The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-16 00:00:00

LAW INT,

(This Day.)

HOUSE OF LORDS.
YELVERTON V. LONG-WORTH (OR YELVERTON).
(Present the Lord Chancellor, Lord Brougham, Lord
Chelmsford, Lord Kingsdown, and Lord Wensledydale.)
At the sitting of their lordships this morning,
The Attorney-General said that the time at which certain
letters were written was a critical period in the history of
the case. inasmuch as they tended to throw some light on
the position in which the parties were placed before going
to Scotland. The letters he had read unquestionably
showed that marriage, honourable marriage, was the only
matter in question then, and that in the corres-
pondence, Miss Longworth was expressing to Major
Yelverton her views or the impediments to their marriage,
arising out of his circumstances, and his pecuniary arrange-
ments with his uncle, which he had disclosed to her at
Balaclava. No irnpress:ou had entered her mind except
marriage—marriage under ordinary circumstances, and in
the ordinary way, It had been a great shock to her to
hear of the impediments which made it impossible that the
marriage could take place, notwithstanding the mutual en-
gagements which existed between them. In her letters
she proposed to discuss these impediments, and she sug-
gested many sacrifices that she would be willing
to make to enable him to relieve himself of his
pecuniary difficulties. Then came the alternative thrown
out to her of a secret marriage. She was most unwilling to
listen to the proposal, but by degrees she came to entertain
it, and what he (ihe Attorney-General) believed to be the
true interpretation of many of the letters bearing on the
subject. These were the only terms proposed—these were
the only terms she thought the man she loved capable of
proposing.
The Lord Chancellor inquired upon what branch of the
inquiry all this correspondence bore? Did it bear at all
upon the Irish marriage?
The Attorney-General said not upon the Irish marriage
but upon the other branches of the subject. It was neces-
sary that the antecedents of the parties be inquired into.
The Lord Chancellor was afraid they would never come
to a conclusion of the case if they indulged in those vague
generalities. There was no pretence, as he understood, for
saying that there was any connection between them before
they arrived in Scotland.
Lord Brougham inquired whether what took place out of
Scotland by correspondence might not throw light upon
what took place in Scotland, giving
a meaning to certain
declarations and actions, and making those declarations
and actions clear, which otherwise would be ambiguous.
The Attorney-General said he could not carry the matter
beyond that, and proceeded to quote from the letter to show
what was the real position of the parties at Balaclava and
other places before their arrival at Scotland He adverted
to the use of the word " friend," which it had been urged
bore a certain meaning, but he (the Attorney-General) had
never heard that the meaning attempted to be put upon it
was the accepted meaning in English society, and held that
it might have been used in the most virtuous way by a
woman. who was looking up to a man for marriage. It was
a gross libel upon the respondent to put any other in' erpre-
tation on it. Quoting from other letters written by Major
Yelverton, he contended they were not the letters of a man who
had made improper proposals to a lady, which she was not in-
disposed to accept. Letters written by Miss Longworth at
the same time confirmed the same views, and were indeed
susceptible of no other meaning. Arejor Yelverton, on
account of his debts sad his pecuniary arrangements with
his uncle, had intimated to her that he would be obliged to
live abroad, and she, in return, said she was ready to make
a sacrifice to their mutual position, by assenting to a secret
marriage. These were the ceses on the one side and the
ether ; and then came the discussion between them
what the nature of that sacrifice should be. There was
not a word in the correspondence that was not applicable
to the sacrifices she would have to make by consenting to
ILlito this time had
apls to her, and had
e was capable of any
neverna
esve
ec
ro ndi
made
anmde
ea
anything
01 ‘t
:11;o jsuehrr
oa Ybw eethat
r ouph.
dishonourable proceeding. When, therefore, she said she
would submit to what he wished, she merely meant that
she would submit to a private and secret marriage, how-
ever distasteful and distressing that mode might be of
realising her dreams of happiness. That was clearly
Major Yelvertou's view of the case, as appeared from his
subsequent letters, and it was upon that understanding
that their meeting in Scotland was arranged. Up to this
time the correspondence had almost especial reference to
arrangements for marriage.
_ _

Mrs Yelverton and her two friends arrived at five minutes
to 12 o'clock, and took their accustomed places in the
Reporters' Gallery.
The Attorney. .General urged from these letters relating
to marriage that the respondent could not be supposed to
mean that she submitted to that which had never been pro-
posed. In her letters bee.ring upon this point there was a
great deal of poetry and sentiment, much that was romantic,
but nothing of harm; nothing that was unusual in the
slightest degree. He thought their lordehip3 would have
no difficulty in coming to that conclusion.

