The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-05-21 00:00:00

THE YOUNG MEN IN WOMEN'S
CLOTHES.

The following are copies of some of the letters found
at the lodgings of Boulton and Park, the two young
men who are charged with having frequented p:aces of
public resort in London while dressed as women :

"Lochash, April B,IBTO.
"My darling Erne,—l was rather hurt at not receiving a
letter from you before leaving Dingwall, as I know if you had
posted a letter any time up to nine p tn. on Tuesday I should
have got it at Dingwall and as you did not write them, I
fear you will not have written at all My next chance of
getting a letter from you is tonight, and shat I swear if you
don't ! The worst of it is, I omitted to write down your
address in London. Please send it to meet once. If you have
not already done. I have deserved this though George. My
mother gi es to Boulogne on the 2,lnd of this month, and I
must manage, if possible, to be there with her. I have told
her I can go there on the 113th of May, if she can send me
some money before that. Will it be too early for you? I
am not altogether sorry that you should meet her. Will
you promise not to shave your moustache again from this
time until we meet for any consideration whatever?
I beg you will promise this. When I left Dingwall in the
midi car on Wednesday! wished you were with me ; but by
the time I arrived here I was very glad you were not. I was
drenched to the skin, and I have been very feverish and
seedy yesterday and to-day. I should like to have had you to
nurse me, but probably you have been worse. I think I told
you my youngest brother had lately left the army, Ism glad
to hear he has got in again through the letereat of Sir Hope
Grant, uncle of the girl whose portrait I pointed out to you
in the Academy in Edinburgh. Jam quite in the dark as to
Albert's movement.. Did you hear anything of Jack, or did
you see Fisher before leaving Edinburgh 7—Yours always,

'Sunday, 17, 1870.

- .
"My dearest Erne,—At last your addrese. Fiske writes to
me that there is no such place as Shirland.road in the
"Directory," but perhaps the houses are new. lam rather
sorry to hear of your going about in drag so much, partly, I
confess, for selfish reasons. I know the moustache has no
chance while this sort of thing goes on. You have now less
than a month to grow it, for my mother has arranged to stay
at Boulogne until the 2131, so as to meet me So I have
settled to go there on the 16th, if I can get leave ; that is
four week, from to-morrow. I have told my mother you are
coming. Mit have not yet had time to receive her answer. I
thought it well to tell hertbat you &revery eliminate, butt hope
that you will do your hest to appear as manly as you can, at
any rate In lace. I therefore again beg of you to let your
moustache grow at once. I have written to propose no at
Bayonne from Slay 27th to 23rd of June I will let you know
how I think of dividing our time abroad when we meet or be-
fore if you like. I enclose part of a letter from—. Do you
know who intended us. I heard yesterday from Albert at
Liverpool he said he would go to Edinburgh and pray for my
speedy arrival. With his usual vaguenees he gives no
dates. I have written, asking him to Join me in the
north, as I don't know when I shall be In Edin-
burgh. I hope you eut hard Up. I can't send you
ally money for a *eek or two. Next month I will
send you some both for picket and clothes; so you may
order the latter at once. Of course I would pay ally drag
hills except the one at F.dinburgh. If you haven't paid this
let me know about this and other bills. I have determined
to depart from Mn. Dickinson when I go on leave. lam
sure you will be glad to hear of this. I to-day got an invita-
tion from to dine with him and toga to Grand Dtahrae
on the 25th. lie will be cut up when he hears we etre to be
In Edinburgh. You were moth intlitired after at Thurso.
The waiter there told Me that the ladles in the hotel would
not let) on go at all if you had gone them again. I yesterday
went to John O'Grolt's house, of which possibly you have
heard. Of course I miss you.—Yours ever, Louis.
The third letter wm dated

" Union Ffotel, Inverness, April LI, 1570.
My Dear Ernie,—lio address, no money. That is my
motto at present It means that until I have your Address,
I shan't riEk sending any money. herhapN that will induce
You to sen.l It —nothing eliiC seems to. leant you to write
a Ion; totter giving me an account of everything which has
happened since we parted. Who saw you off? What about
F— and Henry I'—? The former gave roe a hint that
something had occurred. F— wants to know your address.
Ile says there Is no such place u Shlrland.toad in the
directory.

'1 don't know when the Derby Is, but were I able to be in
town I could not go with,you in a drag. Don't think me a
cross old thing for this. ion know my sentiments. Ware
I a humbug, I sheath' say I should be dri.ghted to go and
take care not to ; as lam not a humbug, I tell you I wouldn't.
"I will take care to have the things 3on mention. What
bills have you left In Edinbrof I wish you would make an
attempt to pay tome othiar earlier btlla. T should be very
glad to help you. I should like you to have a little more
principle than I fear you have as to paying debt,
" Will you let me know the address of the photographer in
Colchester, and I will write to him at once. I haven't it with
MO.

