The Liverpool Standard, and General Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-08-22 00:00:00

doubt of the criminal act
of Mrs. Price and Mrs.

The same thing occurred the day after, and
was again witnessed by Mrs. Price and Mrs. King. Little
time was lost in giving notice to the defendant of the dis-
covery ; and it was thought advisable to try the present
action at the - Having glanced at the

being done,

Liverpool assize

probable line of defence which would be selui—namely, that
the whole story was a fabrication—the learned Attorney-
General said he would give way to his learned friend (Mr.
Sergeant Wilkins), who would proceed to call evidence.
Before he did so, however, he (Mr. Knowles) corrected a
statement he had made in opening the case. He found,
by a re-perusal of the deed of settlement, that by one of
the stipulations the plaintiff's wife could live where she
pleased, and that she was not therefore obliged to remain
under her ,father's roof. .

Mr. William Edward Lawrence called and examined
by Sergeant WILKINS :—Resides at the Greenway, Chel-
tenham, and is -a magistrate of Gloucester. Witnessed
the marriage of the plaintiff on the 14th of November,
. .

1856, with kiss Carrington. The defendant is a magis-
trate and deputy-lieutenant of the county of Gloucester.
He is a married man, and has been living separate from
his wife nearly a year and a half. Have been for several
years acquainted with the family of the plaintiff's wife.
Had occasionally seen the defendant in company with the
plaintiff's wife. Her husband settled upon her a marriage
settlement of £5OO a-year.—By Mr. Watson, Q.C.: The
defendant has lived many years at Cheltenham, and has a

son grown up. _ inner of the young
lady, has a son grown up and a younger son, and another
daughter. Don't know that there is a third daughter.
Have known the defendant 16 years, during which time
he has been the intimate friend and constant visitor with
the family of Mr. Carrington. He visited there when.
Mrs. Lloyd Evans was a child. May have seen the defen-
dant walking with the father of the plaintiff's wife, before
and after her marriage ; and also with the mother and her
daughter. Don't know that the defendant introduced
the plaintiff to the family. Never was, in the society of
the plaintiff after the marriage. Went to London to
attend the marriage. Have -heard that Mr. Carrington
gave him £l,OOO on the marriage. Did not know that he
had spent it all. Didn't know that plaintiff's property
was mortgaged to its full value. Had heard that the
plaintiff took his wife with his hunters to lodgings in
Leicester, on his return from the marriage tour. Did
not hear that he dismissed her lady's maid. Was
informed that, after the plaintiff came back to Chelten-
ham, she was averse to living with his mother. Never
knew that the plaintiff had said he would not allow his
wife to live with him again, because she would not submit
to his terms to live with his mother. Never knew that
she returned to his house, and begged and prayed to live
with him, but he would not allow her. Plaintiff's father
lived at Tewkesbury, and believed he was a chemist and
druggist. He was a sporting gentleman, and went to the
hunt at Leicester. His mother lived at Cheltenham.
Knew his father a little. Don't know that his mother
had been a barmaid at an inn.—By Mr. Knowles : Forget
whether Mr. Evans, sen., was a magistrate. At the time
the plaintiff told me about taking his wife to Leicester,
he told me it was part of the arrangement before the-mar-
riage; as also was the agreement to live with his mother,
who is 81 years of age, not fit to live by herself, being
partially blind. Know the house where his mother lives.
It is a gentleman's house, and fit to take any lady to.
. .

