The Sun.
London, England, 1861-06-26 00:00:00

UST.

EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE OF INDE-
CENT CONDUCT _AGAINST AN 31. P.

The case against Sir John Shelley, M.P,, was re-
sumed yesterd ,y at 'Marlborough-street, before Mr.
Corrie, who, as by appointment, came especially
from Bow-street to preside.
The case, as may be supposed, had excited great
public interest, and the court was crowded to suffo-
cation by gentlemen anxious to hear the re-exami-
..

nation.
Mr. Humphreys, jun., as before, conducted the
prosecution ; and Mr. Garth appeared for tho
defence.

Maria Harley, the nurse to Mrs. Train, and
Ellen Smith, housemaid to Mrs. Stafford were ex-
amined for the prosecution, but their evidence was
totally unfit for publication.
Mr. Humphreys said that was the case, and he
did not propose producing other witnesses, and
asked that the case, if made out in the judgment of
the Court, should go to trial.
Mr. Garth said he did not propose calling wit-
nesses to character, because he might call half Lon-
don. The case was a most extraordinary one, but
it had been trumped up, and he would produce a
letter and show there was a dark mover behind the
scene. He confessed the only difficulty he found
was in the evidence of Mrs. Stafford. There was
an air of truth about her statement. She must,
however, have imagined much. Sir John was
colonel of the Middlesex Volunteers. Wednesday
being an excessively hot day, on coming home he
threw off his coat and accoutrements, and put on
loose drawers, or dressing trowsers, such as were
worn in India. He afterwards redressed himself
and went to Brookes's, and at half-past four o'clock
to the House of Commons. The witnesses might
have seea him in this light guise, and Mrs. Stafford
must have been deceived. What madness was it to
suppose that he had acted as stated, the street being
full of people on the pavement and at the balconies,
--that he should have displayed himself before the
whole assembled multitude and his own friends in
balconies and in carriages ? With regard to Miss
Griffiths, she only spoke of it as on one occasion.
Now, it was reasonable to suppose that overcome
with the heat of the day he went in his light attire
to the window, looking after his old regiment,
and his hands might by chance have travelled down-
wards, but with no indelicate object. The last wit-
ness called that morning had spoken of acts alleged
to be committed months before, as also did the
previous one. Sir John was called to answer to
one particular offence, and he thought his line of
cross-examination showed its necessity: A letter
had been sent from Mr. Train to the defendant,
addressed, " Dear Sir," and dated June 19th, the
day before the affair •of the tramways was to be
brought before the Commissioners. In that com-
munication Mr. Train says, " You have a perfect
right to oppose my tramway scheme in Parliament,
but not to insult my wife and other ladies as you
have done. Unless you make me a written apology
I:shall give you a publicity you don't like." This he
contended was the head and front of the whole offend-
ing against Sir John Shelley—the charge being a
trumped up one. It was not from a sense of modesty
Mrs. Train was not present, for she had made her
statement, it appeared, to Mr. Morgan. He did not
believe the lady or any respectable woman would
place herself in such a position at an opposite win-
dow so as to see what had been alleged. A number
of gentlemen, seeing the case in the papers, had
now voluntarily come forward to say they were
opposite the house on the Wednesday, and saw Sir
John in a light guise, in no respect approaching
indecency. He kissed his hand, it is true, but to
Sir J. Stirling and his daughter, who passed. The
learned gentleman then called
Thomas Muttick, in the service of Sir John Shel-
ley, aged 16, who said—l remember the Drawing-
room day. Sir John went out to drill from 11 to
half-past 11. It was a very hot day, and I saw him
when he came in about 1 o'clock. I got his uniform
which he took off. It was wet with persperation,
and he complained of the heat and fatigue. I car-
ried the things away, and he sent me to dinner. I
saw him afterwards at his writing-desk, when he
gave me letters to post. He sat in the drawing-
room, with his back to the fireplace. I went again
to his room about 20 minutes to 3. I remember I
had previously given him letters. He had his dress-
ing-gown and trousers on as usual—plaid trousers.
After luncheon I saw him again, and he was dressed
to go out. It might then be 10 minutes to 4. The
sitting-room has a piano in it at the left hand cor-
ner nearest to Piccadilly, between the window and
the fireplace. It has been there two seasons I
know. The fold of the window has never, to my
knowledge, been open on the piano side. Then is
a sofa across the middle window, with the back
towards it ; a table is near it, and it is always in
its place. tis not possible to open the window
while the table is there. The window opens 18
inches or 2 feet, perhaps.
By Mr. Humphreys—You must put your foot on
the balcony to see across the street. The door of the
room was shot, and I opened it; it is a single
door, and I did not knock when I went in. The
half of the window nearest Piccadilly cannot be
readily opened ; the other half was open on the day
I speak of. I let Sir John out when he left, and ho
went towards Brookes's. I did not notice any
brougham. Sir John is a married man ; his wife
is not with him at 66, St. James-street. Lady Shel-
ley resides in the country. Sir John was in town
from Monday till last Saturday, and during Parlia-
ment is generally in town from Monday till Satur-
day. The writing produced is Sir John's, decidedly.
His dressing-gown is of a light colour. It is that
now produced, and the trousers he wore are those
produced with it. I never saw Sir John kiss his
hand to ladies on that day. His bedroom is on the
first floor at the back. He changed his uniform in
his bedroom. He changed his dress in his bedroom.
I was not present. When, the second time, about
a quarter to 2, I went back to the drawing room
he had his plaid trousers on, the same, I believe, he
has on now.

