The Sun.
London, England, 1853-08-19 00:00:00

THE HON. G. O. NORTON AND THE HON.
MRS. NORTON.

WESTMINSTER COUNTY COURT, AUG. 18.
This was an action brought by the plaintiffs, Messrs.
Thrupp, coachbuilders, of Oxford-street, against the
Hon. G. C. Norton, defendant, under the following pe-
culiar and extraordinary circumstances

Mr. C. Dod, the solicitor, appeared for the plaintiffs,
and Mr. Needham, counsel, instructed by Messrs. Flad-
gate, Clarke, and Finch, conducted the defence.

The case, which was fixed for hearing some time ago,
had been twice postponed on account of the non-attend-
ance of certain witnesses, and an unusual degree of in-
terest was excited, the court being crowded to excess
during the whole of the proceedings, which occupied
several hours.

Mr. Dod said the claim was for 491. 4s. 6d. for work
and labour supplied by the plaintiffs to the Hon. Mrs.
Norton, who was the wife of the defendant. The de-
fendant was a police magistrate for Lambeth, and also a
member of the bar. The account of the plaintiffs had
extended from the 17th of April, 1843, to the 17th of
March, 1850, amounting to 184/. 4s. 6d., of which 1351.
had been paid in different instalments, leaving a balance
of 491. 4s. 6d., the amount sought to be recovered. He
should prove that the work was duly performed, and
that the orders were given by the Hon. Mrs. Norton, as
the wife of the defendant, and that the charges were fair
and reasonable. He (Mr. Dod) understood that a de-
fence of non-liability was about to be raised by reason of
some separation, or some living apart of the defendant
from his wife. He should, however, be able to satisfy
the court that the account was a proper and reasonable
one, and the items would show that they were such as
befitted the station of a lady in the position of the de-
fendant's wife. The plaintiffs bad come into court to
show that their claim was a just one, and that they had
nothing whatever to do with private differences between
the defendant and his wife.
The Hon. Mrs. Caroline Norton, who was accommo-
dated with a seat on the bench, was now examined by
Mr. Dod.
She stated that she was the wife of the defendant, the
Hon. George Capel Norton. She had been subpoenaed
to that court to produce the accounts of the plaintiffs for
work and labour supplied by them to her from the year
1843 to the month of March, 1850.
Mr. Dod—What did the work consist of ?
The Hon. Mrs. Norton—Repairs to my carriage. I
beg to observe, I am here against my will upon subpoena.
I sent a statement of my case to Mr. Norton's solicitor.
The Court intimated that the witness had better con-
fine herself to the questions of her advocate.
The Hon. Mrs. Norton (emphatically)—l am here for
justice, and as this is a court of justice, I insist upon
stating what I have to say. These tradesmen would
have been paid if Mr. Norton had not performed the
greatest breach of faith that was ever accomplished by
man.

The Judge—Madam, pray allow me to say that this is
irregular.

The Hon. Mrs. Norton (with determination)—l will
speak.
The Judge—Will you allow this gentleman to conduct
your case ?
Mr. Dod—What is the description of carriage for
which the work was done ?

The Hon. Mrs. Norton—A brougham. I paid Mr.
Thrupp by instalments until Mr. Norton stopped my
allowance. We are not residing together, and have lived
apart for some years, by my wish and choice, because I
consider that I have sustained an injury that no woman
ought to submit to. I believe Mr. Norton's income to
be about 3,0001. a-year—viz., from his magistracy, his
patrimonial profits in Scotland, his chambers in the Tem-
ple, and other sources, altogether amounting to 3,0001.
per annum. I was parted from him in the year 1836,
and the following year he offered 5001. a-year until we
could arrange our matters, but made me a compulsory
allowance of 4001. per annum. He stipulated that I
should give up my children, and I said that I would
rather starve than lose them ; and I did starve for a
time. From the month of March, 1838, he made me an
allowance, and he advertised me in the public papers
respecting this compulsory allowance. He paid me
4001. a-year until 1838. In reference to this there was
an agreement drawn up, He and my brother-in-law,
the Hon. E. Phipps, witnessed it. In the year 1851
my mother died, and she left me some money ; but there
is still 6871. 10s. due to my creditors, and I have re-
turned from Italy to have it paid ; and if the defendant
had paid me the money he promised by the agreement
I should have settled with the plaintiffs ; butl under-
stood Mr. Norton's plea to be, that as this paper was
made between him and his wife, it cannot be binding
on him ; but if I had the money every one of my credi-
tors would have what is due to them.
Cross-examined by Mr. Needham—Have you received
your income from Mr. Norton regularly up to a period
beyond that of the last item, March, 1850.
The Hon. Mrs. Norton—He owes me 6871.
Mr. Needham—Have you not received your allow-
ance under the agreement ?
The Hon. Mrs. Norton—l received my allowance up
to March, 1852.

