The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-02 00:00:00

LIMITED ENLISTMENT BILL.

Mr. FOX MA ULE moved the first reading of a Bill for li-
miting the period of enlistment in the army. He did not pro-
pose to enter into details; he would simply state that the period
in the infantry would be limited to ten years, and in the ca-
valry to twelve years.
Mr. HENLEY hoped that a week, instead of twenty-four
hours, would be given to the person enlisting to consider.
The House then adjourned at "1 welve o'clock.

L,AW INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH, Veb. 27.

(Before Lord DEN MA N and a SFecial Jury, at Guidlaall.)

THE QUEEN V. DUNN.

Sir Frederick Thesiger, Mr. Clarkson, and Mr. Hawkins
appeared fcr Miss Burdett Coutts, the prosecutrix is this
case ; and Mr. Dunn, a quondam Irish barrister, defended
himself.

l tie case, with the character of which the public are fami-
liar, attracted to the court, which was densely crowded
throughout the proceedings, an unusual concourse of spec-
tators. Expectation was on the tiptoe to see Mr. Dunn
brought face to face with the rich heiress whom he has so
long persecuted by Lis addresses, and to hear what he had
to say in justification of the extraordinary case made out
against him. The Court commenced its sitting at half-past
nine o'clock, and at that hour Mr. Dunn, whose appearance,
though decidedly Hibernian, is not unprepossessing, took his
seat within the bar, at one end ot the space allotted to
queen's counsel. He is a man between forty and City years
of age, his hair rather grey, about the middle height, well
dressLd, with a gentlemanly bearing and an intelligent
expres,ion. Ilis manner throughout the proceedings was
contikleut and unabashed, and while at some moments he
became greatly excited in the conduct of his case, he
never appeared to lode the self-possessio❑ which a firm re-
liance on the merits ot one's cause is generally supposed to
Inspire.

Miss Burdett Coutts was present in court during the whole
proceedings. she sat beside Lord Denman on the bench,
and was a. companied by airs. 0. Cave and Lord Sandon.
Throughout the sitting she preserved a dignified composure
of manner, which gained for her general sympathy, as all
telt how deeply her feelings must have been wounded by the
details of this extraordinary and yet ridiculous trial.
Mr. HawKiNs opened the pleadings by stating that this
was au indictment fur wilful and corrupt perjury, assigned
on an atlitavit sworn by the defendant in the Cnur: of Bank-
' ruptcy, on the 31st of March, MG. The defendant had
pleaded Not Guilty, and upon that plea issue wasa joined.
Sir EitEneatieni THEsIGEnt then stated the case to the
jury. He said that, considering the serious nature of the
charge against the defendant, and the cot sequences that
must inevitably follow upon conviction, he desired as far as
possible to abstain from introducing any topics which might
seem to be irrelevant, or calculated to prejudice the defendant.
But the esse itself was one of so peculiar and extraordinary a
nature, and the grounds on which the defendant had at-
tempted, and probably would again attempt, to justify biscuit-
duct were so strange, that he should necessarily require to make
a short preliminary explanation. The perjury was charged
to have been committed in an affilavit tiled by the defendant
in the Court of Bankruptcy, for the purpose of prosecuting a
fiat against the prosecutrix, Miss Burdett Coutts; and in
order to justify the statement which was made in the affi-
davit, that Miss Burdett Coutts was indebted to him, the de-
fendant alleged that he had front her an authority to draw
upon the banking-house of Messrs. Ceutts and Co.,
for a sum of money which should be a com-
pensation ter certain injuries which ho supposed
he had received at Miss Coutts's hands. It would
be absolutely necessary, therefore, in order to refute the ab-
suid notion which was to be made the ground of defence,
that he should state a few facts, nearly all of which would
be established under the handwriting of the defendant. They
were aware that the prosecutrix (Miss Burdett Coutts) was
the daugl.ter of the late Sir Francis Burdett, and the grand-
elaughterpa ta ' • that she derived her name and con-
siderable prevettpfrom her grandfather, and that she repre-
sented the iliterr,st'whiCtr ha had in the banking concern.
The defendant. (Mr. DunzaXwas an Irish barrister. but had
not been in practice fur. a number of years. Ile had been
resikn't.:in„this :eountry, and was a person not in very
irstinistances., For a long series of years he had
lieen t,nrsupig ,a course of conduct towards Alias Coutts of
be ltivs qffeasive and annoying description. Ile had pnr-
-811 Ile,i,frisLin place to place, persecuted her with letters of a
extrafirdmary character, sometimes breathing the most
tadi,hr and passionate affection, at others pretend-
Inines;ias entitled to institute legal proceedings against
IT* ?or some imaginary wrong, or the breach of
some supposed. engagement, and by persevering in
this conduct he had caused her to lead a life
of continued anxiety and apprehension. During the whole
of flans trying period she had been prudently and cautiously
acting under the advice of friends, aided by professional as
sistance. She had been compelled, on mature than one occasion,
to resort to the law for protection, and under the proceedings
so instituted, Mr. Duet) had occasionally been imprisoned for
want of sureties to keep the peace towards the lady. There
bad been other proceedings in the courts of law, in which,
unfortunately, Miss Coutts's name had been dragged before
the public in connexion with that of Mr. Dann, and which
had, unhappily, given to this case a most painful notoriety.
That tile object of the defendant had been to extort money
he thought they could have no doubt. He seemed to have
flattered himself that Miss Burdett Cents might be disposed
to make no inconsinerable sacrifices to rid herself of his inn
portunities, which had actually rendtr,d her life miserable.
Taking thin it» their guide to the conduct of the defendant,
he thought it would go far to explain to them his last daring
effort, tar beyond anything which t e hsd ever previously
3!temptei, widen had brought him ..vithin the range of the
Criminal C urts, and made bins subject to the present in-
dictment. Ills attack commenced by letters on the 13th of
January, 1846 ; one to Mr. Marjorib inks. a partner in atessrs.
Ciutts's bank, and the other to the prosecutrix herself. The
letter to Mr. Marjoribanks was as follows.—