I came here from Dingwall this morning. I shortly start
for Thurso, where I ehould arrive at 630 to-morrow. I expect
to meet II end his wife in the train. Write a long
letter answering all my questions —Your loving .•
Mr. Poland (the counsel for the prostbution said it
was well known that " drag, " meant going about in
gromeet's clothe".

Mr. Braley (for Bon1ton) said that his friend was
not there to offer evidence himarlr.

The Magistate FAA he always thought a "drag" waa
a four-wheeled vehicle.

Mr. Straight (for Parke) suggested that this was
far more likely ; besides the word had been coupled with
the " Derby."
The magietrate said thtt the lettee°. read ac preeent
were not suttecient to prevent hie refusing bail ; in fact
one of the letters, where it said, " the ladies would
not let him go away if he went again," was decidedly
in his favour.
_ _

Mr. Poland : Shall I read another?
Mr. Besley : I ri.eire that all the letters be read.
Mr. Poland said he should only read those he chose,
and then read the following :--
Office, Prins:bre', prll ta.
"My darling trne.•;-t had v Icticr hat night from Louis,
which *en cheering in every respect, except in the informa-
tion it bare that he is to be kept a week or so loniger in the
north Ile tell, me that you are 'living in drag. What a
wonderful child it Is' I have three minds to come up to
lamdon, and see your magnificence with my own eyes
Should yen wslo me me Probably it is better that I should
stay at home and dream of you. But the thought of you,
Leis and Antlimus in one, is rarithlnt
" Let me ask yore ad9c.C. A youiig laAy, whose family are
Mundt of Caine, Is coming here. She is a charmingly-drersed,
beautiful fool, with £.30,000 a year. I have reason to believe
that if I go In for her lean marry. You know I should never
care for her, but tithe bait tempting enough for me to make
this further sacrifice to respeetability ? Of course, after we
were married I could do pretty much as I pleased. People
don't mind what one does on £0 1,000 a year, and the lady
wouldn't much mind, as nhe hraina eiloiet to trouble
herself about truck blngond hbr drbaisha, carriage, &c. What
shall I do
" You seb I keep on writing to you, and expect acme day
an answer to some of my letters. In any case, with all the
love in my heart, tam yours, o, "JOHN."
(The two initials following are indistinct, but appear
to be " P. F.")
Mr. Straight sincerely hoped it would be borne in
mind that Caen letters had no reference to his client
Park, however they might be supposed to affect
Boulton.

After the above letters had been read, Mr, Poland
handed another letter to the magistrate, which he retired
to Peed in private ; and when he returned, he said that
since reading the last letter his opinion of the case had
entirely changed. He now felt it his duty to remand
the prisoners for another week, Without bail (sensation
The prisoners were then remanded.

•
It Is said the articles found at the lodgings of the
prisoners are valued at £2OO.

THE POWER OF THE PRESS.
The subscribers and patrons of the Newspaper Press
Fund held their anniversary festival at Willis's Rooms
in London, on Saturday, under the presidency of Mr.
W. H. Smith, M.P., Dr. W. H. Russell proposed
" The Military and Naval Services of the Country,"
alluding in felicitous terms to the manner in which
they supported the dignity, honour, and reputation of
the country. Sir W. Codrington, in returning thanks,
bore tribute to the honesty and independence of the
press, as demonstrated by the accounts of the Crimean
war. Mr. E. J. Reed responded on behalf of the navy.
The Chairman, in proposing the toast of the evening,
said that

For thirty years he had watched the rapid development of
the press. The press had well answered the impulse which
had been conferred to the country by telegraphic communi-
cation, and it had acquired a position which exercised an
Important influence over the future destinies of the country.
The press, he concluded, represents not only it tilting public
opinion, but the educated opinion of the country, and he
asserted that there was no instance of a successful news-
paper which had not carried with it the confidence and
had not struck the vein of the feeling and opinion of
a large section of the public which supported that news-
Paper. The result of the enormous increase of the circula-
tion of newspapers had been an Improvement and an eleva-
tion in the tone of the English press. Any one who ven-
tured to compare the press of England with the press of
other countries might do so with pride and sails-
faction at the influence it exercised in defence of
law and order, and in the maintenance of public moral&
The profession of the press was the only one, he believed,
which was almost wholly anonymous. In the ordinary pro-
fessions, and in art and science, success makes a man, but in
the press the individual is almost always unknown. The
gentlemen of the press themselves should recognise an
esprit de carpB as a duty they owed to themselves in endea-
veering to tortify their class against those circumstances
and accidents which Millet and befall all men alike, but to
which they themselves are specially liable: hut at the same
time he recognised on the part of the public at large a duty
which they owed to gentlemen to whom they were indebted
for Bo much instruction, assistance, and general information.
Lord Houghton responded, and acknowledged the
skill, capital, and organisation with which the hon.
chaiirman disseminated the popular literature a the
day,