The Express.
London, England, 1863-11-12 00:00:00

BITRAORDINABY CRAMS OF LISSA

The Rev. Thomas Birhardso• Bit* of ;, Atiphaseed,
Slough, appeared at the Westminster polios court ywAuliay
to a summons charging Lim with unlawfully sad malioiouslY
publishing • defamatory libel of sod comosealag Felix
Frederick Taylor, of Herschel Hoisie, Slough.

_ .
Mr. Pawle, of the firm of Pawls and Loewy, 7, New
Inn, conducted the proeecution ; and Mr. C. P. Barrett, of
Etoo, the defence.
Mr. Pawls, in opening his came, said his client had two
sow, ow of whom was in such ill-health that he did not think
it advkabie to used him to school. He therefore applied to
Mr. Johnson, &griml agent, to procure him • tutor for his
boys. By him he was introduced to Mr. Birch, and after a
comrpondenoe between them, the defendant entered upon
Ms duties on the 51111 Jame, 1512, and remained there until
the sth of July in the present year. Shortly after entering
Mr. Taylor's family, the de/imams suoceeded is obtaining
the appointment of chaplain to the Windsor Union. About
the saws time Mr. Taylor bed reason to complain of the way
to which the defendant admated his children, and this ulti
matdy led too rupture between these. Mr. Twicr them
again applied to Mr. Jammu' who moommeedad a ratio-
man ac the name of Lott, bat &latest wee sequainted with
Mr. Bieck sad left shortly after tleg the effaintaient,
puttinit tic. Taylor to a greet dad of kammaimos. A
third time Mr. Taylor applied to Johnson. who then ream-
mended the Rev. Mr. Sharpe, sod while nemdiadeos were
peodtm between him and complainant, Mr. Sharp. remised
the following anonymous letter, which was the subject of
the pretest action :
" Windsor, Berkshire, October 15, 1583.
" Rev. Elir,—For the present, in common justice to •
stranger, all are quite willing and ready to believe that you
do not know that you have entered into • sink of the
grossest crimes and infamy and vilest diagram', or eke are
going so to do. If you still keep your engagement, you will
receive, and deserve it too, the comesapt el all &teat
people who are not in the church, widths greatest dined
el all the gentlemen who am so • inquire of the pollee of
this borough, also of Eby ead'illeagh. It likewise you
can make up your mind, and think it right, pa ma apply
about these dreadful things of the knee at noagli. to the
ministate there, viz., the Rev. Mr. X'Oree, the Rev. Mr.
Birch, and the Rev. Mr. Sykes.—Owanesdats to one whom
we think needs compel. " Omen."

That letter be would prove was written by the defeedaat
and upon its receipt, Mr. Sharps, &Wag in a
manner, toot it to Mr. Johnson. by whom he heidergentaautr -
trodueed to Mr. Taylor the sot having yet catered into his
'apemen* and placed the matter before biro. Ye John-
mos at ewe emarsuaicated with the complainant, who at
first sight pronounced the letter to haw been written by
Mr. Bud, and said to Mr. Sharpe, "My sem alas quite open
to inspection ; pray make every impair, that lays in your
power before entering into my family. Write at once to say-
' one you like in Windsor and the neighbourhood, espesially
1 to Mr. Birch." Mr. Sharpe soocrdingly wrote to the de
fondant, and in reply received • sewed War shish would
no doubt be deemed a privileged amarminiretion, but which
he wished to put in as showing malice.
Mr. Arnold objected that this letter could not be put is
1101111/ the letter was prodoesd which ogled far the reply.
Mr. Yawl' continued—Me. Sharpe, is essemissuee of
inquiries, felt perfectly satisfied as to the sharnoter of Mr.
Taylor, and awned the appointment) in which he still
remained, and it wee very probable that, not
'the shameful way in which his bad lowsnithal=
Mr. Taylor would not have haw Nu Wisp, wink the
defoodeat had he not received en the SU of October Ism a
letter of the most horrible ikerriptlen—eo horrible that be
foirebore reading the whole el it in open emus, and would
content himself with read extracts from it.
Mr. Barrett observed he should most decidedly object to
Mr. Paulo Wag upon any ow portion of a letter.
Mr. Paulo said be was quite prepared to give Mr. Barrett
the full benefit of the filthy communication, sad he was ears
his learned friend, if be had not read the letter, would be
=sorry that be had premed for the whole of it being
Both Mr. Barrett and his Mien; however, persisting,
Mr. Pawls read the letter, which was of GOON Wirth, and
mucked in the most Mallow and digesting Lerma, and unfit
for publication. Is was signed The Bev. T. B. Birch."
Mr. Pawl* said he was in • rendition to prove that that
letter was written by the defendant. After receiving sash •
disgusting epistle as that. Mr. Taylor lost no time in ;AWN
the matter in the hands of his solicitor. and a
SUMSOODO we taken out spinet the defendant. The first
witness he intended to calling the Rev. Mr. Sharpe, mad it
was only fair to him to say that beyond the feet of hie re-
ceiving theme letters from him, he had no knowledge what-
ever of the defendant, and simply came forward as a matter
of duty. Mr. Taylor, too, he might remark was • gentle-
man of position and stand and there was not the slightest
loundatios for the al and infamous charges brought
alltibias
akov. Mr. Sharps was then called, and deposed to the
fads stated by Mr. Pawls,
Mr. Paula then observed that the time had now arrived
for the defame to produce the letter writtee by the Bev.
Mr. Sharpe to Mr. Birch, and which called for the reply of
the defendant. dated October 22.
. .

