The Sun.
London, England, 1830-03-17 00:00:00

SLADE V. FURNELL.
' Mr. Cor.refncie opened the pleadings. The declara-
tion charged the defendant with having had criminal con-
versation with. the plaintiff's wife, and for which the plain-
tiff sought pecuniary compensation. The damages were
laid at 3,0001.
Mr. Serjeant WI Lnr had the honour to appear that day
as Counsel for Mr. Robert Slade, a most respectable mer-
chant, carrying on business at Pool, in this county ; and
that gentleman complained of an injury of the most se-
rious description that could possibly occupy the attention
of a Jury. It was one of those cases in which the de-
fendant had deprived the plaintiff of the affections of his
wife, and of the comfort and enjoyment of her society.
The plaintiff's time was chiefly occupied in business—he
was not a man of pleasure—and when not actually en-
gaged in business, his time was devoted to domestic com-
forts, content with enjoying the company of his wife and
children. The plaintiff was a man about 34, yiars of age,
his wife was nearly of the same age ; they had five children
living, and death had deprived them of others. By the
act of the defendant the plaintiff had lost his best comfort
—namely, his wife ; and his children had been robbed
of a mother in their tender age, being all very young.
• Mr.enteneld was also a married man. Mr. Slade, as he
had already them, was a merchant of considerable
business and. great respectability ; he married his present
wife in 1817. She was educated at an establishment
where the respectable female children in the neighbourhood
were brought up. The plaintiff and his wife were united
under circumstances offering every favourable prospect.—
Mr. Furnell was also a gentleman engaged in a respect-
able commercial establishment in Pool ; he appeared to
have fixed his attention on Mrs. Slade. The first act no-
ticed on the part of the defendant was his watching Mrs,
Slade when she went out with her children and a servant
to take a walk; it would be found that he always attended
her on those occasions; that the servant was frequently
sent away with the children for the purpose of buying
toys; and it would be proved that the defendant on some
of those occasions indulged in those liberties (such as kiss-
ing, &c.) which showed the course of his inclinations.—
It would Appear that they sometimes returned together to
the plaintiff's house, and it would be shown that at one
time the defendant joined Mrs. Slade, and went with her
to her husband's house, where he was seen in one of the
lower rooms, and one of the servants saw Mrs. Slade sit-
ting on the defendant's knee ; in a short time after they
were missed out of that room, and were seen going into one
on the second floor, and coming out after some time. This
kind of intercourse would he proved to have taken place
several times, and always when Mr. Slade was out—but
generally on Sunday morning, when he was at church.
Latterly those visits were marked by circumstances
which left no doubt of the criminality of the parties.
At last some reports reached the ears of Mr. Slade, and
of course he, became very unhappy ; very soon after the
defendant was made acquainted with the fact that the
plaintiff had heard of his intimacy with his wife. The
defendant wrote a letter to Mr. Slade, stating that he had
heard the reports, and how very sorry he was that any
think of the kind should have been circulated, and pledged
his honour that nothing ever happened between him and
Mrs. Slade ; the plaintiff was thus deceived, and the de-
fendant so successfully imposed on him that he believed
nothing criminal took place between the parties. It, how-
ever, happened that about this time Mrs. Slade left her
home for a week, and Mr. Slade then discovered those
facts which would leave no doubt of the criminality of the
parties. They then separated, and Mrs. Slade has since
been living under the eye of her mother at Pool.
The following witnesses were then examined on behalf
of the plaintiff:—
Jane Lockier—l lived with Mr. and Mrs. Slade three
or four months before they separated. There are five chil-
dren living. I was nursemaid. I walked out with Mrs.
Slade and the.children. They did not visit much. Mr.
Slade was a domestic man. I knew Mr. Purnell. I first
saw him when I went out for a walk betwqen July and
August of last year. We were walking round Fads el:, a
field near Pool. I had never seen him before with Mrs.
