The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1879-04-22 00:00:00

WAIISECAIt

THE CHARGE AGAINST MR. DRAX.

hi. P.

At Marylehone on Wednesday, the adjourned summons
against Mr. J. S. W. Erle-Drax,M. P., of Cllentigh Towers,
near Ashford, Kent. calling upon him to show cause why
he should net contribute towards the supp ort of the
Illegitimate child of Louisa Gray, of 17. George-street,
Maryleloone. of which she alleged him to be the father,
came . is for further hearing.—Mr. Woodgate again appear-
ed for the complainant, and Mr Beeler for the defendant.
—. ha complainant, recalled by Mr. Woolgate, wild the
label proluced was on a hamper of came that ahe received
at 37. Red Lion-square, last November. The date,
" November 13th," Wan in the defendant's writing. Sonic
of the letters she had race, ed from him came before the
one that notified that the hamper was coming. Her
intimacy with the defendant, after being rammed, went
on before those letters arrived.—Cross-examined by
Mr. Beaky - She Wan between Itl and 17 years of age when
she tirst went to Mr Drat • She denied that she was 18.
Her birthday fell in December. but she did not know
the der. She had been told by her sister that it was the
6th of December. She first entered Mr. Drax's service as
st.ll.room maid. She would not swear it was not in May,
1847. 'she did not leave his service on the Nth July,
1848 She denied thet she re elves! • cheque on that day
for C3l 7s. &I. for board +eget mid her ordinary wages
for one year ant none weeks up to that day. The house-
keeper discharged her, lost she did not pay her the
cheque. In Decem..er. 1847, she would be aged 17. She
had been allowed £lOO a year by the defendant, and he
pall her in sums of £lO, 420, and £.5, and odd amounts,
at his chambers ant elsewhere. Mr. Graz fixed the
amount at £lOO. It was in lEGI when she came up to
London, and the first payment commenced in that yew.,
the lirAt sum she received being 4:10. Intimacy first
occurred letween them in the defendant's dining-room,
and that was before she was discharged 1,7 the house-
keeper. By appointment she was to meet the defendant
at Great Cawood gate at nine o'clock at night Alter she
was discharged she was in the marries of Mr. Sound,
Ewen Lodge, Blandford. She Wall there three weeka
She left there of Ler own accord. She did not go to
Mr. Lock, draper, Blandfurd, after that. She denied
Icing sentenced to six months hard labour while in a
situation at Blandfurd. -Mr. Besley produce! • list of
54 convictions against her at Marlimrough-street
court, from the 17th of October, 1837, to December, 1878,
on charges of drunkenness, misconduct, assault. Itc., very
many of the convictions being terms of imprisonment.
Most of these convictions she admitted—Mr. Beaky, in
the course of his cres-examination, remarked that the
case against the defendant was a tisane of falsehoods from
beginning to end, and WY a conspiracy to extort money
(non an old man. It wee high time such things were
exposed. The complainant, in further cross-examlnation,
su.l she had been at Bowootreet Police-court ona.—Two
female witnesses having deposed to being present when
the complainant's child we* born on the 7th of March,
Mr. Woodgate called for the defendant Upon this
Mr. Turner, • medical untleman. of Sherborne, Dorset,
*WWI that lie saw Mr. Drat on Monday, and found him
unable to travel to London in cold weather The defendant
had eczema and gout. and an intleined mucous membrane
of the bladder. He would, however, be able to attend in
warmer weather.—Mr Woodgate pressed for the defen-
dant's attendance, and Mr. De Ftw sea observed that he had
• debt to do so—The further hawing was adjourned till
the 90th inst.