Mr. Needham—Was your separation from your hus-
band a voluntary one?
The Hon. Mrs. Norton.—Mr. Norton sent my little
children to Mrs. Vaughan, to which I very much ob-
jected, and I received nothing in the shape of an allow-
ance for two !years ; and when I parted from my hus-
band I had no income.
Mr. Needham—Was not the allowance paid into your
banker's first, after the rate of 2001. a-year, and subse-
quently 400/.?
The Hon. Mrs. Norton—No ; I have not got my
banker's pass-book with me. I never had a book at all
until 1848, because I never had sufficient money to
make it worth my while to keep an account there.
Yesterday I sent for a list of what moneys I had at my
banker's.
Mr. Needham—l don't ask you that ?
The Hon. Mrs. Norton—You are afraid of my an-
swers when I give them.

Mr. Needham—Will you let me see that paper you
are looking at ?

The Hon. Mrs. Norton—No ; I have this here for my
own purpose.

The Judge—But it must be produced to the counsel,
madam, if he requires it.
Mr. Needham—Did you refuse to take the money
after it was paid into Messrs. Rawson the bankers ?
The Hon. Mrs. Norton—l refused to do anything
while my children were taken from me.
Mr. Needham—l believe you had 15,0001. left you by
your mother ?
The Hon. Mrs. Norton— I have the interest of the
money paid to me through my brother.
Mr. Needham—Have you also 571. 10s. paid to you
by way of pension ? •
The Hon. Mrs. Norton—My father held an appoint-
ment at the Cape of Good Hope. He died there, and I
have the pension in consequence.
Mr. Needham—Had you some sums of money sent to
you at Lisbon ?
The Hon. Mrs. Norton—He sent money to pay the
passage of his second son home. He refused to pay the
passage of his eldest son, and also what he was indebted
to Sir Hamilton Seymour. I paid both.
The Hon. Mr. Norton here interposed, and said he
thought it very hard if this ex parte statement was to go
forth to the public without his having an opportunity of
saying anything in denial or explanation of the statements
that were being made against him.
The Hon. Mrs. Norton—l can prove upon my oath
that his son resided with me in Germany, Italy, Bel-
gium, and in Portugal, and that I sustained the whole
expenses of such residence myself. The eldest has had
an allowance since he went to Lisbon.
Mr. Needham—Has the second son not been at Eton,
and subsequently at Oxford ?
The Hon. Mrs. Norton—Mr. Norton paid for his
education, but I paid for his residence. lam known as
a popular
writer in my own country, and sometimes I
have 1,0001. a year, and sometimes I have nothing. I
have worked as hard as any lawyer's clerk in this court.
Mr. Needham—What is your literary income! Is it
5001. a year?
The Hon. Mrs. Norton—No. Mr. Norton has
claimed my copyrights from my publisher.
The Hon. Mr. Norton (interrupting)—My solicitor
did.

The Hon. Mrs. Norton (with indignation)—Does be
act without knowing what your wishes are, Sir ?
Mr. Needham—May we take it as 5001. a year ?
The Hon. Mrs. Norton—You may take it for what
you like ; and the only remaining source of income is
the assistance from my friends and family—any sums
that they choose to allow me.
Mr. Needham—Madam, we have already got an in-
come of 1,300/. a year. Do you mean to tell the
learned judge that you have no other source of income ?
The Hon. Mrs. Norton—l mean to tell the learned
judge the truth.
Mr. Needham—ls one of those friends from whom
you derive an allowance Lord Beauvale, the late Lord
Melbourne ?
The Hon. Mrs. Norton—That is one of the sources.
(The witness here became much excited, and, rising
from her seat, said)—l do not receive ex income, for
his property was strictly entailed. He left his solemn
declaration, as a dying man, and gave his word of
honour, that Mr. Norton's accusation against me, when
I was a young thing at home, was a false one. He left
his request to his brother, and to his solicitor, that as
" this young woman,"—young enough, and more than
young enough, to have been his child—would, on ac-
count of such accusation, undergo the great suffering,
the great misery, the loss of a home, and the wreck of
her whole life— -I stand here a blasted woman from
that day, becaUse those people knew me, and Lord
Melbourne left me nothing but his letter, swearing that
I was falsely accused. His memory is dear to them.
(At this stage of the proceeding there was a burst of
I applause from Some two or three hundred persons in
the body of the court, but which was at once properly
suppressed by order of the Judge.) The witness con-
tinued—My husband can cheat me because I am his

wife.
The Hon. Mr. Norton (interrupting)— God forbid !
(To the Court)—ls it regular for me to say one word ?
The Hon. Mrs. Norton —lt is all irregular.
The Judge— Mrs. Norton, will you have the goodness
to sit down ?
Mr. Needham—Mrs. Norton, I ask you whether it
was not upon the express assertion, at the time that
agreement was signed that you received nothing from
Lord Melbourne, that Mr. Norton was to make you the
allowance?
The Hon. Mrs. Norton—l did receive nothing from
Lord Melbourne.
Mr. Needham—Did you say, that you neither did
then, nor would ?
The Hon. Mrs. Norton—l did not, for I never ex-
pected to receive anything.
Mr. Needham—Do you mean to say that on your
oath ? . .

_......._
The Hon. Mrs. Norton (with great emphasis)—l say
it upon my oath—man—what !