Slade. He had never visited at the house. He walked
with Mrs. Slade about two hours. I saw hint the next
day. He walked with her then, and the children and I
walked behind. They frequently met in this way four or
five times a-week. The familiarity increased after this.' I
saw Mr. Furnell kiss Mrs. Slade. He had been with her
two hours and a half that day. I told my mistress what
I had seen. Mr. Furnell came to my mistress after that,
and spoke to her, anti she then directed me to go and buy
cakes for the children. The children went with me. Mr.
Furnell came to the house on the Sunday following. My
master usually went to church about half-past ten. Mr.
Furnell came about a quarter-past eleven. I heard
him speak in the parlour, and heard my mistress's voice
there also. My fellow-servant was at home also. The door
was shut. There is a window at the back of the parlour,
looking into the yard. After I had heard the voice, I told
the other servant, and then went up stairs to the nursery. I
could then look through the window into the parlour. I
looked in, and saw my mistress sitting on Mr. Furnell's
knee, with his arm round her waist. I saw her for five or
six minutes. I was an hour in the nursery before I went
down. Mr. Furnell was still in the parlour. He went
away about half-past twelve. Mr. Slade usually came from
church at a quarter to one. I saw them again the next day
in the field. Mr. Slade used to treat his wife very kindly.
Cross.examined—July was the last time I saw Mr. Fur-
nell at the house. I never saw her in a state of intoxication
before this, but I did about a week after she took up with
Furnell.
Rachael Silcock—l am a married woman. I lived with
Mr. Slade about five months, and left about August or
September last. I know Mr. Furnell. I saw hint at my
master's house at the latter end of July four or five times
a week. I have seen the defendant and my mistress go into
the best bed-room and lock the door. I went and tried
it. They remained in the bed •room about 20 minutes.
They were there afterwards. I have gone into that room
after they came out, and the bed appeased as if some one
had been lying upon it. They have been nine or ten times
in the bed-room. The youngest child is four years and the
eldest twelve years old.
Mr. West—l am a medical man at Pool, and have known
the plaintiff and his wife 15 years. I have attended Mrs.
Slade five times when confined. She "aborted" five other
times. I never saw any want of harmony between the
plaintiff and her. They lived a retired life. Mr. Slade is
about 35, and Mre. Slade about 32. Mr. Furnell is about
50 years of age. He is a timber-merchant at Pool, and a
partner in a respectable house. Mr. Slade and Mr. Fur-
Kell are members of the Corporation.
Cross-examined—The defendant is a married man and
has three children.
Mr. Thomas Arnold—l am an attorney at Pool. I
married a cousin of the plaintiff. I visited him and his
wife. I never observed any thing but the greatest kindness
between them.
Miss Wade—_l am not related to the parties. I have
been in the habit of sometimes visiting the plaintiff and
his wife. Their conduct with respect to kindness was no-
thing but what was proper.
Mr. East:lNF, (for the defendant) would call witnesses
to prove that the wife of the plaintiff was a most abandoned
and profligate woman, and that the defendant had conferred
a blessing upon her children by causing her being removed
front them.
Charlotte Sellers examined—l am the first cousin of
the plaintiff's wife. Mr. Slade has two residences, one at
Pool, and another at Parkstone. I have made visits to
Mrs. Slade. and at one time for 10 months, about five
years ago. I have walked about with her ; I once walked on
a road from Winborne to Ringwood; it was about five
years ago; we Diet two officers ; they passed by us ; I
afterwards saw them again ; we both looked hack ; they
bad just Passed ; I saw cne of them kiss Mrs. Slade ; she
did not make any resistance ; I told her that if her hus-
band knew it, he would be offended; site said be would
not know it; sde said one of them was a handsome man,
and that she should like to meet him in the evening, and
asked me to walk with her. I did not do so. I have
heard her name a Mr. Humphrey ; she once made a pro-
posal to me to walk to meet him ; we were to walk on
the road to Sturt ; Mrs. Slade said he was very rich, and
perhaps he would give her 10/. ; and if I would go with
her, I should have 5/. of the money; she said he had met
a female on the road, and had given her 10/. Mr. Slade
was Sheriff of Pool during_ that time ; he was out one
evening ; Mrs. Slade was at home ; Miss Slade and my-
self were at home also. During that evening I heard Mr.
Cooper Pass; Mrs. Slade talked to a person at the door