The Sun.
London, England, 1868-06-18 00:00:00

. 0 -
Tllt 'SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY • EVENING, JUNE 18, 1868:

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.-THIS DAY.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

ALLEGED CONSPIRACY AGAINST MADAME RACHEL.
EXTRAORDINARY CASE.—Albert Arthur Crabbe,
accountant, of No. 32, Grayton-row, Kentish
Town, and John Hansen, clerk, of No. 45, Castle-
row, Kentish Town, were charged before Mr. Knox
with assaulting Madame Sarah Rachel and Miss
Leintre Leverson, of No. 50, Maddox-street, Re-
gent-street.

Mr. Sleigh, instructd by Mr. Froggatt, appeared
for the prosecution, and in opening the Case said
that in addition to the charge of assault against the
prisoner, he intended to charge the prisoners
with conspiracy together, and endeavouring to ex-
tort from Madame Rachel, the sum of £3OO. Mr
Sleigh then called Madame Richel, who said :
I am the defendant in a prosecution at this court at
suit of Mrs. Borrodaile. On Tuesday last I was
informed that some one wanted to see me, and I
went into the lobby and saw Crabbe there. Ile
wished to see me as he had a communication to
make. I said, " What is your business, sir?" He
said, " I have a letter in my hand that would itn-
plicate 50 people in a conspiracy; how much will
you give me if I tell where the conspiracy
is being got up for you?" I said, " I
can't mako you an offer. Step up stairs,
and tell me the amount you require." He said,
You did quite right in giving up Mr. Lewis, and
you have done wrong in employing your present
solicitors." I said I was satisfied with my present
solicitor, and had nothing to say against Mr. Lewis.
He said, " I am a barrister, but I am not in prac-

tice, and if you will give me a certain sum of
money I will get you out of this." I said, " / dare
not offer you any. What do require of me ?
dare not and will not compromise it ; what is it you
want me to do ?" I asked him his name,
but I don't recollect what he answered. He also
said that he was a Queen's Counsel, but not in prac-
tice. He said, " Give me £3OO or £5OO, and I can
get the affair set on one side, and I will show you
the conditions. I told him his appearance was
not that of a Queen's Counsel, and asked him to
show me that he was one, and told him that I was
tormented by her, and asked him to show me profs
on which I could rely. He sail he had a friend,
Mr. Warner Sleigh, and having the honour
f
Mr. Warner Sleigh, I did not be-
lieveo
klloinhwim.g I asked him what proof he could
give, that he was not an impostor, and he said,
" Will you take the word of my friend Mr. Warner
Sleigh if I bring him ?" and I said I would. He
then said, " But I do not wish to introduce Mrs,
Borrodaile's name."

Mr. Sleigh--Tell us what occurred ?
Madame Rachel—He said he came from O'Keefe,
Mrs. Borrodaile's man. He said that O'Keefe was
conspiring with a man in Mount-street against
me. He came again later in the day and
said, "Madame Rachel, it will be better for you to
give the £5OO than to be sent to Newgate, where
they want to get you. There is no case of fraud
against you, but they want to have a man beside
you to send for conspiracy." I told him I wanted
some proof he was telling me the truth, and he
then said that O'Keefe and a fishmonger in Mount-
street, a person named Davis, and a good many
others were getting up a conspiracy to place me
in the dock for conspiracy. He said the first
proof be would give me was that he would be
sent with a letter, and that Lambert was to come
and hear what took place, and afterwards Lim-
bert was to pretend he was deaf—Lambert having
formerly been in the police. He then persuaded
me again to have nothing to do with my solici-
tors, and to let him have my affairs in his hands,
and said it was my own solicitors who had got up
the conspiracy against me, and I said it was false.
He then said, " If I give you proof that your own
solicitors have betrayed you will you believe it ?"
I said I would, but that I would not give him any
money. He then said, " I will come here by and
bye and bring a letter about money affairs, and you
can place Mr. Froggatt and Mr. Harper in pri-
lie tnen said he was not a Queen's
counsel, but was sent by Mr. Harper, and that he
could implicate fifty persons. Ou my returning
home yesterday my daughter tol I me that she had
received 1301139 letters and handed them to me.
Madame Rachel here accused her solicitor of
having kept back a letter for her counsel, and went
on to say—Yesterday evening between seven and
eight Crabbe brought Houston in, and as there
was some other persons, I do not know what
really occurred. He showed her some papers tied
up with tape, and said it was Mr. Warner Sleigh's
brief, and I said it was not Mr. Warner Sleigh's.
He also said that Houston was Warner Sleigh, but
was to be addressed as Captain --
Madame Rachel gave her evidence in such an un-
intelligible manner that it was next to impossible to
understand her, and Mr. Sleigh two or three times
threatened to withdraw from the case.
Crabbe— I called on Madame Rachel as a friend
and told her that I did not want any money from
her.

son."

In answer to question put by Crabbe, Madame
Rachel said—l never told you that I did not know
where Mrs. Borrodaile resided.

