The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-04 00:00:00

THE BELGIAN GIRL'S CASE.

Mr. Simonds, an inspector of the B division, accom-
panied by Clara Leroy, the unfortunate Belgian girl,
whose case has excited so much sensation in the public
mind, waited upon Mr. Arnold on her 'behalf, at the
Westminster Police-court yesterday.
The Inspector said that his application was for a war-
rant to procure the restoration of the girl's clothing,
the house in Denbigh.terrace, to
which she had been brought from .Brussels by Fiestel„
alias Harrison. It will be remembered that on the oc-
casion of her escape, on the morning of the 17th
she had nothing on her but a woollen dress, and was in-
debted to the kindness of strangers for the clothes in
which she had subsequently appeared.
Mr. Arnold observed that be should have no hesita-

tion in granting a summons to compel their restoration,
Mr. Simonds begged to inform the magistrate of the
result of some further inquiries respecting the case. He
found that Fiestel's mother had kept a house for the re-
ception of girls for infamous purposes at, he believed,
192,Waterloo-road, where Elizabeth Grimwood had pre-
viously been murdered. Fiestel's father had left his wife
in consequence of her disgraceful conduct.
Mr. Arnold inquired what sort of house it was in Den-
bigh-terrace to which the girl had been brought ?
Mr. Simonds observed that it was a very fine house,
magnificently furnished. He knew a gentleman who
had offered 1,0001. for the house, and, no doubt, would
have had it, but that the M. Denis, who professed to be
un extensive wine merchant, became the occupant.
Mr. Arnold inquired whether Mr. Simonds was aware
of the circumstance of its being a brothel before the pre-
sent case was brought forward ?
Mr. Simonds replied that he was not, and the business
was conducted so privately that many of the neighbours
did not, although they suspected it was. He had felt it
his duty to make inquiries respecting 116, Tachbrook-
street, where Fiestel alias Harrison resided, and found
it was a highly respectable house, and that there was
not the least imputation upon the character of the land-
lord. Fiestel's mother had taken the apartments for
herself, and, as she represented, a son, a mathematical-
instrument-maker, and referred the landlord to a builder
in the Vauxhall-bridge-road, who gave her an excellent
character. Since the examination of Fiestel, itinerant
newsmongers had been selling halfpenny and penny ac-
counts of the transaction opposite the house, pointing to
it, and of course causing great annoyance to the respect-
able inmates.

Mr. Arnold said that the police would of course in d
terfere to prevent anything of that sort being carried on.
Mr. Fenwick observed that it would of course meet
with proper attention. _

The girl, who appears less dejected than before, then
left in care of the police.
Madame Denis's name is stated to be "Laura La•
boucher."

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

OXFORD, MARCH 3.

Wiliam, Naylor, Milian Brand, William Shorter,
Henry Townsend, and William Patsy, were indicted for
attempting to rescue Mr. William Seymour Blackstone,
late M.P. for Wallingford, from the hands of the bailiff
of the sheriff of Oxfordshire, on the 27th of January, and
for an assault upon the bailiff.

--The prosecution was instituted by the late high sheriff
of Oxfordshire for the purpose of protecting one of his
officers, who was appointed for the purpose of executing
a writ against Mr. Blackstone, from interference on the
part of the defendants with that officer in the
execution of his duty. The circumstances of the
case were these :—Mr. Blackstone was a gentleman
who formerly represented Wallingford in Parliament ;
he got into difficulties, and when he ceased to be
a member of Parliament he ceased to have protection
from arrest by law ; but though there were many write
in the hands of the sheriffs of Oxfordshire and Berkshire
against him, it was difficult to enforce them, as he was
very popular, and a great favourite in the town which
he had represented; and he seemed to treat, not exactly
with defiance, but with impunity all attempts to take
him into custody. His sister lived at Howberry Man-
sion, a lofty place, commanding a view of the surround-
ing country, and close to, the Thames, where it sepa-
rates the counties of Oxford and Berkshire, and he had.
' a punt on the river by which he was enabled to go to
either side of the river, as he saw the officers of the other
side in pursuit of him. He also provided himself with
three dogs of a most formidable character, and by these
means enjoyed for a long time freedom from arrest.
At length the sheriff of Oxfordshire determined to
put an end to this system, and a writ for 14 mi/.
having come down, he put a warrant into the hands of
a man named Turner, who met with him near his sis-
ter's house. On perceiving him Mr. Blackstone ran
away, but was overtaken and served with a writ. 31r-
' Blackstone asked Turner to let him go back to iris
house for a change of clothes ; but this Turner, who 11
got special directions not to suffer him to escape, wou'
not allow. He was then taken into a barn, where he.
sent a message to his solicitor to visit him. In the
meantime the defendants appeared with sticks, shovels,
and dung forks, and assumed a menacing attitude.
A fly was then brought to convey Mr. Blackstone
away, upon which a struggle ensued ; bit the officers,
notwithstanding considerable resistance, succeeded in
forcing him into it, and driving him off to Oxford.
After evidence had been adduced in proof of the
above facts, the defendants, by the advice of their
counsel, withdrew the plea of not guilty, and pleaded
guilty, and they were discharged on entering into their
6
recognisances to keep the peace for two years.