The Sun.
London, England, 1836-03-19 00:00:00

m irried the unhappy subject of this inquiry in April, 1833.
She was a young lady of great accomplishments and conside-
rable personal attractions, and on the plaintiff first becoming
acquainted with her she was only nineteen years of age. She
was an orphan, haling lost her father, Capt. Prescott, at the
battle of Salamanca, and her mother some years afterwards.
When Mr. Bass was introduced to her, Miss Prescott
was a parlour boarder in a ladies' school at Dover ;
and, very shortly after they were introduced to each other,
a mutual affection was conceived, and the plaintiff made
proposals of marriage, which were accepted. The young
lady, however, had no property, and the father of the
plaintiff was unwilling that his son, who was just commencing
business, should be burdened with the expenses of a domestic
establishment so early in life. The conduct of the plaintiff,
however, was such, and he evinced so much affection for the
object of his choice, that his father was induced to waive his
objection, and they were married. In March, 1834, Mrs.
Bass was delivered of a son, and it would be supposed that
such a circumstance would tend to strengthen the affection
they entertained for each other. But, unfortunately, it was
but the prelude to the withering of the father's hopes and the
ruin of his happiness. The plaintiff had been intimate with
a brother of the defendant, who was the son of a farmer, be-
tween 23 and 24 years of age, and possessed of a handsome
person. He introduced him (plaintiff) to defendant. He
was afterwards received at his house as a guest and friend.
In June, 1834, Mrs. Bass visited a Mrs. Nokes, at Deal, and
remained there a few days. The defendant was acquainted
with Mrs. Nokes, and on the 21st of July met Mrs. Bass and some
of the party, and accompanied them home to tea, and after-
wards to the theatre. The plaintiff, haviniiia complaint of the
spine, went up to London about this time with his father, to
consult Sir Astley Cooper, and, during his absence, a Miss
Ford was invited to keep Mrs. Bass company. The defend-
ant, on the 22d of July, took tea with Miss Ford and Mrs.
Bass. At about ten o'clock Mrs. Bass went into the kitchen,
and desired the servants to go to bed. They did not go inr-
mediately, and she was very angry, though the usual hour of
going to bed was much later ; the servants shortly after went
up stairs but not to bed, for they placed themselves on the
stairs, for the purpose of observing what passed. They heard
Mrs. Bass let the defendant out, and wish him " Good night,"
and slam the hall-door. They also heard the office-door in
the passage slightly creak, and saw Mrs. Bass come up stairs
and go into the drawing-room, and wish Miss Ford good
night, and tell her she would go down stairs and see that
all was right. Miss Ford offered to accompany her, but she
said she was not afraid, and went down stairs. Miss Ford then
went to bed. Shortly afterwards they saw Mrs. Bass creep
slowly up stairs, and the defendant without his shoes behind
her. They went into Mrs. Bass's bedroom, and they heard
the night-bolt fall. The servants then retired to bed. On
the following evening the defendant came to tea, and the same
transactions took place as on the preceding night. On the
Thursday following he again came, and went at night into
Mrs. Bass's room. The nurse having sat up all night heard
a noise about five o'cloak in the morning, and on going down
stairs observed the defendant and her mistress on the staircase.
On seeing her they endeavoured to avoid her. Mrs. Bass on
the following day asked her if she had been ill, and if she had
seen anybody on the previous night. She replied, " Yes, I
saw him, and I can swear to him." Mrs. Bass said he was
taken ill,' and she gave him some tea. The manner of the
nurse, however, was such that Mrs. Bass must have known
that her guilt was discovered. The plaintiff returned home
on the 20th of July. On the 9th of June, 1835, the plaintiff's
suspicions were first excited. The plaintiff had been out on
business during the day, having told Mrs. Bass that he should
not return at night; circumstances, however, arose that ren- •
dered his return necessary, and he reached home about eleven
o'clock. He asked for Mrs. Bass, and the servant told him
that she was sleeping with Mrs. Ellerton, his sister, who was
on a visit at the house. Mrs. Ellerton, however, came down
stairs, and said that she was not sleeping with her. The servant
then suggested that she might be gone to Sir Edward Miles's
house, a friend of the family, about two miles off. The
plaintiff immediately repaired there; but did not find her.
Not succeeding in finding her, he became apprehensive that
she had dro'wned herself, and had a brook at the back of the
house dragged, and he proceeded to his father's house at
Buckland, two miles from Dover, and exclaimed in great
mental agony, " I have lost her." His father endeavoured to
console him, and accompanied him back to his house, when
they found that Mrs. Bass had returned about three o'clock.
She was sitting in the drawing room in her dressing-gown.
The plaintiff was naturally very indignant, his alarm having
subsided, and he refused to see her until she had explained
her conduct. She appeared very much excited and de-
ranged, rolled her eyes very much, and went off into
hysterics. Mr. Chalk, a medical friend, was sent for, and
he ordered leeches to be applied immediately, being apprc-
hensice of a rush of blood to the head. Mr. Chalk thinking
reconciliation necessary to remove her out of danger, and shu
expressing a great wish to see her husbrnd, he was induced to
go into the room. On seeing him she shed tears, and said
" She did not know how she came to do it." Mr. Bass, sup-
posing that she alluded to an attempt to destroy herself, ba-
nished suspicion from his mind, and eventually they were re •
conciled. They resided under the same roof afterwards for a
fortnight ; but she, although her husband treated. her with
kindness, was excessively sullen, and appeared ill. The father
afterwards obtained information which induced the plaintiff to
make inquiries of the servants, who then related what they had
seen, leaving no doubt in the plaintiff's mind of the infamy of
his wife. He immediately sent her from his house, and re-
fused to see her again.
Evidence was called, which went to prove the facts stated
in the Learned Counsel's speech.
Mr. PLATT addressed the Jury for the defendant.
The Learned JUDGE having summed up, the Jury found for
the plaintiff—Damages, 4001.