The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-05-08 00:00:00

SIR, CHARLES- DI-LKE ON HIS DEFENCE,

Sir C. Dilke addressed on Monday evening a meet-
ing of the Liberal electors of Chelsea, whom he had
invited to hear a statement from him at the Riding
School, Fulham:road. He related the circumstances
preceding the recent divorce case, and said he made
overtures for a full inquiry being made in private,
which were declined. He gave an outline of the
trial, and stated the reasons which led to his remain-
ing silent on that occasion. Sir Charles pledged his
honour that the charge made againsthim was untrue,
and read the following correspondence he had had with
the Queen's Proctor:
"70, Sloane-street, 10th April, 1880.
"CRAWFORD V. CRAWFORD.
"Sir,—Some weeks ago I offered to give you in-
formation as to matters connected with myself which
formed the subject of your inquiries in this case.
You did not see fit, however, to accept my offer. In
spite of my former ill-success, I am constrained to
repeat my offer. Two months have now elapsed
since the trial, and during the whole of that period I
have been made the object of the inos cruel attacks
in a certain section of the press for not having taken
steps to disprove the truth of the charge which, as is
admitted by everyone, was not supported by a tittle
of evidence. The legal principles on which the Court
acted in granting the divorce are so little appeciated
by the public that the result is taken to be a decision
against me, though it was distinctly the contrary. I
am no longer a party to the suit, and can therefore
do nothing; but the charge against me was not only
unsupported but also untrue, and if the granting
of the divorce is to be taken as a condemnation of
me, and I am to be thus punished for
relying on my clear legal right, under the
advice of most eminent counsel, I am surely
entitled to call upon you to interfere to
prevent the divorce being granted upon the baseless
allegations of the respondent. (Loud cheers.) I am
prepared to assist you with my eitidence, and to deny
on oath the truth of the charge, by which I mean, and
always have meant, that the whole charge is untrue,
and that I have never been guilty of any impropriety
with Mrs. Crawford. (Renewed cheers.) Should
you hesitate to intervene on the ground of
expense, I am prepared to meet that objection by
undertaking to bear the whole of the costs to which
you may have become liable, whether the intervention
is successful or not. (Hear, hear.) am, Sir, your
obedient servant, "CHARLES W. DILKE."
(Cheers.) To this letter the Queen's Proctor replied
that the subject had been placed before counsel, and
that his letter should also be referred to them in con-
nection with the informai,ion. He waited a week, and
then wrote to hasten proceedings, and said that as the
matter was one which caused him great anxiety, he
should be glad to bear as soon as possible what steps
it was proposed to take. To that he received the fol-
lowing reply:

" Treasury.

" CRAWFORD V. CRAWFORD.

"Sir,—ln answer to your letter of yesterday's date,
received this morning, in which you write that you
shall be glad to hear as soon as possible what steps I
propose to take, I bag to inform you that I have this
morning entered an appearance in this suit. I answer
your question as a matter of personal courtesy, but I
must ask that all further communications—and I do
not doubt that you will agree with me as to the pro-
priety of such a course--should be made through
your solicitor.—l am, Sir, your obedient servant,
"A. K. STEPHENSON, Queen's Proctor.

" To the Right Hon. Sir Chas. Dilke, Bart., M.P.'
Under these circumstances Sir C. Dilke declined to
answer any questions at his meeting. A resolution
accepting his denial, and assuring him .of the con-
tinued confidence of the Liberal electors was passed
unanimously.
THE BUBBIAH EXPEDITION.

CALCUTTA, May 2.
The South Wales Borderers, one British mountain
battery, and two regiments of the Bombay Native
Infantry have been ordered to reinforce the garrison
of Burmah. The first-named regiment will take the
place at Rangoon of the Somersetshire Light Infantry,
which moves to Upper Burmah. The c3ntinuance of
disorder in Burmah is causing some anxiety in India.
The general belief here is that it is due to weakneFs
on the part of Mr. Bernard, to his failing to give
proper support to the district officers, and to the fact
that the civil staff is altogether undermanned, one
officer being expected te do the work of three or four.
It is reported from Pondicherry that the Mengwoon
Prince, who has hitherto kept himself secluded, has
now altered that custom and walks on the beach every
evening with the ladies of his family, and is escorted
by a guard of 12 men armed with long knives. It is
considered that the escort is intended as a claim to
Royal honours.

SimLA, May 1.

All property captured during the late Burmese war
is to be sold, the proceeds being applied towards de-
fraying the expenses of the campaign.