The Express.
London, England, 1866-02-24 00:00:00

betting by means of commission agents. Han they had •
man not only rbkiog his hard-earned wages. but •m g
under false pretences and borrowing 2501. of • frhnto
speculata in the meat uncertain and unsatisfactory results
of horse racing, and entrusting his mrney to a man utterly
incompetent to discharge ilts duty be had undertaken to
perform. The defendant is his paper bad called the plaintiff
an impostor and a soosndr-1, but those epithets ought not
to be used unless they coeld be properly applied.
The jury returned • verdict for the defendant.

COURT OF PROBATE AND DIVORCE.
Fire. 23.
(Before the Judge Ordinary.)

=Lill! V. DILLZW, PAIN, AND MTN& YI
Mr. Hawkins, QO., Dr, Spinks and Mr. A. Staveley
Hill appeared for the executer, Mr. Henry Bellew, as. of
the defendants, who propounded the will of the late
Countess Bellew ; Mr. O'Malley, Q. 0., Mr. Hall, and Mr.
Buller for the plaintiff, Miss Frances Bellew, who disputed
its validity ; Dr. Tristram for one of the parties cited.
In this extraordinary sait, of the facts of which • fuU
outline bas already been given, the case for the defendant
is nearly complete.
Sir Fitzroy Kelly, who was the first witness, expressed an
opinion that the signature of the alleged will was that of
the deceased lady ; but he said it was not like her usual
handwriting. Her writing, however, varied • good deal.
Sir Fitzroy was not cross-examined.
Charlotte Morris, a servant of the deceased and a legatee
for 3001., also identified the signature to the will as that of
the countess ; and Margaret Louisa Bell, who bad bees in
her service for some time, said that the testatrix frequently
spoke of her brother Henry and his family in the most
affectionate terms.

The neat witness was Mrs. Came, a lady of nearly eighty
years of age, whose shrewdness and volubility excited great
amusement and surprise. She said—l knew the Granter
Caroline Bellew very istimately, particularly since 1847,
but 1 had bees previously introduced to her by Miss Bruce.
We were near neighbours, and I was constantly in the
habit of seeing bee. She geeerally came to me about bar
difficulties, and she had a great maay trouble'. Both sia-
tem were squally friends of mime. In 1851 I paid a visit
to Edinburgh, and was accompanied by Miss Frances Bel-
lew, who was three years the senior of the countess. On
returning to London Miss Bellew told me that she
was not gain back to her sister, and that she feared
the lodgings et Newman-street would not be ready for her.
The nett morning the counter called on me, and gave me •
long history of the litigation between them on account of
her aunt's will. In January, 1852, she called on me, and
said that she had made her will, and that she wished 1310 to
' read It. She produced it, and I read it. It less dated De-
cember, 1851. She also brought • will dated 1844. I can.
not remember all their contents, but I recollect that there
was a bequest of 5,0001. to Judge Crowder in one of them.
This im the will of 1844, but it was not erased as it is now
when I saw it. Frances Bellew's name was mentioned lm
the will of 1851. An annuity of 1001. and something else
were given to her, but not to the extent of the I 0 Vs la the
will of 1853. The countess constantly complained to me of
the gambling of her sister at Homburg. In 1859 the countess
complained to me that she bad been jest robbed of a large
sum of money, and she told me and many others that she
suspected her sister and her maid Myra. She likewise
complained to me of having been robbed of other things
by servants; and she was robbed. One of the emanate
was imprisoned for it. The countess often 'poke of her
brother Henry and his wife, and always in the most
affectionate terms. The countess introduced to me a gen-
tleman who she told me wee quite a ladies' man. I looked
upon him as a private gentleman, and on one occasion I
asked him as be wan seeing me home whether he could
Introduce me to a good chancery lawyer?
Mr. Hawkins—You mean one who could get you out as
well as get you in? (laughter.)
Witness—" A good chancery lawyer," said he ; " why,
my dear madam, I am one myself. and if you will let me
see your papers, and I approve of them, I will take your
cause up.' He said that he had plenty of money, and eould
even lead me 3001.

