The Sun.
London, England, 1860-03-14 00:00:00

"121, ELOPEMENT AND ITS RESULTS.

A case of considerable interest is now pending,
in the shape of a charge of perjury against Mr.
Edwin Dawson, recently of West-street, Sheffield,
pianoforte tuner. The circumstances of the case aro
somewhat curious, involving as they do a romantic
attachment, an elopement and marriage, a suit
in Chancery, and finally a charge of perjury.
The young lady who has been the innocent cause
of these events is Miss Frances Blanche Jessett,
daughter of Mr. Jessett, surgeon, who at the time
of her marriage was only 17 years of age. Up to
June last she was at a boarding-school at Scar-
borough, and on her return to Sheffield she went
to live with Mrs. Dawson, the mother of the lady
whom her father, Mr. Jessett, has married since
the death of his first wife. Here she became ac-
quainted with Mr. Dawson, who is a son of Mrs.
Dawson, the lady with whom she wf-aenvotuto reside.
Very quickly Mr. Dawson found
eyes of the young lady, proposed, and r was the
ac-
cepted. But they had every reaso
to believeastlmtn
Mr. Jessett would not consent to their marriage,
ti
and they, therefore, determined on
left town a clandestine
union. Early in September they
to-
gether, and proceeded to Birmingham,
where they
were married before the registrar. As soon as Mr.
Jessett discovered that his daughter had gone to
Birmingham, he went in search of her, but was too
late to prevent her marriage. Although, however,
the irrevocable vow had been pronounced, pro-
ceedings were taken not atfalelepleasant to the
bride-
groom. Under the will the late Mr. J. Sander-
son, £4,300 was left Miss Jessett, payable upon
her marriage. Mr. L. Tozer, one of the trustees
under the will, had, some time previous to the mar-
riage, obtained from the Court of Chancery a
release from his fnuctions as trustee ; and Miss
Jessett then became a ward in Chancery.
Upon hearing of the marriage, Mr. Tozer moved
the Court of Chancery in the matter, and Mr.
Dawson was cited to appear before the Master of
the Rolls, and show cause why he should not be
committed for contempt of court in having married
the ward of the court without its consent. When
the case came on, an affidavit was read from Dr.
Thompson, stating that the young lady's state of
health was such that any excitement, such as that
likely to be caused by her husband being sent to
prison, would be seriously injurious to her, and
might even endan
ger her life. Under these cir-
cumstances, and as the case was not pressed against
Dawson by, the friends of the young lady, the Mus-
ter did not order him to be imprisoned ; but he is-
sued a decree for the settling upon the lady herself
of the £'1,300 to which the youthful Mrs. Dawson
was entitled. So far all went smoothly for the
new married couple. But Mr. Dassson's troubles
were not ended. Some statements made by him
before the registrar to fulfil the requirements neces-
sary before the marriage could take place, and
which were stated to be false, were laid before tie
court. These were that he and Miss Jessett had
lived in Birmingham 15 days (whereas they had
only bean there two); and that the consent of Miss
Jessett's father to the marriage had been obtained.
There were also some alleged false statements as to
the ages of Dawson and Miss Jessett. The Master
of the Rolls intimated that he should lay facts
before the Attorney-General, and leave i the
to him
to
decide whether a prosecution for perjury should be
instituted f gainst Dawson. The Attorney-General
has decided to proceed with the prosecution, and
the trial is expected to come on at the ensuing War-
wick assizes,—AMCNia Timed.

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Perhaps, with the exc f
-the
death of the late Mr. Justice .
event has occurred which has creathUl suclj a dh'ply
,ensation as that which it-is now our pain-
ful duty to record. Immediately after charging the
grand jury at th© assizes for the county of Mont-
gomery, Baron Watson, who had been for some
weeks in ill-health, was observed to put his hand-
kerchief to his face and a smelling bottle to his
nose. He leant back in his chair, and it was evi-
dent that something more than a fainting-fit had
seized him. Several medical men were immediately
in attendance, and every means were resorted to
that medical skill could devise, but he grew gra-
dually worse, and, a sofa cushion having been pro-
cured, he was laid upon it and conveyed to his
lodgings, which were close at hand. He had
scarcely reached them when he breathed his last.

The Baron's son happened to he attending his
lordship upon circuit, and was, of course, in attend-
anc,7 upon him when he expired.
Mr. Bevan, whose name was in the commission,
announced to the grand jury the sad event which
had occurred, and stated that the Court would be
adjourned until 12 o'clock on Wednesday, as the
most respectful course that could be adopted.
It was stated by the medical attendant to be a
case of serious apoplexy.