The Express.
London, England, 1851-12-29 00:00:00

hL lardebip's, bat so *videos bad yet bees oared with
tepid to that eireturotesee.
Bellantine said be bad a witness present to ploys

thit.
Haddiestons said he bad not yet campbstild his cam,
and for that purpose he was about to apply for a subpsrna
to ensure the attendance of Colonel Close, who was a wit-
ness to the marriage of Urinals:it and Mrs. Elam,
and peoitimely detain' ad to appear in the matter unless com-
pelled.
Sir Peter Laurie expressed a determination to hem all
the evidence he could arrive at as this woks, whether it
was for the prosecution or defence.
Mrs. Eliza Simpson (called for the defence), said she mar-
ried Mrs. Elam's nephew, who was brought up by the
former, with Mrs. Dawson. In 1827 Mrs. Elam was liv-
ing in Mrs. Dawson's house in Park-street, Grosvenor-
mum sad they were both iatroducsal to witness and her
imiannal as mother and daughter. She had heard Mrs.
SaMi adl Mrs. Dawson " her beautiful, her darling child."
AS dot time she thought Mrs. Elam to be about fifty-five
mam of age, and Mrs. Dawson not more than twenty-five.
Übe bed seen Mrs. Elam undressed several times., and could
Mar she was not in the family way then ; indeed she be-
lieved such to base been impossible. Mrs. Dawson and
Mrs. Elam were both most beautiful women, and the former
lived with Lord Portarlington, while the latter only in-
trigued with him. She believed she first saw Mrs. Elam in
Curzon-street—but (recollecting herself) she thought it was
in Half-Moon-street, and was in 1832. Mrs. Elam told
witness that she had purchased the child to impose upon a
nobleman as his child. She afterwards said it was Lord
Portarlington. Mrs. Dawson knew nothing of the child
until Mrs. Elam's death, as it was always sent
out of the way, and locked is a bedroom when she
called. The intriguing between Lord Portarlington and Mrs.
Elam was carriedon in Mrs Dawsun's house at the time the
former was living with her (Mrs. Dawson). Mrs. Elam
looked much younger than she really was, and endeavoured
to make herself appear much younger. She did not actually
know that Mrs. Elam intrigued with Lord Portarliogton,
but she suspected it. She never mentioned the purcha-e of
the child to Lord Portarlington, or her particular friend,
Mrs. Dawson, but allowed the imposition to go on until
after the death of Mrs. Elam, when she advised alrs. Daw-
son to advertise and offer a sum of money for the parents of
the child. Mrs. Dawson refused, as it would deprive the
child of many comforts it then enjoyed.
Mrs. Robinson here stated that a woman, refusing her
name and address, bad called upon her since the last exami-
t nation, and tried to intimidate her, and prevent her appear.
• ing against Mrs. Dawson.
Mr. Palmer, of the firm of Palmer and Nettleship, the
solicitors to the late Portarlington, said that during a con-
versation with bins, the lion. Lionel Dawson, his lordship's
younger brother, remarked, in allusion to the intercourse
between Lord Fortarlington and Mrs. Elam, that " his
brother was fool enough to believe he bad had a child by
her, and that he had the clearest proofs of it." He hail
t slay been informed by a Mr. Francis Harvey, who knew
I Mrs. Damn from a child, that Mies Elam was palmed off
upon his lordship as Ma, when, in fact, it had been bought
of a peasant fur a particular purpose.
Mr. Iluddlestoue objected to the evidence being taken in
such a loose manner, aui wisaed it to be understood by the
aldermau that allowing Mr. Palmer to state anything he
liked without regard to the law of evidence was altogether
illegal.
Sir Peter Laurie said he would not be bound by the rules
of law in any case ; he would allow every witnra to tell his
tale in his own pccuiiar way, and take the responsibility
unon himself, fur he was convinced that more was proved
by such a course than by a cross-examivation, which only
bothered the witness.
Mr. Huddlestone said it did not always follow that proof
was es idenee.
Sir Peter Laurie said it did not signify to bim ; he would
pursue the course that he thought would most readily
elicit the truth.
Mr. Palmer continued, and stated be could only account
for the age of Mrs. Elam being ents:ed on the burial certi-
ficate as 48 years, by the fact that it was sonic extraordinary
whim of Lord Portarliugton, who had the sole direction of
Mrs Elam's burial. At his lordship's request, he after-
wards acted for Mrs. Dawson, in taking out letters of ad-
ministration to Mrs. Elam's property, sworn at under
5,0001., and Mr. Francis Harvey became en.sceurity with
him for that amount in the administration bond, he having
previous.y satisfied himself that Mrs. Dawson was the
daughter of Mrs. Elam.
Sir Peter Laurie said the cane had taken a very different
tun to what he expected, but it was his intention to re-
mand it to afford Mr. Huddlestone an opportunity to com-
plete the case for the prosecution.
Mrs. Dawson was then allowed to depart without renew-
ing her recoguizances, on Mr. Palmer pledging himself that
she should he forthcoming at the next examination.