Mr. Hawkins—Ha, indeed, was quit* a ladies' man.
(Laughter.) Did he land you the mosey!
Witness—Bless you, he hadn't a farthing. (Laughter.)
The result was that he totally deceived nee for a tine. An-
other person afterwards called on me, sad offered t• eon-
duct my salt to a successful hens.
Mr. Hawkins—Well, sad was he seseemehil ?
Witness—fincceasful I I had to pay 2,0001. testa.
(Laughter.) I complained to the countess, sad blamed her
for having introduced such a person to me, but she was as
much deceived as I was. I remember bar calling on me in
the coarse of 1863 In a state of great agitation, and telling
me that the will of 1851 bad been stolen from her drawer.
She sabeequently brought me the draft of a new will and
read it to me. I made memoranda of all that oc-
curred at the time, and copied them on to those
papers shortly afterwards. I copied them all at the
same time. I was in a very ill state of health,
and I wished to leave something after me which would
show how I was situated. I saw the countess sign the
will produced. I wished that she should leave her sister
what she had left before, and told her that she should
not carry resentment beyond the grave. She replied that
she had suffered mush from her and that she bad already
bad a fortune from her. I argued very strongly for Miss
Frances Bellew. The countess then buret into team and
said, "As you mess me, I will alter it ; but I will not
do more for leer." She then put down Iva The discus-
sion about it was goiog on for nearly two mouths. The
body of the roper produced Is in my haadwritisg. She
brought me the will after it was signed, sad It wee in her
own handwriting. She said, "I have come to ask
you a great favour, and it Is that you will make
a copy of my will." I agreed to do so, sad
I spoke to her about the beginning of the will, end advised
that it should be made properly. I disapproved of it, end
told her that family matters should sos be dismissed in
such a manner. She said she was determined it should be
known what she bad suffered. She did not wish that any-
body should knew that she had made the will. The wit-
ness Simmons was a general servant sad a very capital
cook. (Laughter.) She is dead. She was garotted on my
premises, and a °wooer's inquest was held on her. The
countess wasted me to witness the will. and I reminded
her that as • legatee I could not witness it. She pressed
me, and I put my name to the will. She then took it,
turned it over, and wrote on the top, "A deed of gift,"
and said, "There, that will do." She pee it to me. Sum-
mons then signed. The will was thee put into an envelope
by the caseates hermit, and addraeord " To my execs-
tors." (There was an endorsement ea the document to
the effect that it should not be produced until nine
months after the testatrix's death, ce until her will had
been proved.)

Wliat were the reasons that she gars you for that ?
Witness—l do Pot think I ought totes yen.
Efis Lordship—But you must answer the question.
Witness— Wall, it was this, She said that she knew that
Mr. Henry Bellew had such a dislike to Charlotte Morris
that she feared he would not pay ber, and that be would on
that secount require a little looking after. (Laughter.)
From that time I retained the document in my possession.
Simmons died six days before the esonatess. I suppose I
must tell you all about her death. (Laughter.) She was
garotted.
Mr. Hawkins—l see that the medical certificate states
the cause of her death to bars hese " bydrops perteardic.*
I suppose that that is Latin for garottieg. (Laughter.

EiSmlnatlon resumed—l never knew or sew Mr. Henry
Bellew until after the death of the testatrix. I never spoke
to Mrs. Bellew about a will or codicil. To pay the liabilities
I incurred la Chancery I bed to mortgage my property for
1,5001., and on the death of the countess I was required to
Pay the money. I desired to borrow 400/. from Mr. H.
Bellew, but to my surprise I never received it.
Cross-examined—My name is Aaoigail Ann but I call my-
self only Ann. I never saw my baptismal register, and for
a very good reason—l bare not the least ides whine I was
born. I was brought up by a farmer and his wife named
Hallman, and till 1822 I thonebt I was their child. I was
married to Mr. Cease in 1803. I have also gone by the
name of Carter. That was the name of m 'second
husband. 1 was married to him by special license
at No. 4, Windsor-terrace. I don't know where the license
came from. I afterwards found out that Mr. Carter wee
really the Earl of &boon. I lived with him 29 years.
I was mush attached to him. Ido not admit that I was his
mistress, or anything but his wife, though be had another
wife living when he married me. After the countess died
he promised to marry me at the decease of his mother ; but
she lived nearly es loog as he did, and when she died be was
iol bad health, so that the arrangement was never carried
out. I bed two children by him after Lady Saltoun's
death. Lord Baboon gave me post obits for 4001.
a year, for 3001. a year as pin money, and for 5,0001.
I received 1,0001. upon the last ; and I received the 4001. a
year, which was also left me by will. Sir J. &lithe, Lord
Saltoun's executor, refused to pay the rent, and I was
obliged to submit, Pot having means to continue my suite
in Chancery. I don't know whether it was 11
that the boas were forgeries. The hood for 15,12 r
was given to me on surrendering *treaty-eight letters
and my marriage certificate just before Lord &Bourn
went out as governor to Hong Kong. Mr. Henry Bellew
offered to lend me the 400 E if I would sign a hoed to give
no the will. I refused, became it looked like bribery. Mr.
Care was a corn sod coal seerebent and minter. He was
not successful in basilica. He at. sad drank no htUe that
his memory oompletely failed him. (laughter.) I after-
wards went to my fosterfatiorr's. and then to my aunt, who
kept a private boarding-house at Wiedser-teemos. That was
is 1822. My husband died is 1d24. I was married to Lad
Baltoun in the following spriest. My ehildree were takes
Tres me. sad were sent abroad, They never wrote to me.
My son lived to be 40.
Eli-examined—Lord &Boon wrote an affectionate letter
to me 12 days before his death.

Many other witnesses were called wbo wire to the hand-
writing of the deceased. and to the relan in shish she
stood to her brother and sister.

Mr. H. Bellew, the defendant (who gave his evidence in
apparently a very exeited manner), said that he and the
countess had each lest 2,0001. throegh the plaintiffs litiga-
ting their asst's wfIL He abhorred sad detested a gambler.
His sister Femmes wee one, and he would bold no inter-
course with her. Had had no acquaintance with ars. Came
till be saw her about the will.
Cress-examined—Was able to put b► 6001. a rear. sad
would rather the estate had been sunk to the bottom of
the ma than have bad the family affairs published to the
woad. _ _

Dr. Simpson sad Kr. Cooper, the omit ess'e medical at-
tendants, said that fast before her death they had roam-