The Express.
London, England, 1863-08-12 00:00:00

ENLISTING SOLDIERS FOR POLAND.

Alfred Styles, a gentleman, about twenty-one
years of age, was brought no yesterday, in the custody
of William Beck, the warrant officer of the court, and
charged before Mr. Hall, the chief magistrate of Bow-dgeet,
with having unlawfully attempted and endeavoured to pro-
cure certain persons to enlist, serve, and to be employed as
soldiers in the service and aid of certain foreign people—to
wit, the " Poles, who are now in arms against and opposed
to his Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Russia."
Mr. Poland, barrister, appeared for the prosecution ; and
Mr. Lewis, of Ely-p Lice, for the defendant.
Mr. Poised stated that he was instructed by the agents
'of the Russian government to prosecute the present arse.
He could not gay at present if the government of this coun-
try intended to undertake the prosecution at • future
period, but at preempt it was considered desirable to stop
certain proceedings going OD in this country with • view to
recruit the national army of Poland, and as it was impor-
tant to lose no time--time which would be necessarily em-
ployed in making inquiries and procuring evidence, if the
arse were left to the crown—the Russian government had re-
solved to take action at once, and apply for a warrant against
the defendant. The proceedings were taken under the
well-known act, the 59th Geo. 111., c. 69, which
made all parsons retaining or procuring others
to enlist in foreign service guilty of a misde-
meanor, and punishable by fine or imprisonment. The
Foams employed in this case was very simple, and ap-
parently pacific, for it took the form of an advertisement in
the columns devoted to the wants of domestic servants,
thus—" An engagement is open for several young men to
proceed abroad. Applications by letter only, enclosing
references as to respectability and present employment, to
be addressed to 'L. Z.,' 36, Seething-lane, Great Tower-
street, E.C." Now, it appeared that this advertisement
happened to be answered be • young man named John Gre-
gory, who had been a schoolesastar. and who, thinking this
a favourablechance for him (he being then out of a situation)
answered the edvertisement. To his surprise he received the
"circular," which he would pi ',gutty read, inviting him to
join the national army of Poland. He went to the office
and saw the defendant, Mr. Styles, and he would detail the
conversation which took place on that occasion. The ad-
vertisement had also been answered by another person, a Mr.
Harvey, who would also say what had transpired in copse-
guano.. Upon the information of these witnesses a warrant
was applied for against Mr. Styles, and he was taken at
the ottice in Buckingham-street. Oddly enough the letter
of Mr. Gregory was found in his paneseion, and also the re-
ceipt for the advertisements.
The following was the " circular" which bad been sent to
both the witnesses in reply to their application for situations
as promised by the advertisement :
" 10, Buckingham-street, Adelphi, Strand, W.C.

"Sir,—ln reply to yours of the Zlrd inst., • few Eng-
lishmen have resolved to offer their services in aid of
the Poles, now gallantly fighting to rescue their country
from the tyrannical and despotic rule of Russia.
It is intended to form a regiment of volunteers, '
composed of gentlemen, sons of tradesmen, clerks, arid
others of respectability, who have offered their services
to the national government—many who have seen hard
fighting in Italy, under the pliant General Garibaldi,
having already tendered their services ; and as unity is
strength, the few who are required to make up the number
will be immediately enrolled. An English general of great
experience in the Crimea and Italy will be appointed to com-
mand, and all of from such volunteers as have seen
service, or are otherwise fact, promotion to
be made entirely from the ranks. The exclusive
nature of the corps will admit of your joining
without any detriment to your social position, and
a description roll is enclosed, which I beg you will
do me the favour to fiU up and forward at your
earliest convenience, should the plan meet with your
approbration. I shall also feel obliged by your enclosing
one or two postage stamps, to cover the outlay of any
future correapoudenoe. An immediate decision is expected
from the National Government, who will provide every-
thing necessary for each volunteer, and further particulars
can be obtained by applying personally at the above address
any day between ten and eight o'clock. Permit me to suggest
that on each interview you avoid discussion outside the
office, or in or near the street, as a few may congregate and
attract that attention which would excite the curiosity of
the inhabitants of the immediate neighbourhood. In con-
clusion, let me impress upon you the necessity of not
making this known to any but the pommel friends who
sympathies with the cause, in which I hope you will soon be
engaged.—l am, sir, your faithful servant,
" Lieut. A. STYLES, late Gariladdian army."

