Star.
London, England, 1825-07-14 00:00:00

COURT OF SESSION, EDINBURGH.
__....._

MUSTER'S TRUSTEES v. MRS. AGNES NICOL, OR SPEID.
This was a case of contempt of Court, arising from
tl.c follosving circumstances:—Agnes Speid is the :ne-
ther. of two natural children, which she bore to the late
Dr. Hunter, of Perth, who left to each of them a consi-
durable property, vesting it-in trustees for their behoof.
Agnes Speid having married her present husband, Ni-
col, who had formerly been a soldier, and now keeps a
spirit-shop, the trusties had the elder daughter made a
ward of Chancery, and removed to a boarding-school
in Perth. When the younger daughter came of years,
the ttustees sought to dispose of her in like manner ; but
the mother resisted. An action was brought to deter.
mine who should have the custody of the child. The
• Coat t decided, that the trustees were entitled, in oppo•
sitiou to the mother, to have the young woman placed at
a boarding-school, where she might be suitably educated.
Mrs. Nicol thought fit to carry off and conceal the
ild, and also to abscond herself. Her husband was
I,brouglit to the bar of the Sccond Division on Thursday,
meld interrogated whether he was accessory to this con-
`tempt of the authority of Court? He requested, in the
first place, that the answers he might give should not
implicate him in this business, which he wi-hed to have
. nothing to do with, and which he positively knew
.nothing about. The examination then proceeded. It
proved, eery much to the amusement of a crowded
Court, that Nicol certainly must be the most indiffer-
ent of husbands out of the walls of Consistory.—
He had told his wife to do as she pleased with the
child, hut to tall him none of her seems, as it might
bring hint to trouble. He had no idea where his wife
was to be found ; she might be at home, in Fiance, or
in Engl.nd, for anything that he knew; he could form
iio sup cion of her place of copcealment, for he knew
Intl! or nothing of her haunt. The child he had not
seen for a week past ; he knew not where his wife
could have placed it; he never asked his wife concern-
ing it. In conclusion, he protested that their Lord-
s! ips should take no advantage from the answers of a
simple silly man like him. He at first refused to sign
Lis declaration. He wished to know the effect of
sigring, and the effect of not signing? If the Lord
Justice Clerk would warrant him against the effects of
all he had said, he would then sign every paper on their
Lot d ps' table, if they pleased.
Their Lordships listened with that perfect patience which
o.4it ever to " sit like a monument " on the judicial bench.
,v;:s. Agnes Nicol has since been discovered, and
b-ought forward to the bar by the officers of Court ;
s:ie refused to make any declaration respecting the
cli.:::::.lment of the child, except that she *as the
and had the best. right to retain it.
T.:," Coos: then issued a warrant Of imprisonment in the jail
n; Canaamate, in Edinburgh, against Mrs. Agnes Nicol, until she
g vd up the custody of her child, and allow it to be brought up
the. care of the trustees.

Tua Watiottto 1111111.—bl answer to the following
citl=q—" Supposing it lady to have lost her, fourth
urge:, on - tbich fin; should the wedding ring be
. says that. a few years since,
ibited" In. Dublin, who, was
indeed, of hand's in
iy. roarsied, assa..tbs: bride-,
ring upon mrielter tors

tinge:, on which finger she
p'..l:ed F. A correspondent sa
. A :•:iss Honeywood eabitsitl
1 . taily destitute. of 6n,g,rl,
arts—sha was subsequently
$ -
I 1 groOrn placed the wedding el