The Sun.
London, England, 1859-11-25 00:00:00

house in o:;ford.terr7.ce was a 10 roomed one, and

was furnished but not well.

There was a little

plate which insolvent had had presented to him by
his mother. Should think the goods altogether
was not worth more than 1;3,50. A great Portion
of them was sold by :VI rs. Wilson. and the re-
mainder talon to 2,Torv.-nod. 'ney

Campbell'.

altogether about a year azhla half„

had no centrol-over them, as 'he had given Mrs.
Winslow some, and the remainder was her own.
He had bought -£6O worth and given it her in 18,:2.
When they left Norwood Mrs. Wilson disposed
of a portion of the furniture she then had to Mr.
Campbell, ankl the remainder was taken to a liou.-e
in Upper Seymour-street, London; which insol-
vent had taken six weeks previously. That gas a
10-roomed house, and the rooms were all furnished.
He allowed Mrs. -Wilson six guineas a week, but
while in Scotland he was only able'to allow her
£3 or £4, and he shoUld say she then had a trouble
to " make both ends meet." She, however, appeared
in the schedule as a creditor for 4:100, fin• money
lent to him in 1858, to pay a Mr. Nugent who had
lent him £95 a few days prior to his going to Scot-
land. Ile had given hlui a bill for the 0.4201111 t

Insolvent—He did.
Mr. Dowse—Mr. Henry Eicke was the repre-
sentative of Armstrong and Co., of whom we have
lately heard so much ?
Insolvent—Yes.
His Honour—Was this really an acceptance of
Mr. Campbell?
Insolvent—No, Sir.
His Honour—Was it your wish to have it de-
stroyed because it wts not an acceptance of Mr.
Campbell ?
Insolvent—No, Sir ; bat because it should not be
used by other parties in. connexion with Mr. Eicke
to extort money fromme.
Mr. Eicke—When was this document deposited
with Armstrong and Co.?
Insolvent—Somewhere in the month of August,
1858.
Mr. Eicke—Did net this bill become due about
the same time as the other ?
Insolvent—l never knew it was due until your
son told me the money was wanted to take it up,
and gave it to him,
Mr. Eicke—Did you acknowledge to Mr. Camp-
bell that you had put his name to two bills ?
Insolvent—Whatever acknowledgment I made
to Mr. Campbell he would have been prepared to
state here if you had not kept him away.
A list of the parties who had held acceptances
from Armstrong and Co., drawn for the accommo-
dation of the insolvent, was here put in. One of
the items was—" Acceptance of Mr. C. £l5O, paid
to Mr. H. E." The total amount of the acceptances
was £l5O.
Mr. Eicke—These bills, I believe, were endorsed
by your aunt ?
Insolvent—They Were.
Mr. Eicke—But the security was not worth a
farthing ?
Insolvent—lt was Tenth all the bills were given
for, at the time they were given.
Mr. Eicke—Your aunt, I believe, wasoriginally
worth about £lO,OOO.
Insolvent—About £6,000.
Mr. Eicke—And every farthing of that you
have had ?
Insolvent—l have.
Mr. EiAie—Do you know where she is now ?
Insolvent—l do not;
Mr. Eicke—Has she a home of her own P.-
Insolvent—No. •
Mr. Ei(i:e—Was not all her furniture sold under
an ekeettion?
Insolvent—Yes ; but you do not ask me whether
I am supporting her now.
Mr. Eicke—During the time these debts were
incurred, were not you an army agent ?
Insolvent—l was °lip last year.
Mr. Eicke—And the editor of the United Ser-
rice Gazette?
Insolvent---Yes.
Mr. Eicke—Where arc you residing now ?.
Insolvent—At Ladbroke-terrace,
Mr. Eicke—ls Mrs. Wilson still living with
you ? _ _

Insolvent-7-Na she is not, but I can go when I
choose to her house.
Mr. Eicke—Have rou got children living at both
houses ?