Mr. Carving

The marriage settlement, giving her a jointure of
a-year to the wife, was put in.—The deed of separation,
dated 10th May, 1851, was put in. It settled £250 upon
her, until the plaintiff's mother's death, and £350 a-year
afterwards ; and there was a stipulation that she might
live where she pleased.
Mr. Edward Mitchell, of Cheltenham, living next
door to Mr. Carrington, knew the plaintiff and his
wife before their separation. Remembered after the
marriage when Mrs. Evans was living at her father's
house. Observed nothing more between the defendant
and Mrs. Evans than the great intimacy which
could exist among friends. Saw nothing to induce sus-
picion of immorality ; but there was certainly suspicion
of impropriety. Never made any remonstrance with Mr.
Carrington's family.—By Mr. Watson : Knew Mr. Car-
rington, and still visited with his family. Knew the de-
fendant since he had been acquainted with Mr. Carring-
ton's family, and had been a constant visiter there. Re-
membered Mrs. Evans's confinement (in December, 1851).
She was in a low state after that.
Mrs. Selina Taylor, widow' living at Leicester since
1851, said she let apartments. In 1850 the plaintiff,
Mr. Evans, and Mrs. Evans, came to her house, and
lodged with her until March, 1851. During that time
his conduct to her was kind. He had a carriage
occasionally.—By Mr. Watson I think he paid me
three guineas and a half. They had three sleeping-
rooms and a sitting-room. He had from five to seven
horses, and hunted five days of the seven. Went out
from nine to ten in the morning, and frequently home by
five in the evening. Used to go into the room in the
morning, to take the order for dinner. He would ask her
what she would have, and she would sometimes answer in
a manner which she would not expect from a new-married
lady. She sometimes said " I don't care." There were
many ways in which a new-married person should answer.
Sometimes he would bring the carriage for her, and she
would not go out. At other times she would get rather
hasty, and he would try to quiet her down. Once this
occurred in consequence of a quarrel with me and the
maid. Witness told plaintiff, and he said she should not
be annoyed, and at her instigation the maid was turned
away. That was in February. Mrs. Evans told Mr.
Evans that she would not have another maid. They quar-
relled about it, and Mrs. Evans said she would not believe
me ; and Mr. Evans tried to quiet them.. Witness had
never said that she thought they were not married. Did
once say that Mrs. Fvans was not so much a lady as he
was a gentleman, or she would not let her maid annoy her
so much. Since witness had been in. Liverpool, (since
Friday,) she had lodged at the Railway Hotel. There
were eight others, including Mr. Melton, attorney, Mr.
Field, the detective, Mrs. Grocott, " the cook," Mrs. King,
Mrs. Price, and Mr. Morgan. They all dined together,
with Mr. Melton at the head of the table.
By Mr. KNowLEs.—There were three ladies at the hotel.
The maid was discharged, because shehad very much mis-
conducted herself—at least, she had much annoyed witness.
Sarah Phillips, living at No. 15, Edgeware-road, London,
said—ln the month of June, last year, Mrs. Lloyd Evans
lodged at my house. The lodgings were taken by Mr.
Robinson. She occupied two drawing-rooms and two bed-
rooms. She had her maid with her. While she lived
there, her only visitor was Mr. Robinson, who came two
or three times a day. He came in the morning for about
ten minutes ; in the afternoon, to stay a little ; and in
the evening, to take her out. They used to go to the
opera, or some other place of amusement at night ;
and we did not use to wait their return. He asked me
for a latch-key the first evening, and he could let himself
in as he pleased. Mrs. Evans stayed a fortnight and a
day, and the defendant called every day, When the
defendant called on the last day, they were at my house.
I received an anonymous note. The lady's maid was
named Clara.—By Mr. Watson : My husband is a tailor.
He never asked for the defendant's family. His mo-
ther once bought a pair of garters. I still live in the
same house. Do not remember that at the time Mrs. Evans
lodged at my honse, she had an eruption of the face. I
should have heard if any lady had called at the house
during the time. I will not swear that there was not :
lam not in the habit of swearing. (Laughter.) I was
applied to in this case in July.
Mr. Mitchell, recalled by Mr. Watson : Was not
aware that the defendant went to visit his mother in
London every year. Knew that he went to town every
summer, at the time when Mrs. Lloyd Evans went up.
Sarah Grocott, examined by Sergeant Wilkins : On
Wednesday, the 28th of June, went to the house of Mrs,
King, No. 2, Bryanstone-square. I was sent there by Mr.
Field, to find out, if possible, what was going on with
Mrs. Evans. Went into the house on the 29th of June.
On that day Mr. Robinson called at one o'clock. I went
to the " Cristial" Palace. (Laughter.) He went to the
drawing-room. Mr. Robinson, Mr. Evans, and Mr.Melins
went to the " Cristial" Palace. On their return Mr. Me-
lhis dined there, and stayed till Mr. Robinson went away
at eleven o'clock. Mr. Robinson came again the following
day, about the same time.
Mr. Watson.—l object to my le
leading questions. This woman is a sp3,
Mr. Sergeant Wilkins.—Thu* '-
Lion, Mr. Watson.
Mr. Watson (tartly).—l say she is a spy.
Mr. Sergeant Wilkins.—l say you are acting with great
impropriety.
Mr. Watson (warral-'

