The Sun.
London, England, 1850-01-03 00:00:00

CALUMNIES AGAINST KOSSUTH.
The following letter, we are informed, was lately
forwarded to the editor of the Times :
" Sir,—There appeared in your paper of the 25th,
a calumnious statement, affecting the character of a
public man and of a gentlewoman of spotless reputa-
tion. Many weeks must necessarily elapse, ere M.
Kossuth, or Countess Dembinski's husband, or the
Hungarian emigration, can hear of or refute that ac-
cusation. I have reason to know the utter falsity of
the unmanly charge; I am, perhaps, the only person
at the present moment in this country who can speak
from personal knowledge on the subject, and should
therefore think myself neglectful of an actual duty if
I allowed the reputation of an innocent lady and of
an illustrious patriot, to remain even temporarily
under the slanderous aspersion.
You, Mr. Editor, as a journalist, I doubt not, will
see sufficiently the propriety of deferring to the
spirit of fair play, and feel sufficiently anxious to
make reparation for the calumny which has crept into
your columns by giving insertion to its refutation.
That refutation I shall endeavour to effect by a sim-
ple statement of what I personally ascertained and
witnessed, without comment, beyond the remark that
I distinctly charge the author or authors of the accu-
sation with utter, wilful, and malignant falsehood.
The conduct of your Vienna correspondent, who has
specifically chosen to accept the responsibility of
these defamatory lies, for which he vouches, would
be:difficult to characterise by expressions less offensive.
I need hardly recall more of the substance of this
pretended correspondence from Shumla, which overtly
accuses Madame Dembinski of an improper intimacy
with the late President Governor of Hungary,
alleging that she travelled with him under a false
nasals in man's attire; that Kossuth had lost, in con-
sequence, the command of the emigrants, which had
been given to Perczel; that Perczel represented the
democratic, Batthyany the aristocratic party; that
they were both at variance with Kossuth, and that the
correspondent recognised a female in the disguise of
military rank and uniform.
I have the honour of the acquaintance of M.
Kossuth, of Madame Dembinski and her husband,
of Count Batthyany, and of General Perczel. I spent
(with the exception of occasional absences) two
months with the Hungarian emigration at Widdin,
and accompanied it part of the way on its march
to Shumla. During the chief part of that time I
was lodged in the house of Kossuth. There were
at Widdin, besides myself, three Englishmen, to
whom I can appeal for the strict accuracy of my state
ments, that is to say, General Guyon, the cor-
respondent of the Daily News, and your own cor-
respondent, respecting whom you will perhaps
appreciate my silence if I am not here more ex-
plicit.
In the first place, there did not exist in the emigra-
tion any aristocratic or democratic party. The refu-
gees, like the bulk of the Hungarians, occupied them-
selves no more with such questions than the English
in the time of Queen Elizabeth, when menaced by the
Armada. M. Kossuth, Count Batthyany, and General
Perczel, always on a friendly footing, had recently
contracted the closest intimacy. On the night of my
departure I heard them pledge themselves to the
most perfect concert during the whole continuance of
their exile, and agree, as far as possible, never to
allow themselves to be separated from each other.
The last accounts that I (and I believe any one in this
country) hare received from Shumla, indicate rather
an increase than any diminution of this good under-
standing. With regard to the deprivation of Kossuth's
command over the emigration, the ex-president
governor never attempted to assume any civil or
military control or other pre-eminence whatever over
the emigrants beyond the spontaneous deference
conceded to his late supremacy, antecedeuts,.and
renown. General Guyon had the military command
of the emigration. On his departure for Constantinople
it was assumed by Mourad Pacha (General Bern).
And Mourad Pacha having quitted Widdin in an
armed steamer, before the emigration commenced its
march, the command of the Hungarians devolved
naturally on General Perczel.
Besides a few canteen women there were but two
