The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-15 00:00:00

The Hon. Mrs. Norton and her Governess.

WESTMINSTER COUNTY COURT.--TUESDAY.
(Before Francis Bayley, Esq., Judge, and a Jury.)
SIBLEY V. TILE HON. CAROLINE NORTON.
This was an action brought by the plaintiff, Miss
Mary Sibley, of 54, Doughty-street, against the
Ron. Mrs. Norton, of 3, Chesterfield-street, May-
fair, to recover the sum of £lB 6s. 4d. for educa-
tional instruction to the defendant's two grand-
children.

The case excited intense interest, and the court
was crowded throughout the hearing.
Mr. Francis, barrister, appeared for the plaintiff,
and the Hon. Mrs. Norton (who was accompanied
by her nephew, Lord Dufferin) conducted her own
defence.
The learned counsel said that he had hoped that
the Hon. Mrs. Norton would have had some profes-
sional assistance so as to have given him (the
learned counsel) an opportunity of conferring with
the advocate beforehand, with a view to a settle-
ment of the case.
The Hon. Mrs Norton—l have a sworn accountant
here, who is the proper person in the case. He is
a professional accountant, and this is an attorney's
case, for Miss Sibley is an attorney's daughter—
they have chosen to bring me into court, and I am
not going to have professional assistance to make a
speech against my nursery governess.
Mr. Francis then addressed the jury, detailing
the facts of the case, from which it appeared that
the plaintiff had been for some years previously to the
autumn of last year employed as governess; but re-
quiring a situation in Sept. last year, she adver-
tised, which brought her in communication with the
Hon. Mrs. Norton, and she was engaged to edu-
cate two of her grandchildren, and terms were
settled on the 4th of September. The plaintiff
was also to keep the housekeeping book, and
to check the tradesmen's bills. She proceeded to
the Isle of Wight, and had charge of the two young
children ; and subsequently in the same year the
Hon. Mrs. Norton, the children, and the governess
were all staying at an hotel in Edinburgh, and Mrs.
Norton required the accounts to be gone into at 12
o'clock at night, and wished the plaintiff to put
down the monies she had received, when some un-
fortunate differences occurred between the two
ladies, with some little exhibition of temper on both
sides; and at length Miss Sibley, not satisfying
Mrs. Norton as: to a sum of £l5, which was said
had not been accounted for, the plaintiff was told
that if she remained any longer in the place it
would be at her own expense. Mrs. Norton then
went to Portobello, and the plaintiff had to get to
town. In January she made an application for her
salary, which had been refused. Plaintiff did not
claim for wrongful dismissal, but for the bare time
she had served. The plaintiff had some tradesmen's
books with her which she took away until she had
time to look over them. Mrs. Norton said, " You
must put down £15," whilst the plaintiff said she
would not, because she had not received it, which
was the whole cause of the dispute between them.
Miss Sibley was then called and examined. She
confirmed the whole of the learned counsel's state-
ment, and said she had been engaged at a salary of
£5O a year to educate the defendant's grandchil-
dren, and to superintend the household matters, and
keep the accounts. Entered on her duties on the
9th of September, and proceeded to the Isle of
Wight, and continued to educate the two children
up to the 22d of November of the same year.
Stayed at the Isle of Wight, and went to Scotland.
Mrs. Norton asked for the accounts, and witness
had them all fair and ready with her account-books
and everything for her to audit. She said on look-
ing over the accounts that she had given
witness a sum of £l5, and witness replied that
it was £5, upon which a dispute arose. Wit-
ness had it noted down in her diary, and used every
entreaty end argument to convince Mrs. Norton,
and at length said that she would present her with
the £lO in dispute out of her (witness's) salary, but
Mrs. Norton would yield to nothing, and then plain.
tiff refused to let her have the books, and when
witness rose on the following morning they had all
gone to Portobello, leaving her behind.
The Hon. Mrs. Norton cross-examined the plain-
tiff—Did you on the 22d of November write me
this note, complaining that my grandchildren were
too much for you, and gave warning, which I ac-
cepted, and then afterwards say that your note
would not bear that interpretation upon it ?
Miss Sibley—l don't remember.
The learned counsel—Hush ! don't answer.
The Hon. Mrs. Norton—You can't say hush to
the witness. (To the witness)—Did you say my
grandchildren were too much for you P—Witness—
I don't remember in the month of November. I
think it was in December. Can't say when you
accepted it as a notice to leave. I don't say that I
kept house for you a whole month without a single
farthing.
The Hon. Mrs. Norton (warmly)—l am sorry
your father brought you here to-day. I'm sorry
for you, and I am sorry for myself. The entries
you make don't tally in the abstract, with the en-
tries in the body of the account. I never heard of
such a case being brought into court. When I re-
turned to the Isle of Wight, did I on the 11th of
October find that you had spent the whole of the
£25 I gave you P—The witness—Yes, the books show
that it was spent. Witness had received a Linsey
dress as a present from the defendant from Scotland,
which cost £4 ls.
The Hon. Mrs. Norton—And was it not changed
from one colour to another to humour you, because
you said it would better suit your complexion ?---
Wit (smiling)—lt was changed.
After some further interrogatories,
The Hon. Mrs. Norton said she did not dispute
one fraction of the plaintiff's statement as to what
she had spent—namely, £B4 out of £lOO, but the
question was as to the £5 given on Oct. 14, which
did not tally in the abstract. (To the witness)—
How did you pay away these moneys ? Witness—
The books will prove. The witness then proceeded
to read the whole of the items. Two halves of five
pound notes, Sept. 28; Nov. 6, three halves; Nov.
10, four halves ; Nov. 15, £10; the 17th received
again £lO, &c. ; £B4 in the total.
The Hon. Mrs. Norton (with emphasis)—No one
disputes she received £B4, but she received £l5
more than is accounted for (Miss Sibley, smileo).
It is not a laughing matter. It is a very melan-
choly matter. Did you not, on the 22d of Septem-
ber, when I returned from the Duke of Rutland's,
refuse to go through the accounts at all ? Witness
—I never refused; was willing and anxious and
earnest to do it.
The Hon. Mrs. Norton—Did you or did you not
say, " I won't; who cares for you and your rotten
money ?" Witness—l have no recollection of hav-
ing said so.
The Hon. Mrs. Norton—Did you say, "Don't
talk to me about money ?" Witness—,l Not exactly
those words."
The Hon. Mrs. Norton—You refused to stay then,
and took away the books under your arm ? Wit-
ness—No; you keep confounding the two things.