Insolvent—l have.
Mr. Eicke —Who does the furniture belong to
at Ladbroke-terrace ?
Insolvent—To the husband of a lady with whom
you are well acquainted.
His Honour—What is her name P
Insolvent—Wardroper.
Mr. Eicke—ls the husband living with you ?
InSolvent—Yes.
Mr. Eicke—ls Mrs. Wardroper the mother of the
children you have there?
Insolvent—She is.
Mr. Eick-e—Did you not go to the Queen's Prison
in company with a clerk, to concoct measures with
lielahaye, so that you'might go down to Peebles
and get relieved from your £20,000 liabilities ?
Insolvent—Most decidedly not._.
Mr. Eicke—What became of the £1,500 you re-
ceived from him ?
Insolvent—lt was merely getting money from A
to pay B.
Mr. Eicke—Have you no books ?
Insolvent—They are in the Scotch court.
Mr. Eicke—Will you swear you ever kept a book
at all ?
Insolvent—None, except my bankers'. books,
which are necessarily in the Scotch court.
Mr. Eicke—Will you venture to say you gave a
single scrap of a book into the Scotch court ?
Insolvent—l will not swear it ; but I gave all the
documents I had into the hands of my trustee.
Mr. Eicke—How many bankers have you had ?
Insolvent—Three; White, Hopkinson, and Han-
bury.

The insolvent was then examined as to several
items in his schedule; including a sum which ap-
peared as having been lent him by a Mr. Robert
Cool:, of Watwick-square, some five or six months
ago.

"Mr.
Eiekc—What is Cook ?- -
Insolvent—lie is a money lender.
Mr. Eicke—Had you ever had transactions with
him before ?
Insolvent—Yes.
Mr. Eicke—Did you ever show him a letter from
some person high in authority and influence ?
Insolvent—lt is very likely I did curly last year.
Mr. Eicke—And in consequence of that letter
did he pay you £lOO or £l5O ?
Insolvent—Never a fraction..
Mr. Eickc—Be careful; was your son gazetted,
as having received a commission, after you showed
Cook that letter ?

Insolvent—lle was,
• mr. Eicice—What induced him to give you the
£l5O, then
Insolvent—lle never did so.
Mr. Eicke—llave you accounted for all the com-
missions you received ?
Insolvent—What commissions ?
Mr. Dicke—For army commissions.
Insolvent—l never received anything for such
commissions.

•
Mr. Eicke—Have you never said that, if you had
riot been interrupted by a prosecution, you could
have got &line six o;' seven commissions ?
Insolveht—l have s tid that, but for a recent pro-
secution, in which Mr. Eiekc's son was concerned,
I r. 14 ;ht. have ban enabled to be of use to certain
Dart le

•
Mr. Eicke—ln what way ?
liis linnour—(to insnlvent)—As I have told you
before, you are not bound to answer any question
von think would tend to criminate you. Do you
Zleelific to answer the qmstion ?
Insolvent—No, because I do not consider the
steps I should have taken wculd have Implicated
me in any proceedings. I should have been useful
to thf.;se parties in advocating their claims and pre-
tensions
.which, without my help, would have been
put aside, from their ignorance in reference to going
to work. ,
Mr. Eicke—What is your way of going to won%
(A laugh.)
p'eople bring criminal charges
which will not hold water; therefore I shall not