females—the Countesses Batthyany and Dembinski—
accompanying the emigration, The story of the lady
in uniform is a sheer fabrication.
I come now to Madame, or more properly, the
Countess Dembinski, and if obliged to enter into
seemingly indelicate details, must plead as my apology
both to that lady and to the public the grossness of
the outrage to which she is victim.
Madame Dembinski is the daughter of a merchant
of Arad, and the wife of Count Dembinski, a Gal-
lician nobleman, and relative of the General of that
name. Madame Dembenski, who has been some
months married, may be eighteen, her husband about
five• and-twenty years of age. ladame Dembinski
was married before she ever saw Kossuth. She
followed her husband to the camp ; and I hare heard
both him and herself relate that, excepting during
the continuance of an engagement, they had never
since their marriage been, even for a day, separated
from each other. Madame Dembinski is of an almost
infantine simplicity, and has never attempted any in-
terference in politics. Count Dembinski being attached
to the person of Kossuth, spends his whole time under
Kossuth's roof, and (since the late President Governor
has kept a table) the Countess Dembinski presides
over it. Both Count and Countess Dembinski are in
ill-health, and still suffering from intermittent fever,
caught during their retreat from Hungary. Kossuth,
who is old enough to be their father, seems to take a
paternal interest in this young couple.
Kossuth, during the first part of his sojourn at
Widdin, inhabited the house of the chief of the police,
in which he occupied a single room, together with an
aide-de-camp and his interpreter. Here, being
without convenience for the preparation of any regular
repast, I found him eating hi. 3 solitary meal out of
rude earthenware with an iron spoon.
During the last month of his stay, in consequence
of peremptory orders from Constantinople, the best
house in Widdin was placed at his disposal; but, as
he would not dispossess the owner, whose harem
filled the upper story, only the four ground-floor
apartments were occupied by him, and served to lodge
some dozen persons of his suite, besides servants.
The room which he day and night inhabited was,
in both houses, according to the Turkish fashion,
always open to allow free ingress to all corners, and
could only be closed by a curtain drawn across the
doorway. Kossuth, during the whole of his stay in
Widdin, may therefore be said to have lived in a
glass house, and, amidst the empty honours finally
paid him, had constant reason to complain of the
want of privacy. The Count and Countess Dem-
binski did not lodge in the same house with
Kossuth, except on two exceedingly cold
nights, when, in consequence of their state
of health, a room was ceded to them, its
former occupants being quartered for the time
upon Kossuth. For the same reason, the late
president-governor, to whom a comfortable travelling
carriage had been presented, gave a seat in it to the
Dembinski., whose carriage had no springs. The
last day that I accompanied the march I saw Kossuth
on horseback, with Caunt Batthyany on one hand
and General Perczel on the other, and Count Dem.
bin/ski with his lady following in the carriage. Is it
necessary that I should seriously add that, to the
best of my beliefand knowledge, Madame Dembinski,.
who is distinguished by graces essentially feminine
never arrayed herself in male attire in her life ?
In conclusion I can frame but one conjecture as to
the motive of this unfounded and scurrillous attack on
a suffering, inoffensive, expatriated woman, and on a
husband and father so notoriously devoted as M. Kos-
suth to his own wife and children.
That conjecture, Mr. Editor (and I conceive your
consequent dread of my participation in such a
scheme, however involuntary) will, if the reasons I
have previously adduced prove insufficient, I am sure
determine you to insert this letter.
Madame Kossuth is (or was until recently) con-
cealed in Hungary. She had refused to follow her
husband in the hope of rejoining her children. All
the efforts of the Austrian police have hitherto been
unavailing to discover her retreat—has this slander
been devised to draw her from her hiding place ?
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
TUB AUTZLOR OF 1111YELATION5
OF RUSSIA.

