Star.
London, England, 1830-05-15 00:00:00

4. HYMENEAL AGENCY-OFFICE.

PARIS, Mu 9.

The Court of Correctional Police was yesterday occu-
pied with a case of rather a singular description. In the
plate usually occupied by criminals stood a young woman of
a most graceful figure, and whose dress was in the utmost
degree reeltercla. Madame Houdard (the name of the
accused) was no other than the presiding divinity at a eels-
iorateff agency office for marriages, which she has lately
established in Paris, where sbe has out-rivalled several
ethers of the same clam. She has for some time been
offering to gentlemen tired of celibacy tender companions
for life, ladies of known discretion and high respectability,
gifted in a moral light with the most desirable qualities,
and in the worldly sense, with marriage portions of from
100,000 to 500,000 francs • consequently, it may be
*inlay imagined bow her office was beset with applicants.
To believe her own account, she has brought about some
of the most fortunate and advantageous matrimonial en-
pagements. Her services, however, were not to be ob-
tained gratis. In order to obtain her favour, and a place
in her report, it was absolutely necessary to become a
rebecriber to her list for three months. By virtue of this
subscription, entered upon beautiful rose paper, and a
payment of 72 francs, Mad. Houdard engaged to exhibit
to the subscriber, for the space of three months, all the
youngladies whose hands, hearts, and fortunes, happened
to be at her disposal. Her truly benevolent occupation
waa,however,interrupted by a disappointed wine merchant,
who preferred a complaint against Madame, charging her
with swindling. The complainant will be better under-
stood in his own words:—" I applied to Madame to
procure me a wife (said be with a half-simple, half-sly
look at the accused) • she instantly said to me AA
mon Dieu, Monsieur I:axard, you have just come in time;
I have just what will suit you; there is now at my dis-
posal a most lovely creature, a sweet young widow, who
has lately buried her husband. She is related to an emi-
nent counsellor, and is every thing a man can wish for.
—As to her fortune, c'est superbe ! c'est magnifique !
150 000 to 200,000 francs, and a quantity of other pro-
perty.' I immediately said I should wish to have all the
particulars and terms. Madame told me that the first step
was to become a subscriber, and pay 72 francs. This 1
complied with, but after waiting anxiously for some time,
nothing was effected, and I was told that a great deal of
delicacy was to be observed in bringing the matter to a
happy issue. At last I was invited to dinner, where the
gay widow was expected to make one of the party. I
went at the hour appointed, having taken care to dress in
the best style. Shortly after my arrival at the office, a
young female, elegantly attired, made her appearance and
joined the dinner party. I subsequently discovered that
this doctor's widow—this niece of a counsellor as she was
described to me, was no other than Madame Aldegoude, a
semstress, and something worse. I soon had little doubt
that Madame Aldegoude made a livelihood by lending her
services on these occasions ; but wishing to see how far
the farce would be carried, I pretended to be anxious to
bring matters to a conclusion. She made a thousand ex-
cuses and hesitated a great deal ; and I at last received •
letter, which gave me to understand, in very plain terms,
that my visits would not be acceptable after that period
—that the counsellor, her uncle, wished to marry his
niece to a gentleman in the treasury."
Mdlle. Bonhomme, formerly servant to the accused,
was called as a witness by the complainant. She stated,
whilst she was in Mdlle. Houdard's service she saw se-
veral gentlemen come to the house in order to get wives ;
and whatever gentleman came, the same lady was pre-
sented to him, and that lady was Madame Aldegoude.
When two or three gentlemen happened to come at the
same time, Madame Aldegoude, after seeing one, made
some excuse, and retired to another room, where Madame
Houdard introduced her to another candidate. When the
gentlemen went away, these ladies amused themselves,
and laughed heartily at their expense, observing, how
many more fish were caught in their net.
President—Have you known any other person com-
plain of having been deceived in this way ?
Witness—Oh, several ; and amongst others, a tall
strapping serjeant-major of the Royal Guard. Madame
Houdard said to him upon his first application, " Come,
Monsieur, turn about. I must examine your figure, in
order to see if you will match the lady I have in my eye
for you."
The accused, on being called on for her defence, de-
nied the charge altogether, declaring that she had effected
several marriages amongst persons of great distinction,
and whose names she would mention but from motives of
delicacy, and if not prevented by the confidence reposed
in her. The only thing that hindered the complainant's
marriage, was the bad account which she received con-
cerning his character, and therefore she was not surprised
at his wishing to be revenged. With respect to her ser-
vant, it was the complainant who induced her to quit her
place, and she heard that he had since been taking par-
ticular care of her.

The Court, after some consideration, were of opinion
that the facts did not amount to swindling, according to
the meaning of the 405th article of the code, and dis-
charged the accused. This young woman was so over-
joyed at hearing her acquittal, that she fell into a swoon,
apd was removed from the court in a state of insensibility.

A DELICATE COMPLIKENT.—Pennant, in his ac-
count of Baby Castle (Lord Darlington's), says, " I
dined hem, the old Duke of Cleveland with us, a cheer-
ful old man, and in conversation very far from an
idiot.'•

AN M.P. IN AN AWKWARD PRIDICAMENT.—The
NortheneWhig says, " We fear there are,few Irish mem-
bers whose connexions with the ministry will prevent
than from joining in the efficient course of opposition
new preparing in London, to resist the iniquitous impost pro-
posed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Amongst those
volio are thus circumstanced, stands Lord Viscount Cas-
dereagh. Should he vote against ministers, his place in
the Adogralty must go by the board; and if be abstain
from rang on either side, or if he place himself in the
ranks hostile to the existence of the Irish press, away
goes all reliance on his constituents in the county of
Down. A meeting of the inhabitants of that influential
*ire is about to be held, to enter their protest against
ibo Goulburn scheme ; they are marshalling under the
dirotioos of Colonel Porde, who intends to contest the
twenty at the next election ; the Colonel's present proce-
dure hi a popular one; let Lord Castlereagh, therefore,
look well to it, before he lends his support to the minis-
try, egsinst the evident interest, and expressed wishes of
the people. For so far, we have no desire, nor indeed
oesee, to quarrel with Lord Castlereagh ; nor do we owe
moth to Col. Fordo. He is one of our repentant eman-
cipators. But, as Lord Castlereagh must be well aware,
Mat self-defence is at at all times justifiable, let hie lord--
shiß draw the sword against the press and We shall fling
aim the scabbard. We shall see how the Members for
Downpatrick and Carrickfergus will -vote ; aid if there
be one virtuous principle • remaining in those boroughs.
they will cost from them, with disgust, the individual who
shall sell not only kis country's good, but the pliple's
?try meow of free diatamioa, for a mess of pottage.