Yesterday being the day on which the summons
taken out some days ago by Mr. David Evans, on
the complaint of a ycung lady, who had been a
passenger on the South-Western Railway, of having
been grossly insulted, wds made returnable, the
Court, long before the time appointed for its hear-
ing, was crowded to excess. At two o'clock, the
Rev. Robert Maguire, of 39, Myddelton-square,
Clerkenwell, and incumbent of that parish, the de-
fendant, made his appearance in the Lambeth
Police Court, surrounded by a number of his
parishioners and- friends, and at three o'clock, when
the Hon. G. C. Norton had disposed of the other
cases, that of the rev, gentleman was called on, and
at the time all available standing room in the court
was occupied.
Mr. Sleigh, the barrister, instructed by Messrs.
Harrison and Lewis, attended for the defence ; and
Inspector Bent, from the South-Western Railway,
was present to watch the proceedings.
Mr. Sleigh, addressing the magistrate, said his
worship would recollect that the present proceed-
ings arose from an offence alleged to have been com-
mitted on a young female, on the evening of the
16th inst., while travelling in a carriage belonging
to the South-Western Railway Company, by a rev.
gentleman. That gentleman was now present, sur-
rounded by a great number Of clerical gentlemen
and many-of his parishioners ;in dee d- so numerous
were his friends, and so anxious were they to bear
testimony to the purity of his conduct, that the
court could not contain them, and many were
outsiCe. He .(Mr. Sleigh) was there on behalf of
the re v. gentleman—theßev. Robt. Maguire—to court
the fullest inquiry into all the circumstances. After
he took the liberty of saying, he felt satis-
fied that his client would leave the court with the
unstained character and high reputation he had
hitherto borne.
At the request of the learned counsel the wit-
nesses were ordered out Of court, and
Miss Louisa Lettington, the complainant, having
been called, got' into the witness-box, was sworn,
and deposed as follows :—I am unmarried, and at
present staving in Bombard-street, Southwark-
bridge-road, with my cousin, Mrs. Stovin, who keeps
a public-house there. On Wednesday evening, the
16th inst., I left Kingston station in a second-class
carriage by the 10 o'clock train for London. There
were four gentlemen in the carriage when I got in.
The defendant got in at Clapham, and at that time
there was only one gentleman in the compartment
where I was, but there were three in the adjoining
compartment. The defendant sat opposite to me,
with his knees across, and in a few minutes began
to annoy me, but at first I was doubtful whether it
was intentional or not. He put his feet under my
dress, right against my legs, as high up as my knees.
As soon as I convinced myself it was intentionally
done I moved more to the side. He repeated it a
second time, and a gentleman took it up and said to
the defendant, "You are very much annoying that
lady, and you had therefore better move on the op-
site side," and he did so.
Mr. Norton—Do -you remember whether any-
thing more was said either by the gentleman, the
defendant, or by yourself at that time?
Witness—At that time the gentleman told me
that if he had misconducted himself he hoped that
I would excuse him.
Mr. Sleigh—Just repeat what the gentleman said.
Witness—The gentleman said, "If lam annoy-
ing you, I hope you will excuse it. I hope you will
receive my apology. I offer you every apology."
This was said, not immediately, but a few minutes
after. The other gentleman said to him, " You
are annoying this young lady very much."
Nothing more was said on either side, only
the gentleman wished me to give him in charge,
and said if I did not do so he would. This was be-
fore we got to the -Waterloo Station. I said I would
consult my friend who was to meet me at the sta-
tion, as to what proceedings I should take. When
I trot to the station 1 saw my friend Mr. Evans,
arid asked him what I should do, and.? he said he
should give him in charge. My friend, Mr. Evans,
struck the defendant, who then walked down the
platform: My witness wished me to give him in
charge, but the railway authorities did that. Ido
net remember what defendant said at the time they
talked of giving him' in charge. The defendant
touched my legs with his feet. I moved further
down, and tucked my dress around me. I feel con-
vinced the insults were quite intentional.
Cross-examined by Mr.. Sleigh—Where do you
live; we have ncit yet been favoured with your re
sidence ? You say you are stepping with you;
con4in at a place called the Mint?
Miss Lettington—l am not here to state my his,
tory.

Sleigh---But I am rather inquigitiVe about it.
You say you arc stopping at a public-house in the
Mint with your cousin ?
Witness—l am stopping there for a few days, but
I am not here in regard to that.; that has nothing
' to do with the insult that has been offered to me.
1%! r. Sleigh-But where is your place of residence
Witness—l have no home since my mother died,
and MY home broken up. She has been dead six
months. I have been in a situation for three weeks
with a lady in Russell-square. I left it because the
situation did. not suit me. I previously lived with
a family near Manchester. I went down to King-
ston on the day in question to see my cousin. He
in the in.blic line. Had dinner and supper there,
but had uothing to drink but water. Imam not in
the habit of drinking.
Mr. Sleigh—On the day the summons was ai)_
plied for, were you not at a nublic-house in the
neighbourhood, and did you not drink sonic beer
and gin ?

Witne,:s—l had a little gin and water with my
friend. (Here the friends the rev. defendant set
up '4, load cheer, and having before given expression
to their feelings when they found that anything-
favourable, to their friend had been elicited),
Mr. Norton interposed, and reprobated such con-
duct as derogatory to a court of justice.
The witness further stated that the p,Entleman in
the carriage had bven smoking a few minutes before
the defendant got in. Some gentleman, not my wit-
ness, complained of the smoking, and sonic alterca-
tion arose. He said it was contrary to the rules and