The Lord Chancellor was understood to express his

assent.

The Attorney• General referred to a phrase in one of the
respondent's letters in which she said that the moral
dilemma in which they had been placed might prove the
salvation of them both, and contended that no immoral

interpretation could be put upon it, as urged by the counsel
for the appellant. In the same letters she spoke of the
secret marriage which had been proposed, and repeatedly
urged that she did not wish him to do anything that was
dishonourable with regard to his relations.
Lord Bingsdown— A. secret marriage would have been
just as inconsistent with his engagements to his uncle as a
public marriage.

The Attorney-General apprehended that what she meant
was, that she did not wish him to put himself in a position
by their marriage to prevent him from paying
his debts,
The respondent distinctly pleaded that he had told her of
these engagements in the Crimea, and also that ho could
not at present marry on account of them. What she meant
was, that she did not wish him to make any sacrifice on her
account, and that an avowed public marriage luight, per-
haps, stand in the way of his getting from his rela-
tives money for the discharge of his
The learned gentleman said he would read extracts from
a few more letters bearing on this point, and then he would
land the parties in Scotland. These extracts bore a simple,
natural, and obvious construction, and it was, he thought,
only an impure mind that could put an immoral construc-
tion upon them. Having brought the parties to Edinburgh
the learned gentleman said he should now depart somewhat
from the facts to inquire what was the law in Scotland with
which they w,uld have to deal. lie referred to the dicta of
Sir William Grant, in the case of Dalrymple,
and other
high legal authorities to show the character of the marriage
law in Scotland, and how it bore upon this particular case.
Lord Brougham—lf a man said to a woman in Scotland
de verba in presents "I marry you," would that be a legal
marriage ?

The Attorney-General_yes) undoubtedly, if there was
nothing to discredit it.

Lord Brougham—Without any
The Attorney General—yes. Specification of time and
place ?
The learned gentlemen then proceeded with his exami-
nation of authorities.

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.
(Before Mr Commi4sioner Goulburn.)
before the commissioner this morning were
devoid The of interest. terest.

LL.m adjourned
17erelea come to.
impression that some examination
dividend meeting.
would be gone into, but as at the hour appointed none of the
present, it may be inferred
There
edaapy
appeared
rs
eadproolb' appointed ea dn"ip
that legal gentlemencm e arrangement
hadas a

Beautifully arranged, varied, and tempting as
the goods look in the shop windows of the traders
of the West-end, they assuredl?, give frequently but a very
inadequate idea of the stock within—of the rare objects of
art and taste which abound and cannot be made a public
gaze of in the window, being too costly for exposure to the
wear and tear, or not suited to the general taste of the pas-
sing multitude; therefore but a faint idea can be formed
of the variety within that comes at
.the call, produced
ready assistant. Take our jewellers' show-
windows, i(.:
instance, and compare the inside wealth ef g. ode displayed
with the exterior, or take ono house especially as an examnle,
which is acknowledged to have one of the most beautiful
by the
public displays of goods, and with a most extensive range
rs
epnei
cc
hm eii of the
Regent-street. This
i
oTf.sAid.e
sainmdpfsroonnt
awniand
co Nov.s, tossoh. olws4t,heßm in--that of Messrs
firm is still, notwithstanding ts advantages, unable to place
large stock that
minatyhbe
clocks, dressing cases, ar-
ticles of ornament for the apartment, and costly jewellery.
eNssienl le
c°twe d evenf
roma offa iFr
There is profusion in every department, and there is an ex-
tensive range in the pr:ces to meet all demands. Few firms
can offer such variety in goods and such a Vast stock, and
the doubting and those desirous of making advantageous
purchases should pay 154, Regent-street, a visit,—Court
Journal.

DR. STANLEY CHEERED OR HISSED P—The cor-
respondent of a weekly conteroporarT, 4
Contemporary writes •
"You will hardly require me to point out to you a mistake
in your summary of news for last week. Not only did the
tton-placet of Dr. Stanley's degree get triumphantly out-
yofsixtothe
one,
but the dean himself did
narrow minority of such
uvsottehde beyomapmoi
lillaienrtt
of ignoring
oontrary elements. and became one of us. Your mistake
arose from the fact that the Prince of Wales's degree was
conferred on him at a special congregation, in company
only with his suite. Few of those present will forget the
eloquent Latinity of our public orator's peroration when he
presented the dean for his degree, and When at the close of
an enumeration of his various merits, his striking power of
biography, his love of truth, he addressed him thus—' Te
igitur Oxoniensibus tuffs invidemus. Tails cum sis, noster
este,' the thunder of applause effectually drowned the
spiteful hisses of the opposition, and made the dean feel, as
he afterwards said, that a little opposition added a Test to
the honour. I should not have troubled you wi',l this
note, had I not felt anxious to claim the honour of Dr.
Stanley's connection for our University.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE—This Day,


WESTMINSTER.