value, were sent from the treasury on due receipt,
through the intermedium of a Wallachian agent, but
I defy Count Zichy to show that Kossuth ever re-
tained, received, or handled any portion of this or any
other national property.
The Zichys are unfortunate, one having been shot
by the Austrians, the other hanged by his country-
men as a traitor ; hut this is no reason why Count
Edmond should calumniate Kossuth, who never
sanctioned that nor any other political execution.

Jane Munden, wife of John Munden, of 89, Great
Suffolk street, said—Last night I was going with a
message for my husband to Tottenham-court road,
but did not know the way. The prisoner said he
would show me the way to Bow•streer, as he was
going in that direction, but had to call on a friend in
Fleet-street first. I went with him, and he asked me
to go in. Ile then took me through a small door
where we were perfectly in the dark, and put his feet
against me, threw me down, and thrust his fist into
my mouth, after which he attempted to effect his
purpose. I struggled, and screamed murder, and
eventually succeeded in getting away from him ; and
having obtained the assistance of the officer, gave him
into custody.
Alderman SIDNEY—Was there any light in the
room ? Mrs. Munden—There was a small fire, and
the only things there were a desk and some papers.
Alderman SIDNEY—Then you ent willingly into
the house? Mrs. Munden—l did not. The prisoner
dragged me in up some steps.
Alderman SIDNEY--How many steps were you
dragged up? Mrs. Munden—Five or six, I cannot
tell which.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
PREROGATIVE COURT, Jan. 2.
This was the caveat day after Michaelmas term.
Sir J. Dodson presided as surrogate, and disposed of
several pro formi petitions.

iNSOLVEAT DEBTORS' COURT, Jan. 2.
IN RR RINJAIIIN WYAND IREPHARIN
This insolvent, a schoolmaster, petitioned under the
Protection Act, and was not opposed.
The Learned COMMISSIONER, upon examining the
schedule, discovered that the insolvent had accepted
an accommodation bill, which circumstance, he held,
deprived the Court of its power to name a day for
the final order, as it was a debt contracted without
reasonable expectations of payment.
Adjourned sine die, without protection.

The officer explained that the house alluded to
was a lithographic printing-office, of which the pri-
soner was the foreman, and had the entire control of
he premises. The house, although numbered as 28,
Fleet-street, was up a court in the rear of the real
No. 28

POLICNCE.i
MANSION-HOUSE.
Frederick Foster, who stated himself to be an
artist and taker of likenesses by a new process, was
summoned before Alderman Humphery on Tuesday,
for having assaulted and used abusive language to-
wards Mr. F. E. Thorold, of Finsbury-square, medical
student.
Some days ago a gentleman who was about to go
into Lincolnshire by a railroad, was tempted by the
contents of a handbill, which promised to give
coloured sketches elegantly finished for ls. each, to
enter the premises of the defendant in Gracechurch-
. street, and take a sitting. When, however, the like-
ness, as it was called, was ready the demand
made for the painting by the new process,
the principal ingredient in which appeared to be some
element calculated to pervert the art altogether, was
10s.; and the original having refused to be "done"
out of the difference between that sum and the sum
announced in the handbill, the defendant forcibly de-
tained him in the "studio" until a compromise of 4s.
was effected. By that forcible detention the journey by
railroad was prevented, but the injured party being
obliged to leave town could not avail himself of au
application to the Lord Mayor, and therefore left the
matter in the hands of the complainant, with whom
he also left the " likeness" to be produced in judgment.
Mr. Thorold said that, in consequence of the above
representation he went, accompanied by a friend, into
Gracechurch-street, where one of the irresistible
handbills was given to him by a porter at the door.
He ascended the staircase, and was introduced to the
defendant and a Mr. Shade, who seemed to be the
operating artist, and was asked to look at a variety of
specimens of the skill of the establishment. Seated
behind a screen Mr. Shade commenced the process of
taking his likeness, and was engaged in it about ten
minutes, when witness said he had to go into Fen-
church-street, and would expect that the finishing
stroke would be put to the likeness by the time he
should return. The defendant said that a deposit
must be left in his hands, and that he would not be
satisfied with less than half the amount of the charge,
which was 75. sd. The demand was followed up by
corresponding action, the defendant having placed his
back against the door, and refused to allow the com-
plainant, who had offered to pay Is., to leave the
premises. Witness, however, with the aid of his
friend, got out of the place, having suffered in nothing
but dignity, which was in some measure offended by
the threat to be kicked down stairs. The conduct
described was of daily practice.
Alderman HUMPIIERY—Did he obtain any money
from you ? Witness—No.
Alderman HUMPHERY—It was well for him that
he did not. Well, Mr. Foster what have you to say
to this charge ?
The defendant said it was quite impossible
to describe the deplorable condition to which
artists were reduced at the present moment.
It was true he issued handbills and used other means
of getting customers, but he denied that he bad prac-
tised any deception, although put to much trouble
and expense by the ruffianly conduct of some visitors.
It was true he took likenesses for ls. each, but the
class of minatures selected by the complainant re-
quired a more skilful hand than his, and accordingly
he employed Mr. Shade to take the face, which was
cheap at the price.—(A laugh.) It was not long
since four gentlemen had sat for their likenesses and
bolted without paying a farthing, and he was there-
fore obliged to require a deposit in every future case.
If the complainant had said he wished for a shilling
likeness he certainly should have been accommodated,
but nothing of the kind had been asked for, and as
for the charge of assault not the least movement had
taken place beyond the closing of the door.
Alderman HUMPHERY—You do not seem to be
aware that the act of forcibly detaining a person is an
assault.
litre the likeness of the gentleman who had been
compelled to pay the compromise before he left the
defendant's premises was exhibited. It excited much
laughter, being certainly inferior to what might be
expected, as Sir George Carroll remarked, from a
child seven years old.
The defendant admitted that he was sometimes at
fault in his likenesses, but then he vkillingly " tried
again," and, although complaints against him might
now and then break forth, they were not of a serious