Mr. Barrett at first objected topes:deaths letter in ques-
tion, but after some dimensions it we. produced sad headed
to the vitalism, who identified i 0 u written by him to Mr.
Birch, sad asking information as to the character of the
gentleman into whose family he was about to enter.
Wawa ocatinued—ls reply to that letter he received
the following :
"Slough, Bucks, October 22, 1863.—8ev. Sir,—l am
grieved to say that the duty which your latter calls
upon me to perform is ow of • meet pi&ful
meter. Whim I entered upon the tatnsbip I aced
scarcely say it was is perfect qmoranes of any we of the
said circumstances of the family about which you inquire,
or rather it was uodera tires of misrepressatatiose se Mathis
social and moral 000dition of It. About three weeks after
my arrival here I was elected chaplain of the wire. When
the chairman in full board bad told me as he expressed
himself ' with great plumes that I was unanimocaly dyads
with an increased stipend- be added that it was with ex.
Wine sorrow he found I stood is my relatioe to Mr. Taylor,
and inquired whether I was willing to resign it. I was
allowed • certain tans for axaminatioe of the alleged foots
against Mr. Taylor. During that period I received several
anonymous knife referring to law reports ja which 00enni
the came of ' Barlow v. Taylor and Barlow.' I also received
a newspaper mutable( • report ri the Cousin/dal Court
proceedings in that lamentable matter. The far greeter
part of the ladies of this place, while 'swimg bow happy
they would be to receive the visit of Mrs. Birch. assured me
that it was utterly impossible to visit her, ad as many
gentlemen while calling on me apologised for DM bringing
their wives oe daughters to the cottage. No respectable
persons visit at Hersidiel How. Whoa Mr. Taylor, after
six several estreaties upon my part declined to tell me
use the whether he was married to the woman with whom
be lives fend who is the mother of the boys—my late and
your prospective pupils) I quitted the cottage. Since that
time I have been most credibly informed that there are
ether facts in this cue to which I should be ashamed to
refer is writing. The most injurious circumstance of my
life is my ever having stood in the connexion with them
which I have so unhappily done. lam quite startled at
their audacity la again addressing themselves to • clergyman,
bat suppose that even their shamelessness has not gone so
far as to again address themselves to one who is married.—
I em, rev. air, yours faithfully, T. 8.. Brum.
Rev. & Sharpe.
Mr. Arnold—Peedotia to the receipt of that letter did you
write to Mr. Birch celyl
Witness--Yes. I wrote on the 20th. Mr. Taylor said,
"I will write myself," or "I have written myself." I really
forget which, "to the Rev. Mews. Cree and Sykes," but
asked me to write to Mr. Birch. I afterwards accepted the
nineties. I made farther inquiries, which perfectly sa-
tisfied me that Mr. Taylor was a highly-respectable roan,
and I accordingly entered his family, where I am at
present.
Croes-examined —I have received since my engagement •
ebeque for 101. oo account of Wiry. Have received no
other sums. Am quite certain the cheque was not for 201.
Mr. Wilson Beery Mak, clerk in the employ of Mr.
Johan's, clerical agent, cad Mr. Johnson himself, both de-
posed to the fact of the handwriting of the letters is
queitios being the defendant's.
Mr. William Penny, lithographer and printer, 57,
Lincoln's-inn-fields, was then called. He said—l carry ca
Wisest as • lithographer and printer, and have en intimate
knowledge of basodwritions, in fact I have made them my
study for 27 years past. (After looking at the two letters
dated the 15th and 22nd October.) I have not the slightest
doubt that these two letters were written by the same
person. They are identical in every we The same mode
of petting the stamp on has been adopted is both envelopes,
and the same method of closing the letter. The letters are
both writtems on the same piper, endorsed is the tame
envelopes, out by the same machine.
Croes-examined—Tbe paper and envelopes are of a very
common description, and than is nothing peculiar about
them, but the etwoused is of • very uncommon description.
Mr. Arnold—Having had great experience as an expert,
are you able to say whether both letters are written in the
lateral handwriting ?
Witham—The letter of the 22nd is the natural hand-
writing, but the letter written on the 15th of October is aa
attempt to disguise the handwriting, but • very poor oem
Mr. Felix Frederick Taylor swore, said—l reside at
Slough. and am &gentleman of independent foetus.. Have
for some years resided with my family is the
house I now occupy. I know the rev. gen-
tleman who sow spouts ea defeatist. Be oc-
cupied the poultices of tutor to my two sons for 13 months.
In July, 1863, in cousqusece of sow differsoces, he left
my family by request. Os the 25th of Ootober I was stay.
lag at Brightest with my family, when I received the letter
dated the 24th of October through the medium of the post.
It bean this dela, is is Mr. Birch's handwriting, and signed
by him. lam secessarily well acquainted with his call-
gmiphy, and have coasequsetly no hesitation in saying that
the anonymous letter of the 15th of October, addressed to
Mr. Shupe, wee written by the &fondest. That letter
refers, so doubt, to myself, house, and family. I have see
the envelopes which it came, sor do I know where 1$ is.
bat as letter alum damned to me at Brighten.