disagreeable to him, and wished to have a window
open. This was after the defendant insulted me.
Mr. Sleigh—Are not second-class carriages very
narrow ? _
Witness—Yes.
Mr. Sleigh—Do you adopt the present fashion,
and wear crinoline ?
Witness—Yes.
Mr. Sleigh—Then when you say that the rev.
gentleman put his feet under your dress, do you
mean your crinoline ?
Witness—Yes.
Mr. Sleigh—How long was the gentleman in the
carriage before anything occurred ?
Witness—Nearly five minutes.
Mr. Sleigh—Did you complain to any one of this
gentleman behaving rudely to you before the gen-
tleman you call your 'witness spoke to the defendant
about doing so ?
Witness—No, I felt too much disgusted.
Mr. Sleigh—Am I to understand that you tell
the magistrate that you did not say a word all the
time that the defendant, as you allege, was pushing
you with his feet in this indecent manner, first
changing one leg and then another, and that the
reason for your doing so was that you were too
much disgusted ?
Witness—Yes.
Mr. Sleigh—Did not the defendant say, when
your witness charged him with annoying you, " I
am sorry if I have done anything to offend, as I did
not intend doing so. lam a married man and a
clergyman."
Witness—That was afterwards, at the station.
Mr. Sleigh—We have not got to the station yet.
Did the defendant not repudiate offering you any
insult, and- say, "If I have done any thing it was
quite unintentional ; it is entirely a mistake. I am
a married man and a clergyman ?"
Witness—Not till he came to the station.
' Mr. Sleigh—l am not talking of the time your
witness spoke to his friend. Did not the defendant
make use of that language ?
Witness—Any other gentleman would have made
an apology after he had insulted me.
Mr. Norton—Do you remember the words ?.
Witness—l cannot remember the words, only the
effect. The gentleman wished to make every apo-
logy. He admitted his guilt.
Mr. Norton— You have stated that your friend
Evans struck defendant? Did he strike with a stick?
Witness—No, sir, with his hand, and he had his
gloves on. It was what I told him that caused him
to strike defendant.
Mr. W. H. Surridge, boot and shoemaker, carry-
ing on business at 275, Regent-street, said—Yester-
day week I was returning from Kingston by the
quarter-past 10 train, and travelled on to the Wim-
bledon station, when the Rev. Mr. Maguire and
another passenger got into the same carriage with
me. The gentleman who got in complained of some
persons smoking, and an altercation took place. I
noticed that the lady who sat opposite defendant
seemed to be very uneasy, and was trying to get
away from him as much as she could. I then looked
down, and saw the defendant's leg strike against
her. One of his legs was between her's, and the
other on the other side. Did not take any notice, but
still kept my eye upon him, when I saw the lady
still more uneasy, and mood away a foot and a half.
He then turned partly round, and put his leg be-
tween hers again. I then said to the other passen-
ger who got in with him, taking him to be a friend
of his, " Your friend's legs appear much more disa-
greeable to the lady than the smoke you have com-
plained of." He said, "He is not a friend of mine ;
you had better speak to him yourself.", I then said
to the lady, " Is he not annoying you ?" and she re-
plied, " Very much indeed, and he is no gentleman."
I then said to defendant, " You hear what the young
lady says, and I desire you will leave that seat,
where you are annoying her, and sit opposite me."
The defendant then shifted his seat. When we got
to the ticket platform I named it to the inspector or
guard, and he locked the door. When we got to
the Waterloo Station she said " She would hear
what her friend said about it," When we gotthero
the defendant tried to get out of the carriage, but
the guard having locked it, he could not do sea At
the station, the complainant's. friend said ho should
give the defendant in charge, and I said if he did
not do so I should do so myself. The defendant
wished to get away. Ho said, "Do not press the
charge, for if you do I will be a ruined man for life.
Do notyress the charge, for the sake of my wife and
family. Mr. Evans then spoke to the young lady,
and said, "If he will go down on his knees on the
platform and beg your pardon, I will, for the
sake of his wife and family, look over it." We
then went round to the inspector's office, and
the matter was' fully gone into. He then said,
" For God's sake, do not let the matter go any
further, for I shall be a ruined man for life." lie
said, "I am entirely in your hands." I told him he
had better leave the matter in the hands of the
company's inspector—lie would see
,to the charge.
The defendant then left the station. Myself, the
yuung and Mr:--Evans went down the incline,
and when we got to the bottom in the Waterloo-
road, the defendant was there, and he said to Mr.
Evans " You promise to call on roe to-morrow.
Will you say at what time ? I will stay at home
all day for you. My wife may be there also in order
that she may plead for me." I said to Mr. Evans,
" If you will take my advice you will not go there
at all, but leave the matter in the handsof the com-
pany, and let them do as they think fit." He then
said, "I shall not go near him." He turned to the
right, called a cab, and went off. I turned to the
left, and the rev. defendant followed me very sharply
for some distance, but I never exchanged a word
with him.
Mr. Sleigh—Upon your telling Mr. Evans that
this g;entlema had been annoying the young woman,
did not the defendant protest that he had done
nothing of the kind, that he had not annoyed or
insulted her, and that if she imagined it it was
quite unintentional; that he was a clergyman of
the Church of England, and a married man ?
Witness—No; I never heard him say he was a
clergyman while he was at the inspector's office.
All he said was that he was sorry. The words
that he was a married man and a clergyman did
not reach my ears. Did not say in the railway
carriage that the rev. defendant was a pretty fel-
low for a parson, or words to that effect. He (wit-
ness), however, thought it not unlikely that the de-
fendant was a parson, from wearing a white choker.
Mr. Sleigh—Was not the conduct of the defen-
dant entirely repudiatory of any insult to this
female ?
Witness—l did not put it down. I tell you the
words, and you may draw your own conclusion. I
should not have left my seat at any one's bidding
if I was innocent. At the Waterloo Station he
said he would give anything if the charge was not
proceeded with. He was asked more than once or
twice for his card, and ultimately drew from his
pocket an envelope, with his name and address on
it, and gave that.
The next witness called was David Evans, who
described himself as a commercial traveller, resid-
ing at 47, Southwark-bridge-road, and said—l was
at the "Waterloo Station on the night of the 16th,
to meet Miss Lettington, and on the arrival of
the train saw a great commotion amongst
the passengers. I was told by Miss Lettington
that a gentleman had grossly insulted her in
one of the carriages. I asked where ho was, and
the Rev. Mr. Maguire was pointed out to me. The
defendant denied that he had done so ; and I said
I should give him in charge, and lie said he had a
wife and children. He pleaded so hard for his wife
and children that I felt disposed to let him go, and.
in the excitement of the moment I struck him, when
he tried to get away, but the guard brought him
back. lle asked the guard to let him go, but he
refused, and said he must take the charge before his
superintendent. The defendant said he would com-
promise it in any way by going down on his knees
and begging pardon. He wanted to go into the
waiting-room to give an opportunity to compro-
mise the matter, and said be would give as much as
£lOO. He said, "I am entirely at your mercy: If
you carry the case any further I am a ruined man
—my worldly prospects are ruined for life." I told
him he should have thought of that before, and that
I should leave the ease in the hands of the inspec-
tor. On leaving the station I saw the defendant at
the bottom of the incline, and he said to me, " I
think you promised to come to my house to-morrow.
I will be at home all day, and get my wife and
family to plead for me." I told him I would hold
no communication with him, and went to the station
on the folloWing day to consult Mr. Young about
taking out the summons. What I did, Idid on
public grounds.
In cross-examination the witness denied that he
offered his address until repeatedly asked for it. He
also denied his saying he was a clergyman until
the last. In conclusion the witness complained of
two persons calling at his residence on the day be-
fore to make inquiries respecting; his pecuniary cir-
cumstances, and bound his landlord to secrecy.
Smith, an inspector at the Waterloo Station, said
that on the defendant producing a letter from his
pocket, Mr. Evans said, I know who you are—you
are a clergyman—the Rev. Mr. Maguire, flu. I have
a portrait of you in my house. (Laughter.) 'There
are three of you, the Rev. Brian King,, strungthatn:inuait,
'Wandsworth, and yourself slictild be
together.
In cross-examination, the witrTnssslaieicli
the
gel heard
the defendant say that if he had sut
he had not done it with the intention to insult.