By Mr, Garth—Sir John is much engaged during
the day.

Maria Johnson, servant at 66, St. James-street,
said—l remember Sir John coming in on the Draw-
ing-room day, and his servant bringing his things
down. While the servant was away at dinner I
took up to Sir John a card which had been left.
He was sitting in a chair reading the paper, with
his legs on another chair between the centre of the
room and the sofa. lam sure he had on plaid
trousers. I went into the room again as the clock
struck 4 and looked out, and he came in presently
after. On turning round I saw him.
Cross-examined—lt was about half-past 1 when
I took up the card. The second time I went up was
while he was out. I went to see the people and the
carriages. Half the window was open. I knocked
at the door on going up with the card. Mattick,
the servant, was in the room when I w
went in to
look out. Another gentleman is lodging in the
house on the second floor. I don't remember any
one coming to ask who livedin our house' No. 66.
Mr. Hardback came to ask if there were apartments
to let. I know that upon seeing him on my now
looking round the court. I don't remember the
time.

The Rev. Mr. Ratcliffe, examined—l am Master
of Arts and Lecturer of Trinity Church, Newing-
ton. I was in St. James's-street on the day of the
Drawing Room looking at the carriages. I was
first on the steps of 18 (Mrs. Stafford's). I was
there a quarter of an hour or 20 minutes, and while
there I saw, as I thought, Sir John Shelley at his
window, at No. 66, but could not distinctly see
from No. 18 whether it was Sir John or not. I
therefore went lower down, nearly opposite, and he
had then withdrawn from the window. I went to
the door of the chemist's, or glass dealer's shop,
between No. 18 and the bank, and found I could see
much better Sir John Shelley's rooms, and into
them. I remained about more than an hour. I sup-
pose it was from half-past Ito a quarter to 3. I
often looked at Sir John's windows during the time.
The window near Piccadilly was half open, as near
as I could judge. Had I afterwards been sure it
was he I should have gone in. I came here from
seeing the report in the Times of to-day—solely on
that account.

Cross•examined by Mr. Humphreys—.l had sent
to Sir John Shelley a complimentary letter merely
some time before. I watched the windows more
or less for an hour. I merely went to see the Draw-
ing Room. I knew his rooms very well and had
been there. Had I been sure it was Sir John I
should have gone to the house. I was not there to
watch the m indows, and think it offensively put
to me.

Mr. Humphreys was putting another question,
which Mr. Corrie checked as irrelevant.

Witness, in continuation, said—The person I saw
had on a light-coloured dressing-gown. I could not
see his drawers or trousers from the street. I looked
at first in a diagonal direction, and, therefore, as I
said, moved where I could see in a more direct way.
I don't think I am called upon rightly to say what
I think, but simply what I actually saw. I had gone
out that day to visit friends. I was there when
the Blues passed, but did not see Sir John come out
to look at them. I sow no one from the house kiss
hamndrss.toEalnleyn Gibson,ladies. 13,
North-bank, Regent's-
virrakv,r
Drawing-room, looking laOsoikni St. James-street the day of the
ng at the carriages. Iwas
op-
posite No. 66, on the east side. It was about a
quarter to 2. I saw a gentleman at the window
once or twice. He wore a dressin I think.
seemed to me as if he had just run o his dress-
inghe had trousers on. I am almost sure sure he had—it
room. I saw nothing whatever particular in
his appearance or manner, I don't know Sir John