Mr. G Lewis: That is so—he did not dispute the
fact. The defendants were very sorry if they had
created any breach of the law. It was New Year's
Eve, and he believed the house should have been
closed at half-past twelve. It was a quarter to one
when the inspector entered, and the party had just
finished their suppers. Inspector Richards said it
was twelve minutes past one when the defendants
left. Mr. Newton: It was 12.45 when the officer
entered. The worst part of it was that the people
appear to have made a mystery of it. Mr. Harding
Clark said that the license was in his name. He under-
let the victualling or feeding part of the restaurant,
and his manager had only the bar to look after.
The man who had the feeding part had a right
to use his private rooms, and he perfectly understood
how it was that the defendants were upstairs at the
time. Mr. Chastelaine was a partner with hire in
another business, and a great friend of his. He (Mr.
Clark) was not aware that he was going to have
supper that night, but still he did not wish to excuse
himself in any way. Mr. Newton: I shall do in this
case as in others. I shall ask the police if there has
been any complaints against this house at all. In-
spector Richards: Not since Mr. Clark has been the
proprietor. He has been there about fifteen months.
Mr. Newton: Then let the summons stand over for
two months on the understanding that if there is no
repetition of the offence nothing will be done. The
other parties must be taught to know that they have
no right to be on licensed premises after closing hours.
They must pay the cost of the summonses. The other
summons will stand over.

MR. GLADSTONE and LORD SALISBITRI
on PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION.
Mr. Albert Grey, M.P., has received from the
Premier the following letter on the subject of pro-
portional representation: " Hawarden Castle, Dec.
23, 1884.—My dear Grey,-1 thank you for your in-
teresting letter, and the narrative contained in it, and
I cannot wonder at your laying stress on the support
given, as I understand, tu proportional representation
in the strict form in which Mr. Courtney expounded
it. You will not expect from me at the present stare
any further declaration on the feasibility of the
plan, but I am very glad that you will be the more
able from the foothold obtained in your own county
to secure its being well weighed by the public at
large, for to this full examinatiou it is certainly en-
titled, considering what are the claims it makes, and
who are the people that support it.—Believe me, very
faithfully yours, W. E. GLADSTONE." Mr. Grey has
also received the foll4wing : "Dec. 29, 1884.—Dear
Mr. Grey,—l am much obliged to you for the copy
you have sent me of the resolutions passed by the
North of England Proportional Representation
League. I shall be very glad to hear an account of
the counting and sorting of the ballot papers at your
model election.—Believe me, yours faithfully, SAMS-
-211:1:11'."

LETTER FROM MR. GLADSTONE TO
PRINCE ALBERT VICTOR.
The following is a copy of a letter which Prince
Albert Victor received from Mr. Gladstone, on the
attainment of his Royal Highness's majority:
[Copy.]
Hawarden Castle, Jan. 7, 1885.

Sir,—AB the oldest among the confidential servants
of her Majesty, I cannot allow the anniversary to
pass without notice, which will to-morrow bring your
Royal Highness to full age, and thus mark an im-
portant epoch in your life. '
The hopes and intentions of those whose lives lie,
like mine, in the past, are of little moment; but they
have seen much, and what they have seen suggests
much for the future.

There lies before your Royal Highness in prospect
the occupation, I trust at a distant date, of a Throne,
which to me at least appears the most illustrious in
the world, from its history and associations, from its
legal basis, from the weight of the cares it brings,
from the loyal love of the people, and from the un-
paralleled opportunities it gives, in so many ways and
in so many regions, of doing good to the almost
countless numbers whom the Almighty has placed
beneath the sceptre of England.
I fervently desire and pray, and there cannot be a
more animating prayer, that your Royal Highness
may ever grow in the principles of conduct, and may
be adorned with all the qualities, which correspond
with this great and noble vocation.
And, Sir, if Sovereignty has been relieved by our
modern institutions, of some of its burdens it still, I
believe, remains true that there has been no period of
the world's history at which successors to the
monarchy could more efficaciously contribute to the
stability of a great historic system, dependent even
more upon love than upon strength, by devotion to
their duties, and by a bright example to the country.
This result we have happily been permitted to see,
and other generations will, I trust, witness it anew.
Heartily desiring that, in the life of your Royal
Highness, every private and personal, may be joined
with every public blessing, I have the honour to
remain, Sir, your Royal Highness's most dutiful and
faithful servant, W. E. GLADTOI:E.
H.R.H. the Prince Albert Victor,
&c., &c.

"Yes, my dear, I would have been home before,
but you see I saw something that completely took
away my breath." Oh, you did, did you? Well,
have you got any more of 'em ?" "Any more of
what, my dear?' "Any more cachous, you hard-
hearted man." But as he settled himself to listen to
the lecture he thought: " Wtil, she got on to it
after aIL"