Mr. Poland then examined the following witnesses :
Jobs Gregory, schoolmaster, 15,Lambethaquare—On the
22nd July last I was out of employ. I saw in a newspaper
of that date theadvertisement produced, in consequence of
which I wrote a letter in answer to it and left it at 36,
Seething-lane, Great Toweeatreet. B.C. I believe I left it
the next day, the `Gird. On the 27th, the following Mon-
day, I received • letter by post, or rather the printed docu-
ment now produced. It is • circular inviting me to an
the Polish army, and coutaiaing also a description roll or
form, with sperm to fill up my name, age, occupation, fro.
Or. the woe day I went to Bucisitighamatreet, Strand,
tekiig the description form, circular, mid envelope with me.
I arrived at the office about laltpast ten, and I went into
an office on the ground fluor. The name of the defend-
sat, "Mr. Styles," was inscribed on the door and at the
side of the entrance. The defendant was there, and spoke
to me, having said that he was the Mr. Styles who had
answered my application. I told him I had called
respecting the letter which he had addressed to me.
He then said, "Come in." I went inside and laid the
documents on the counter. I asked him for parti-
culars about the affair. He took me inside
the curtain enclosure of the office. He said,
"We are determined to go out as soon as we tan. We
have already 250 men, and we wish to get about fifty or
sixty more. They will be commanded by first-rate
generals who have seen active service in Italy." He
mentioned the names of Gemeral Forbes aid • General
Madan—or some such name. I asked him whit autho-
rity he bad to raise a regiment for Poland. He re-
plied that he bad received a commission from the Polish
general in Loudon, and he was going at the end of the
week to see the Polish general in Paris on the
rime business. I asked Lim why the Poles
did not fight themselves. He said they could not afford to
fight like the English at present., as they were only trying
to harem the Russians and weaken them as much as pos-
sible, while a regular army was being organised. I asked if
az; substantial Englishmen were connected with the move.
moot. He said, " Yes, there are." At this moment the
other young men came in, and the convention was for a
time interrupted. The two strangers did not come within
the curtain, but the defendant repeated pert of the conver-
sation he had been bolding with me. One of the young men
told him be was a corporal in one of the volunteer
artillery corps in Loodon, and he wished to take
the same teak if he joined in the Polish struggle.
Mr. Styles replied that be could not promise him so
much, as a greet teeny who enlisted were very likely to
be ignorant of "drill,' and he might be useful to them.
The corporal then asked, "What would be the pay ?'
Defendant replied, " The same as in the Polish army."
He next asked what were the other conditions attached
to the service. Defendant replied, " The National Govern-
ment will defray allexpenses, as they have plenty of money."
In the coarse of the coovereation Lieutenant Styles told
the young man that during the time he was in Italy he did
very well, but he had two very great drawbacks there : one
was, he went there very late, wad the other was that he was
• prisoner there for eight months. The corporal asked how
that was. He replied that the vessel he was in, with 800
others, was taken by the government. The corporal said,
" How did you like the prison there?" He replied, " Not
at all ; and he thought Russia would be worse.' I said,
"Supposing the Polish struggle is unsuccessful, what
is to become of the men who go out there?' He said,
"If it came to the worst, the British oonsnl would
take care to send them home, but he thought the gen-
tlemen in England who were interested in the movement
would take care that it did not come to that." He said, "If
we are successful, there will he a great deal of prise money
given away, besides the advantage of seeing the greater por-
tion of Europe." He then urged the corporal to juin the
expedition, as be would be • greet acquisition to the service.
He said the volunteers were expected to sail in about nine
days ore fortnight, but that he was going to Paris directly,
and should know moreabout it when be returned. The young
men asked where the vaned was to start from. The defend-
ant replied, he thought it would be hardly fair to tell that,
as the Russian ambassador might fiod it out, and he
might be served se he was before. He mid the 1