The Sun.
London, England, 1836-11-16 00:00:00

MAR YLEB ONE.

Yesterday afternoon, just as the Sitting Magistrates,
Messrs. HOSKINS and Rawuresore, were about to quit
the Bench, a considerable degree of commotion was caused
in High-street, in consequence of a hackney cab and a gen-
tleman's gig, followed by a great crowd of persons, being
driven up to the principal office door, the former vehicle
(the horse attached to which was led by a police constable)
containing a fine, tall, military looking man, apparently not
more than twenty-five years of age, and an elegantly dressed
young lady by his side. The names of the parties were—
Frederick Walker, a gentleman, from Dublin, and Miss
Mary Anne M'Culloch, who resides with her stepmother,
Mrs. Elizabeth M'Culloch, at No. 8, Upper Baker-street,
Portman-square, and is granddaughter of the late General
M'Culloch. In the gig were Captain Mills, of No. 5,
York-place, Regent's Park, together with the sister of the
young lady above named, and a Mrs. Lightfoot, at whose
house the Misses M'Culloch, as also their mother, dwell.
The charge against Mr. Walker (who is the brother of
a Barrister in Dublin) was that of having endeavoured to
carry off, against her free will and consent, Miss Mary Ann
M'Culloch, a ward in Chancery, and who, on attaining her
majority, will be entitled to a considerable portion of pro-
perty. On alighting from the cab she seemed very faint
and weak, and was supported into the office by Inspector
Aggs, of the S division of police, and who, by direction of
the Magistrates, handed her to a chair by the fire, where
she sat for a few minutes, when it was deemed advisable,
from the tremor and scarcely conscious state that she was
in, to remove her to the Magistrates' private room, whither
she was accompanied by her sister and Mrs. Lightfoot, and
in a short period the inspector was instructed to see all
three of the ladies safely home.
The statement, as given by Aggs, was as follows :
At about two o'clock this afternoon, as I was passing
through the Regent's Park, between St. Andrew's-place
and the Colosseum, I saw a great crowd of persons collected
around some vehicles. There seemed to be much noise and
bustle going on, and I therefore immediately ran to the spot to
see what was the matter. I beheld standing there a hackney
cab, containing the defendant and a young lady, the latter
evidently in a fainting condition. Mrs. Lightfoot had also
jumped into the vehicle, and appeared much excited. On
making inquiry as to the nature of the affair I ascertained
that Mrs. Lightfoot had just left home with the Misses
M•Culloch, in order to go to the Colosseum, when Mr.
Walker, who met them, suddenly alighted from the cab,
and, snatching up Miss Mary Anne M'Culloch in his arms,
contrived, with the assistance of some other persons, to lift
her into the vehicle, and place her on the seat. hen I
went up there was a great outcry among the crowd, some of
whom said, " Take him away ; take him off to the station-
house ;" to which he replied, " What do you mean ? she is
my wife, and I've documents that will satisfactorily prove
it." Mrs. Lightfoot told him that it was no such thing ;
that she was a ward in Chancery, and he was taking her off
for the sake of her money. He was desirous of driving
away with the young lady, but I directed a constable, who
came up at the time, to lay hold of the horse's head, which,
he did, and we then all came to the office.
Captain Mills, No. 5, York-place—l was driving through
the Park in my gig, in company with a friend, and on ar-
riving at St. Andrew's-place I saw the defendant, after
looking cautiously round about, alight from a cab. I at
that moment saw several ill-looking fellows all of a heap
together, and one of them made certain signs with his

hand. At this period I was some little distance a-head,
but I and my friend distinctly perceived a gentleman with
a lady in his arms, and who was lifted from the ground by
him and others into the vehicle. I drove up and found
the defendant therein, as also the young lady, who was as
pale as ashes, and quite incapable of offering the slightest
resistance ; in fact, she seemed completely unconscious of
all that was going on. I seized the cab horse, and held
it until proper assistance arrived. On my first interfering
defendant said " She is my wife." I told him I knew not
how far that might be true or false, but at all events, he
appeared to be acting in a very strange and suspicious sort
of way, and that he had better go before a Magistrate.
Mrs. Elizabeth M'Culloch—l am a widow, and reside at
8, Upper Baker-street. The young lady's name is Mary
Ann M'Culloch, and she is my late husband's daughter by
a former wife. Her age is nineteen, and she is a ward in
Chancery. She will be entitled to considerable property on
her coming of age.
Mr. ItAwLINsoN—Do you know the defendant ? Wit-
ness—l do.

Mr. RAwtiNsos—He says he's married to the lady.
Do you know that to be the case or not ? Witness--I do
not believe that hn is.

Mr. RAWLINSON—You know, of course, as to whether
she has had the consent of the Court to a marriage. Wit-
ness—She has had nothing of the sort, Sir. _ _

Mr. RAWLINSON—Then, if they are married, it has
been done in a clandestine manner? Witness—Most
certainly.
Mr. RAWLINSON (to defendant)—Now, Sir, what is
your answer to this ?
A solicitor, on the part of the defendant, here suggested
the propriety of calling upon the young lady, in order that
he might have an opportunity of questioning her on va-
rious points.
Mr. RAWLINSON said that at present she was quite unfit
to be brought up, and that he could not see the necessity
for the adoption of such a course.
Solicitor—l assure you, Sir, it is a perfectly legal mar-
riage, and therefore—
Mr. RAWLINSON—That I cannot determine upon, nei-
ther is it any part of my duty, under all the circumstances
(the lady having been swore to be a ward in Chancery), to
attempt to do so. It is quite clear that she has been
treated with much violence by the defendant, and I shall
call upon him to find bail for his peaceable behaviour, par-
ticularly towards Miss Mary Ann M'Culloch, for the next
six months, himself in 2001., and two sureties in 1001. each.
Defendant—The lady is no ward in Chancery, and that
is a fact which I have clearly ascertained. Our marriage
has been properly solemnized according to the rules of my
country (Ireland), and I consider myself entitled to posses-
sion of my wife.
Mr. RAWLINSON—You must find bail.

It should have been stated that Mrs. M'Culloch, in re-
ply to the Magistrate, at an early period of the investiga-
tion, said that the young ladies, accompanied by her, were a
short time staying in Ireland, when they became acquainted
with the defendaat through his brother, a barrister.
After some further conversation the defendant was libe-
rated on his own recognizance in the sum of 1001. The
parties then left the office by the magistrates' private door.