The Sun.
London, England, 1829-12-26 00:00:00

her busbrtnd: In a few nights ,afterwards the de-
fendant danced with her Ladyship at a ball, tinl sub-
sequently sat next her at a concert. Colonel Mar-
sac had remonstrated with her on the subject of
Colonel Los'er's attentions, but to no effect. On
the night of the concert, after they had returned to
their hotel, Lady Croft having gone up to her room,
Colonel Marsac went into the room over her's, and
npon going to the window he observed a man
dressed like a groom in the street ; presently after-
wards he heard a whistle, after which some whis-
pering took place between that person and Lady
Croft's maid. The man then went round the cor-
ner of the street, and immediately afterwards the
Colonel saw the defendant come from that direction,
and creep along close to the houses toward the
hotel. Upon which he went to Lady Croft's room,
and conducted her into another apartment; he then
returned to her room, and left the maid at the
window, upon which the defendant entered into
a whispering conversation with the maid. Find-
ing his expectations foiled, he retired. Colonel
Marsac then took apartments for his family and Lady
Croft, in the rear of the hotel, which they occupied
during the 'remainder of their stay at Bou!ogne,
avoiding, when they went out, the promenades and
all public places. Previously to this Colonel Mar-
sac, who corresponded with Sir Thorns Croft,
through his solicitor Mr. Hanley, communicated to
that gentleman his observations respecting Lady
Croft's conduct. The plaintiff, in consequence,
addressed a letter to his wife on the 10th of August
to the following purport :—" He had intended," lie
said, " to have written to her to. return home on the
Ist of the next month, that being the anniversary
of his former letter, and the expiration of the period
appointed for the probation of her promise of amend-
ment, but in consequence of a recent communica-
tion frotn Boulogne, too painful to mention, he was
obliged to defer his intention until he should receive
some proofs of her sincere repentance. If she de-
sired, as he believed she did, to return to him, she
would not hesitate to adopt the course which could
alone effect that end,—that was, to submit herself
to the controul of Colonel and Mrs. Marsac, and
conduct herself in all respects to their satisfaction.
He should be ready to receive her on being certain
of her repentance, and terminate that separation
which she had commenced by quitting his house.
He was then on the point of seting out for the
continent. Perhaps site would be glad to hear that
his health was improved. He hoped soon to have
cause to subscribe himself once more her affectionate
husband." To this letter her Ladyship replied on
the 14th of August in substance as follows :—" She
felt truly grateful to him for his kind letter, which
had occasioned her a pleasure that she had not
known for a long time, and she trusted her future
good conduct and sincere repentance would prove
that she was not unworthy of his (*.affection. She
candidly confessed she had been wrong, and had
done min), things, when her mind was excited,
which she had reason to regret; but she had never
committed any crime. She trusted that he would
pardon her, and receive her again before long, for
she had known no happiness since she had ceased to
live with him., She had always thought of her
dear child with the feelings of a mother ; and until
that foolish occurrence had taken place she had never
been guilty of any thing which he could condemn.
She was now sensible of her faults, and hoped she
should not much longer be obliged to endure ab-
sence from him and her child. She entreated him
not to go upon his travels until he either came or sent
for her." Besides the above, Sir Thomas also received
a letter from her in the preceding July, which, how-
ever, was not produced. On August 15 Sir Thomas
sailed for Ostend, his going abroad, although nat.
prescribed by his medical attendant!, being .calcu-
late(' to benefit his health. In the mean time Col.
Marsac having determined on returning to England,
in consequence of what he had witnessed on the
part of Lady Croft and the defendant, kept his
purpose concealed until the night before his depar-
ture, when he communicated it to her ladyship's
maid, in order that she might have her mistress's
luggage prepared. On the following day, accord-
ingly, he set off with Lady Croft, and having em-
barked on board the Calais steam-boat, just as the
vessel was putting off, she was hailed from the coast
by two passengers, who immediately came on board
and took their passage for England. These turned
out to be the defendant anti his friend Mr. Knotvlys.
Lady Croft having entered into conversation with
the defendant, Colonel Marsac remonstrated with
her on her conduct; upon which she said she was in-
dependent and would do as she liked; she was only
talking to Colonel Lyster, and there was no harm
in that. A. discussion then ensued, in which Col.
Lyster stated, that he and Lady Croft had commit-
ted adultery four times at Boulogne, and would
have committed it a fifth time, on the night of the
concert, had they not been prevented by the inter-
position of Colonel Marsac. That being the cue,
he felt himself bound, he said, in honour, to afford
her his protection, and was perfectly ready to enter
into any arrangement which her friends might de-
sire. He did not do this, he added, on account of
her money, because he had quite sufficient for his
own purposes as a single man; but after what had
passed he should not feel that he acted honourably
towards her if le d d not continue towards her that
protection to which she had chosen to confide. On
arriving at the Custom-house, Colonel Marsac pro-
posed to her that she should go to the York Hotel, in
Bridge-street, to which she objected, alleging that
she was known there ; and would therefore go to the
Percy Hotel ; upon which the defendant expressed
his approbation of her good taste in tier not going to
the 'York. The Colonel next proposed that before
she went to the Percy Hotel, she would first go with
him to the house of Mr. Hanley, to which her lady-
ship objected, unle,s she had the permission of, and
were accompanied by the defendant, who agreed to
do so ; but on arriving at Mr. Hanley's that gentle-
man was not at home, anti 'Colonel Marsac was
therefore obliged to consult one of his clerks, ;by
whom he was advised that he ought, he being one
of her trustees under the marriage settlement, to
accompany Lady t rofr, and Ic.ep his eye upon her
until he SAW Mr. Hanley.
Accordingly, acting upon this advice, he attended
Lady Croft, to the Percy Hotel, where he remained
w.th them in the same apartment until eleven o'clock
at night. Lady Croft had left the room a few
minutes when Mr. Hanley was announced, and
Colonel Marsac withdrew to speak to him. On
his return the defendant, whom he had left in the
room, had also retired, and the Colonel departed
from the hotel. A clerk, of the name of Thomson,
was sent from Mr. Hanley's office for the purpose
of identifying Lady Croft, and ascertaining the
situation in which she and the defendant stood to-
wards each other. Ile did not see either on the
first night, but having slept at the hotel, he saw the
defendant on the following morning in a small ante-
room in his dressing-gown. He was proceeding to
apologize for intruding on him, when the defendant
told him he knew his purpose, and would throw no
impediment in his way. He then conducted him
into Lady Croft's bedchamber, where, the curtains
being undrawn, he showed him her ladyship in bed;
upon which Mr. Thomson, having seen and recog-
nized her, withdrew. This was on Tuesday the
18th of August ; and on a subsequent day in the
same month the defendant went to his army agents,
Messrs. Codd and Co., and told Mr. Could he
intended to appoint them receivers of Lat:y Croft's
property; but Mr. Codd told him they should de-
cline the appointment. Upon which the defendant
observed " 1 saw your brother in the street, and he
too is angry with me for what I have done; but
surely you do not think I should be such a fool as
to miss 3,0001. a year when it came in my way?,
Such were the leading facts proved on the part of
the plaintiff.
Mr. BROUGHAM, assisted by Mr. Serjeant MERE-
WETHER, haying declined calling any witnesses, ad-
dressed the Jury on behalf of the defendant. After
which the Jury retired for about ten minutes, when
they returned with a verdict for the plaintiff--
Damages; 2,5001.
The Court adjourned to the 11th of January.