"I deem it my duty to inform you that I have received an
authority from your partner, Miss Coutts, to draw upon your
bank fin- compensation for the injuries, &c., she has infl:cted
uron Ise. Previously to my doing so it is only right to show
you the authority, it not being in the usual form, although
it is the genuine authority of that lady, to whom it is not
my wish to act with unkindness. I don't wish to incon-
venience you, or to draw the sum out of the bank at present.
The authority is good or bad. I have tested it in every way
in my power, and I believe it to be genuine; and I shall act
on it as such, affording you every reasonable opportunity of
satisfying yourself. I shall inform Miss Coutts of my inten-
tion to take this step. I purpose to call to-morrow after-
noon, so as to give you time to communicate the contents of
this letter to her."
The defendant then wrote the following letter to Miss Coutts:
" It is my intention to call at your bank to-morrow, to test
your sincerity and liberality, as I have before informed you.
apprised Mr. Marjoribanks of this my intention by a letter
of the same date as this. It is my wish to act with strict
honour to you, as I have heretofore endeavoured to do. It
is my wish to leave the sum in Your bank for the present, and
it was my wish to solicit the honour of an interview with
you, that we might psssibly come to some understanding, to
remove the bitterness of the past and the future, and if you
think I can c• ntribute to your happiness, I shall be yours.
If you cannot have me, the sum I draw shall be in full of all
demands. If you ever wish to have the protection of a man's
arm, send for thrt man who writes this, and if any man's arm
can protect you, mine is at your command."
The defendant did not call on the following day, but on the ,
day atter Jan. 13) he presented himself at the banking- '
house, and was introdueod into a private room, where he saw
Mr. Nlarjoribanks, and during the interview between them a
clerk went into the ro in. dr. Dunn endeavoured to get
Mr. Marjoribanks into conversation, which that gentleman
dee:lined• lie then produced as his authority from bliss
Utt3 a Copy of doggrel verses. Mr. Marjoribanks imme-
diately denied it to be in Miss Coutts's writing, and the clerk
said the same. o
prosecutrix:— the 23d of January he wrote again to the
" I think it right to •
Marjoribanks, who info inef:iirrn you that I called upon Mr.
s'atir,ne that you have not given any
authority to pay me any
alter the legal street of Oto Toney but this will not
yopunr,,er er, although it may the
handwriting will but
moral ; and putting me to
enlighten the eyes of the commutZT.."l.
The jury would observe the eauti.us steps by a
wh* lthe de-
fendant proceeded. He began by intimating to the the
that he had authority to draw upon it, 1,; authority ha