Mrs. Munden, on being cross examined by the
prisoner, s iid, I met you in the Strand, and asked
you to show me the way to Bow-street, and thence to
fottenham court-road. You told me you were going
that way. You dragged me up a few stairs, and
there were not two flights of steps. I did not go
more than five steps. There was a small fire, and
when I went out you picked up a piece of paper and
lighted it. I never asked for any money.
The prisoner's defence was, that he understood the
complainant was a single woman, and because he
would not give her Bs., which she wanted, she
brought the present charge against him.
Mr. Lockington, the prisoner's employer (who was
in court), in answer to questions put by the Alder-
man, said the premises in question were occupied by
him, and the prisoner had the control of them. The
room mentioned was an engraving workroom on the
first floor. There was a landing in the passage, and
then a flight of steps. The first would be about four
or five steps, and from the landing to the room about
tourteen or fifteen steps. The prisoner did not lodge
there, but had the keys to lock up the place after the
men left, and open it early in the morning.
Alderman SIDNEY asked Mrs. Munden how long
she was in the house ? Mrs. Munden thought it was
not more than five minutes. As soon as he opened
the door he pushed her in.
Alderman SIDNEY—Then you never walked up any
steps whatever? Mrs. Munden—l did not.
The prisoner here said, the complainant wanted
him to give her five shilling., which he refused to do.
She then screamed out, and said she would give him
in charge; upon which he lighted a piece of paper,
and showed her the way out. Independent of that,
he had witnesses to prove that Mrs. Munden went
willingly into the house with him.
Samuel Greaves, of No. 9, Little Queen-street,
lithographic printer, said that on Monday evening he
called with his wife at Mr. Lockington's, on business,
but found no one there. When coming out of the
court he met Jonas (the prisoner) and the complainant
coming towards the court laughing and talking toge-
ther; upon which he remarked to the former, " Is
that your young woman ?" He afterwards saw them
go to the door and enter.
Alderman SIDNEY—You have just called him
Jonas. Which is his real name, for he has given it
as Jones ? Prisoner—Jonas is my right name.
Mary Ann Greaves, wife to the last witness corro-
borated her husband's evidence, and added that she
heard the complainant say, "Come along, my dear,"
at the same time laughing, and they both entered the
house together, and after staying there nearly a
quarter of an hour, and not seeing them come out,
witness left. She saw no resistance, and after they
had been in about ten minutes, she touched the door
and found it fastened. There was no screaming that
she heard.
Alderman SIDNEY inquired the trade or business of
the complainant's husband ? Mrs. Munden said that
he belonged to the theatrical profession, and she had
been married to him between two and three years.
Alderman SIDNEY asked how long she had been in
London ? Mrs. Munden replied from eight to nine
months.
Alderman SIDNEY said he had paid great attention
to the evidence, both yesterday and to day, because
he felt it was involved in considerable doubt, and
therefore he was very happy to have the opinion of a
brother Alderman (Wilson) upon the facts. On the
one hand, there was the remarkable indiscretion of a
married woman answering the questions of a young
man of her own age, an entire stranger to her, telling
him where she was going, and then accompanying
him at least an eighth of a mile out of her way, in order
that he might afterwards go with her to show her the
way to Tottenham-court-road. This she h al followed
up by entering a dark passage, which would
admit but one person at a time, and then, as she says,
she was pushed up a flight of five stairs, but, instead
of fire, there were at least sixteen, for he (the Alder-
man) had viewed the premises from an opposite
house. He almost feared, therefore, that she was a
consenting party, and he could no longer view it, as
he was disposed to do the previous day, as a charge
of attempting to commit a criminal offence. The vio-
lence, therefore, he had offered was reduced to an as-
sault. With respect to the witnesses called by the
defendant to show the complainant was in the house
for a quarter of an hour, and that she was talking and
laughing with him, he did not give the least credit to
them. After all, he thought the prisoner's conduct
had been very bad, and he should, therefore, fine him
40s. for the assault, or one month's imprisonment.—
The fine was paid. •