ROBBERY BY A GERMAN AT THE VICTORIA RAILWAY
STATION, PIMLICO.—EmiIe Thielicir, a German, was
charged with stealing a carpet-bag, at the terminus of the
Victoria Railway Station, Pimlico.

Mr Inspector Fray, of the Company's police, stated that
at about noon yesterday he saw the prisoner at the station
in the company of another man. He had his suspicions of
them, and he watched them. When he first saw the pri.
'Boner he had no luggage with him. In a few minutes, as
a Croydon train was about starting, he saw the prisoner
carrying a carpetbag, and going with it towards the
Grosvenor Hotel. He stopped the prisoner, when the other
man ran away. Witness asked him where he got it from.
He observed, "It's mine, It's mine." He tried to go
away.

I❑ answer to Mr Selfe, the Inspector said that there was
the name of Mrs Howard on the carpet-bag, with the
direction on it of Sutton, Surrey. There was a quantity
of wearing opparel in the carpet-bag, with various oche:
articles, which were of the value of above £lO.

The prisourr, who is supposed to have been concerned
with other depredations at railway stations, was remanded
till to-morrow (Friday).

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

MRS LIDDERMORE'S GRIEVANCES.—SINGULAR CASE.
—Mrs El;za Liddermore attended before Mr Knox to
answer the complaint of Mrs Harriet Gee, of using threat-
ening language towards her; and there was a cross com-
plaint against Mrs Gee of assaulting Mrs Liddermore.
Mr Edward Dillon Lewis, from the office of Mr Edward
Lewis, of Great Marlborough-street, appeared :or Mrs Gee.
The case wag briefly this :—On the 4th of June Mrs Gee
was coming down stairs with a basin of water in her hand,
when Mrs Liddermore, who had a hammer in her hand,
threatened to break Mrs Gee's haad, and upon this, accord-
ing to Mrs Liddermore's statement, Mrs Gee threw the
basin of water over her.
Mrs Liddermore, who is a lodger of Mrs Gee's, handed
the magistrate the following list of grievances, and a daily

register of tho number of bugs caught in her apartments,

from March 21 to May 20. A. summary of the grievances
as follows :—Number of buga destroyed during the at..ovo
period, 800. The area door taken away and the house
rendered unsafe. The water closet locked, and the key
taken away and refused. Continuous knocking for two
nights from 12 till 4in the morning. A pail of whitewash
upset, and the doors of the apartments plastered with the
same. The water run off on several occasions."

Mr Knox suggested that the better court ) would be for
Mrs Liddermore to leave the house, but Mr Lewis said it
was a quarterly tenancy, and it was not until Mrs Lidder-
more received her summons that she took out one against
Mrs Gee. Ile thought if each was bound over to keep the
peace to the other that it would be sufficient,
Mr Knox assented to Mr Lewis's suggestion, and that
course was adopted.

AN INCAUTIOUS PROSECUTOR —Jane Williams, a char-
woman, was charged before Mr Knox with stealing from
the person of NN'm Nicholas, of Hillicgdon, Middlesex, a
silver watch of the value of LG.

The prosecutor was first charged with being drunk, and
discharged.

George 'Weeks, tobacconist, 15, Sherwood-street, said
that while in the Devonshire Arms public house, Denman-
street, that morning, shortly before one o'clock, he heard
something heavily fall on the ground, and on looking
round saw the prosecutor lying on the ground and the
prisoner trying to bite his watch guard in two. The
prosecutor's watch was gore, and the landlord came round
and closed the doors and sent for a constable. The prisoner
' was sober, but the prosecutor was very drunk.
In answer to Mr. Knox, the witness said he did not eee
the prisoner pass the watch to any one, but she might have
done so as there were several persons present.
Mr Nicholas said he was "exceedingly" drunk the pre-
vious night. He last saw his watch at ten o'clock, and it
was then attached to his person by a guard. When he re-
covered himself he found himself in the station.
The prisoner said the prosecutor had treated her to wine
all the evening, and took her to the Haymarket and bought
her a bouquet.

wooc, 180 C, who took the prisoner into custody, stated
that the landlord of the house informed him that he had
seen the prisoner spit something on the floor like a piece of
the guard.
Mr. Knox remanded the prisoner.