This being the whole of the evidence,
Mr. Sleigh addressed themagistrate in a forcible
and eloquent speech, in the course of which he said
that the occurrence might in a great measure be

attributed to :the present preposterous fashion or
crinoline, for he defied any person sitting in a
narrow railway carriage opposite to a lady with-

out having his feet covered in the amplitude of her
dress.
Mr. Norton said he had come,to the conclusion
long before the learned counsel had made his able
address. He believed the young lady had spoken
every word of truth to the best of her belief, but
he had no doubt in his own mind she was under a
misapprehension. Looking at the evidence, it ap-
peared the alleged offence took place at a time
.
when there was a discussion about smoking,
one of the windows was open and the lady coughed;
and was it likely that a clergyman would have
selected such a time to commit the offence charged.
against him ? He did not wish to impute per cry
to Mr. Surridge ; on the contrary, no doubt, he
spoke, exactly as he thought, though he did net
appear to entertain any particular friendship
that
towards clergymen ; and with respect to what too
lc
place at the station, he thought it a question of
nerve, and did not consider his behaviour incon-
sistent with his entire innocence. He had be-
stowed attention to all the evidence in the case, and
from the beginningto the end ha believed it to be
a mistake ; and the defendant would leave the
court without any imputation whatever upon hi
character.
The decision was received with loud cheers, and
the rev. defendant departed with his numerous
friends.