nature.
Alderman HUMPHERY said, if the person who had
been obliged to go into the country were present
instead of the complainant, who, it appeared, had not
given any money, in consequence of the misconduct
of the defendant, the complaint might have proved
very serious. It was quite evident the rooms had
been taken and touters had been employed for the
purpose of humbugging young men out of their
money. He advised the defendant to seek some more
creditable employment, and he alsa advised Mr.
Shade too, if that gentleman wished to keep out of
the shade altogether, never to get behind the defend-
ant's screen again to take likenesses upon the new
process, which meant 10s. instead of ls.--(Lsughter.)
Mr. Shade said he was by mere accident on the
premises at the time, and he was not aware that either
assault or imposition had taken place.
Alderman HumeneßT—Very well. Take care,
and do not be his " shade" any more. If I hear
any more of this new process, and that you and he
are in the shade again together in carrying it on,
depend upon it some time shall pass before you again
see the light.—(Laughter.)
GUILDHALL.
On Tuesday Elizabeth White, Ann Brown, Isa-
bella Wilson, and Jane Bunn, all well-known window-
smsshers, were charged before Mr. Alderman Sidney
with breaking some squares of plate-glass in the shop-
front of Messrs. Hitchcock and Co., of 74, St. Paul's
Churchyard.
Mr. John Evitt said that he was standing in the
shop on the previous afternoon, when he saw the four
prisoners come up, and after standing for a moment
he observed the prisoner White throw a brick through
one of their large squares of glass. Another pane was
immediately broken by the other prisoners, and as
four stones were found in the shop he supposed they
were intended for missiles on this occasion.
Alderman SIDNEY inquired the value of the glass ?
Mr. Evitt replied about 131.
The officer said he found them all together, but did
not see who broke the windows.
Mr. Alderman SIDNEY said they were all known as
w;lndow-smashers.
Roe, tke officer of the court, stated that White was
the person who some months ago threw a shoe at the
Alderman, and who had on another occasion assaulted
him in the street.
Alderman SIDNEY recognised her, and said he had
paid her fare for her to Exeter. lie asked her why
she had left her friends and how long she had been
back ? She made no answer
Alderman SIDNEY asked the prisoners severally if
they had any answer to make to this charge. Did
they deny they had broken the windows ? The pri-
soxers still remained mute.
Alderman SIDNEY said he must endeavour to pro-
tei 'it the citizens from these outrages, which were a
mo st grievous charge upon them. If White had any
con. science, he wondered how she could justify to
hers elf the infliction of so much loss upon a person
who , had not given her the slightest provocation. He
knew their object was to get into a prison to be
mainta.'ned at the public charge, and they selected
the hanelsomest shop fronts for attack, to insure the
longer to em of imprisonment. White had confessed
she assaulted him on a former occasion because he
only gave her fourteen days' imprisonment. Nothing,
therefore, .b.lt leti;islative interference could remedy
the evil, by- sc-ading all such persona out of the
country. It liras a disgrace that they were a con
tinual burden on the funds of the public, and there,
was no hope t at they would not remain so for years
to come. He hoped Mr. Hitchcock would make a
special statemei it of the facts by memorial to the
Secretary of Sta te, that he might see the real extent
of the evil. Ile then adjudged the prisoners to pay a
fine of 51., and t& find security for one year, them-
selves in 40 L, anti -two sureties in 20/. each.
The priso aers, 'w
were perfectly indifferent, in
default were :all cc Anneyed to the Cotnpter.
A young o ian, evho gave his name as John Jones,
of 211, Fleete
was brought up for further exami-
nation befor ) Aldermen Wilson and Sidney, charged
with a crim snag assault on the rerson of Mrs. Jane
Munden' of 89, Great Suffolk-street, Borough, under
the following p
The case ,Alderman
as partly heard before Mr. Al
Sidney on
Tuest lay, but in consequence of certain
sa
P.; Iraordinary circumstances :
doubts ar
~ing in the Alderman's mind, during the
taking of,' th.- •icli 'nee, it was adjourned until yester•
day. `J,7,,e ' is the statement of the com-
Plaina'