Madame Rachel answered the questions put by
the accused in such a manner as draw from the
magistrate the remark :—" Mr. Sleigh, I am pre-
siding over a farce. Can you prove your case of
a,,sault?"

Mr. Sleigh —What did they do to you last
night ?

Madame Rachel—They struck me. Crabbe
struck me. They
wanted to leave the room. I
called for assistance. Crabbe got me against the
door. I suffered pAin from my stomach where
Crabbe struck me. nouston also hurt me.

Mr. Kuox—Crabbe, confine yoursAf to the
assault, and drop the rest of the matter.

Crabbe put several que3tion3 to Madame Rachel,
who gave answers to them in a most confused

manner.

Miss Leontie Stevenson was then sworn, and
said that in preventing the accused escaping they
both struck her.
Rosanna Mollory, servant to Rubel, proved see.
ing Miss Rachel assaulted.
Mr. Sleigh—Did they strike you?
Witness—No ; they said I was too much for
them.

Crabbe—There never Was a blow struck.
Awli
she
mother had marks to show
ho
W. Jones, 71 C—l was called to take the priso-
ner ienduttooeiulastvo:y. I
arest. did not see any marks of vio-
lenco.Mr, Knox—There is a Prima facie case, but the
qpeuressotino;
Sergeant Smith, 1 C: I saw marks of violence on was whether I have to deal with a sane
I 11adi
nmalluded to the prisoners as
g strucke Rachel,
her.ad she nh av a
Mr. Knox : flow far she has let them into a trap
or they have let her, I cannot say. The arrest for
conspiracy without a motive would not hold well.
The circumstances aro so doubtful that I shall leave
the parties to proceed by summons.
The accused were discharged.

ABYSSINIAN NEWS.—News was received in Leeds
onWednesday that Mr. Henry Dufton, of the Intelligence
Department of the Abyssi❑ian Expedition, was shot dead
by S hobo brig-ands at Undall Wells, noar Zoullah, on the
28th of May. Mr. Dufton was the son of Mr. Henry
Dufton, cloth merchant, and :me of the town councillors,
Leeds. The unfortunate deceased was a few years ago in
the service of King Theodore in Abyssinia, as his Majesty's
English secretary, and be was the author of au interesting
book about that cruel monarch and the country over which
ho held a questionable rule. Mr. Dufton, we understand
was about 28 or 30 years of age, and has left a wife and
one child,

A FAIR DISTRIBUTION.—When the British ships
under Lord Nelson were bearing down to attack the com-
bined fleet off Trafalgar, the first lieutenant of the Revenge,
on going round to see that all hands were at quarters, ob-
served one of the men (an Irishman) devoutly kneeli ,g at
the side of his gun. So very unusual an attitude exciting
his surprise and curiosity, he asked the man if he was
afraid. " Afraid," answered the tar ; " no, your honour, I
was only praying that the enemy's shot may be distributed
in the same proportion as the prize luoriey —the greatest
part arviag the oftkete."

BANQUET TO HER MAJESTY'S

MINISTERS.

Last night the Merchaut Taylors' Co:npany,
corporation thoroughly Conservative in its political
views, gave a banquet in honour of her Majesty's
Ministers, The Mister of the Company, J. T.
Fletcher, Esq., filled the chair. About 300 invita-
tions were sent out, and, with one or two exceptions,
all responded. _ _ _