London, Dec. 27th, 1849.

COPT Or POSTSCRIPT TO LITTER TO THE " TIMES."
P.S. I have just seen in your paper a letter from
Count Edmond Zichy, in which he says, " Kossuth,
on entering Turkey, positively refused to allow his
baggage to be searched," and " the spurs (a pair of
emerald spurs) were offered by Kossuth himself at
Widdin, on the feast of the Bairam, to the Pacha,
who refused the gift."
I cannot believe that any attempt was made to search
the baggage of Kossuth, but I know that that baggage
consisted of one small portmanteau and a pair of sad-
dle-bags never locked, and the whole contents of
which were often untidily displayed to the inspection
of all visitors. On the occasion of Kossuth's only
visit to the Pacha of Widdin during the feast of the
Bairam, I also visited the Paella, and was present
during the whole interview. M. Kossuth was ac-
companied by Count Casimir Bstthyany, and by five
or six officers; and I can vouch for the fact, that he
never offered to the Pacha anything beyond the com-
pliments of the season.

Count Zichy could hardly be expected to explain
that his unfortunate brother (besides other treason-
able papers) had in his carriage for distribution seve-
ral thousand proclamations of Jellachich, at that time
declared a traitor and a rebel both by the Emperor
and the Diet, and occupied in ravaging Hungary
with fire and sword.

The jewels and all other property of Count Zichy
were legally confiscated by the Diet, and Kossuth
prosecuted and punished the attempted appropriation
of it by the police. During the war in Transylvania
Bem made application for secret service money to
counter-bribe a neighbouring authority. Some of
Count Zichy's jewels, as the most portable articles of

LONDON, THURSDAY EV.ENING, JANUARrY 3, 1850

reply to the qua sions of Mr. BallaHtine, the witness
said he had sent in his bill with the SCO copies of cir-
culirs. and r, quested payment, but Old nut get paid.
Mr. Ketnpshead said the 'nonuser pt copy he producd
and which had been brought to him by the prisoner,
wai that from which he had printed he circulars. In
addition to the advertisement, the circulars conta'ned
the following:—