In reply to the toast of her Majesty's Ministers,
Mr. DISRAELI, who, upon rising, was greeted
with enthusiastic cheers, said—Nothing can be
more gratifying to her Majesty's Ministers than
that their names should be received with cordial
kindness amongst any body of their fellow-
countrymen. But, under this roof, that gratifi- '
cation is greatly increased, and is, indeed,
peculiar, because I ctiinA forget that, at various
intervals, under this roof the Constitutional party
has often assembled--(lout cheers)—sometimes
at moments of adversity, sometimes in the hours
of triumph, so.netine3 to rally, sometimes to
organise, but always to vindicate these great prin-
ciples upon which, we believe, are founded the
greatness of this country and the happiness of its
people. (Cheers.) It is but a year ago that in this
hall I had the honour of returning thanks for the
/louse of Commons. The Haase of Commons was
then engaged in one of, the most arduous tasks that
has been undertaken in our generation--a task
which had for its purpose the reconstruction, ou a
larger scale and a broader basis, of the representa-
tive system of the United Kingdom. Another
year has elapsed, and we are still engaged in that
labour. But I am glad to say that the group of
measures which, when concluded and sanctioned
by the Sovereign, will consummate the task, are
now on the eve of completion ; and I think
the country is to be congratulated that the task
which has during two years almost entirely occu-
pied the attention of the Parliament of England is
now about to be fulfilled, and, I believe, to the
general satisfaction of all men of temperate opinions.
(Cheers.) I cannot but believe that when the heat
of our party contests has passed away, that the
generation that follows U 3 will be more able and
impartial critics of these great undertakings than
ourselves ; and I cannot but believe that their ver-
dict will be that this was a great ta,ell, not meanly
accomplished, and that, upon the whole, under
great difficulties, we have brought about a pli-
tical settlement that has successfully reconciled the
traditions of an ancient country with the require-
ments of modern times. (Cheers.) Bat what is
most strange and, singular in this history is, that
just at the moment that a constitutional body is
about to bo establishel which will represent all
classes and interests, and all opinions of the United
Kingdom— no doubt more completely than before
—what is most strange and singular is, that this
great constituent body, founded upon these en-
larged sympathies and interests, will be called upon
as their first duty to decide whether they will sus-
tain or whether they will subvert the constitution
of our country. (Much cheering.) I confess that
I cannot resist recognising the hand of Providence
in this dispensation ; and when I remember the cir-
cumstances under which this change in our political
system was first conceived, and remember the state
of politics at this moment, when its conclusion is
about to be accomplished, I cannot believe that
it is but by mere chance and casual circum-
stances that this nation is called upon to decide
whether they will destroy or whether they will
uphold the venerable constitution of the country.
(Loud cheers.) The constitution of England is not
a paper constitution. (Renewed cheers.) It is an
aggregate of institutions, many of them founded
merely upon prescription, some of them fortified by
muniments, but all of them the result of the ex-
perience of an ancient and illustrious people. And
the consequence of this peculiar constitution has
been thii—one experienced by no other European
nation—that in England society has always been
more powerful than the State. Therefore, in moments
of difficulty and danger, in moments of emergency,
there has always been in this country something
around which men could rally ; and by these means
we have achiA,ed the two greatest blessings of a
civilised community which are seldom reconciled
the enjoyment alike of order and liberty. (Cheers.)
It is to the alliance between Church and State—an
alliance between equally independent powers—that
we entered into a solemn covenant for the national
good, and thryagh which we have enjoyed these
two great blessings, freedom and order. It is not
for me—and it would be indeed a task at tit's me-
moment not proper—to enter into the m tnifuld
blessings arising from the relations between the
Church and the State; but, referring to those cir-
cumstances which the worthy Master has alluded to,
there are two great consequences of ttiat union

which, I think, ought to be set before the mind
and consciences of the people of this country. The
first is, that to that union we are indebted for
this great result ; that the exercise of authority
in England hts been connected with the principle

of religion—a union which often in rude times
made power responsible, and which prevented,
even in comparatively barbarous periods
Government degenerating into mere policecraft ; a
union which in after times has elevated, and per-
fected, and ennobled the exercise of power. And,
my lords and gentlemen, in the age in which we
live, when the duties of Government become
more social than political, I am at a lois to
know how these duties could, if the State was
not in intimate relations with men set apart for
their piety, learning, and social gifts, have not only
guided and controlled, but softened and assuaged
mankind. But there is still another consequence
which I think ought to be placed before the.coun-
try at this moment. It is to the union of Church
and State the supremacy of the Sovereign of this
country is secured—(enthusiastic cheers)—as it is
secured in no other country. (Renewed cheer-
ing). You, sir, have been kind enough to refer
generally to the administration of her Majesty's
Government, and I hope that at the moment
of trial, which is impending, I may be permitted
just to mention that, during the two years that we
have administered the affairs of this country, chiefly
under the guidance of my illustrious friend Lord
Derby—(cheers)—the affairs of this country have
been conducted in a manner of which need not be
ashamed. (Cheers.) When we acceded to office the
name of England was a name of suspicion and distrust.
(Cries of " Trae.") In every foreign court and
Cabinet there was no possibility for cordial action,
which is the only security for peace ; and in conse-
quence of that want of cordiality wars were fre-
quently marring. But since we have acceded to
office—and here I must say that the foreign
affairs have been mainly administered by my
noble friend, who by a special diplomatic duty
is prevented from the satisfaction of being
present—(cheers)—all this is changed; and never
was there between England and foreign powers a
feeling of greater cordiality and mutual confidence
than at present. (Cheers.) In returning you,
therefore, the thanks of her Majesty's Government
fur the great and gratifying complement you
have paid them, and which I can assure you
they entirely appreciate, I may be permitted to
express my confident trust that when the impend-
ing hour of trial shall arrive, what we have
done will not be entirely forgotten, but that it
will be remembered by a generous country, and
perhaps it will say that men who, under some
difficulties have thus performed their duties, may be
entrusted with the far greater task which now
awaits those who shall govern this country, namely,
to uphold its Constitution—(cheers)—to maintain
the liberties of the nation and the supremacy of the
Queen. The right hon. gentleman resumed his
seat amidst prolonged cheering.

The Report of the Commission on the Budget
was distributed on Wednesday among the members
of the Legislative Body. It contains pacific assur-
ances, says that the armaments which have been
pr.pai el do not conceal any warlike arrire-pensee,
and adds France neither threatens nor fears
any one. She wishes for peace, and her Govern-
ment resolutely desires it. Everything leads to the
hope that peace will not be disturbed."
All receive with satisfaction the announcement, that in
consequence of the Reduction in Duty, flornimans Pure
Teas are sold Bd. per pound Cheaper. 2,500 Authorised
Agents—Confectioners !rt Lon,ion and Chemists in the
orriona-irupply ikravnan'i Its only iii Paeltei.