,rned friend putting

an improper observa-

y you are acting with

greater
Mr. Sergeant Wilkins.—l say it is regular ; and I will
not be stopped at every turn.
Mr. Watson.—l say it is irregular
at every turn.
Mr. Sergeant Wilkins (to the Court).—l ask you, m,
lord, whether it is irregular to call a witness " a spy."
The COURT.—No ; and I think it is rather irregular for
you to put leading questions.
At this stage of the proceedings, a smart shower of rain
fell, and the windows in the roof of the hall being open, a
considerable sprinkling fell upon the briefs and wigs of
the gentlemen of the long robe. Mr. Sergeant Wilkins
said it was " rather refreshing ;" his Lordship observed
that "it would make them (the learned counsel) grow;"
and Mr. Attorney-General Knowles created some amuse-
ment by protecting himself with a gingham umbrella.
The rain passed quickly away, and the gravity of the court
was speedily restored.
The examination was then resumed :
Mr. Melins left before Mr. Robinson. On the Satur-
day afternoon, the Ist of July, I went to the drawing-
room to listen, when Mr. Robinson and Mrs. Evans were
in the room. I heard nothing satisfactory. (Laughter.)
I went no more until Monday, when I made a hole in the
drawing-room door with a gimblet. Mr. Robinson ,had
gone. He came on Tuesday, between one and two o'clock.
I looked through that hole, when Mr. Robinson and Mrs.
Evans were there alone. Mr. Robinson was sitting on
the sofa with Mrs. Evans by his side. He had his leg
over her lap. Mrs. Price, a friend of Mrs. King's, was in
the back drawing-room taking an inventory, and I called
her, and told her to look. She looked, and made a noise,
by accidentally moving a chair, and Mrs. Evans im-
mediately came out.—To his Lordship : The back room
opens into the drawing-room.—To Mr. Sergeant Wilkins :
Mrs. Evans said, what arc you doing there, and
Mrs. Price said : "I am taking an inventory of the things,"
71014 down ; DIA returucti 199133 asi 140 *4 A

and I will stop you

xas este

She looked through the hole in the door. After that I
went away. During the time I was there, Mr. Robinson
came every day. Generally Mr. Melins was there
until lunch, when he went away, and Mr. Robinson and
Mrs. Evans were left together. On the Wednesday I
saw Mr. Robinson and Mrs. Evans on the sofa. There
was a criminal intimacy between them.—To Mr. Watson : I
went there on the 29th, and left on the 7th of the
following month. Mr. Carrington and his family
came on the Wednesday, towards the evening. I
left on Saturday. " For a job of this kind" I got £B.
I went home. I have known Mr. Field's family some
time. I have never done anything of this kind before.
I don't know that I were a " spy" exactly. I was aston-
ished at what 1 saw, and "I were" very much shocked.
I 'hesitated to go at first ; but Field persuaded me. I
agreed to go there for a month, at £8 a month. I had

nothing

am not aware that I shall get anything
more when this business is over ; but I hope to get my
expenses paid. I live in No. 3, High-street, St. John's
Wood. My husband is a butcher. We have been married
seven years. I have not been out before since I was
married. I was cook before I was married, with Mrs.
Barker, of 32, South Bank. I lived with him seven years.
Before then lived as housemaid with Mr. Bowers. Before
then I came up from Lincolnshire. Mr. Field supplied
me with the gimlet on the Sunday evening. I first used
it on the Monday afternoon. Mr. Robinson and Mr.
Evans were out. (Gimlet produced, was a very large one.)
Could not see through the first hole, but could through
the second. I could see into the room through the first,
but not the part where the sofa was placed. On the
Tuesday I looked through and saw Mr. Robinson and Mrs.
Evans. She was dressed in a muslin dress with deep flounces.
[Witness again described the position in which she found
Mr. Robinson and Mrs. Evans.] I didn't think a lady
would do it in that way at all: I had no idea
of seeing what I did see in a drawing-room. I
looked to see what they were doing. I have re-
covered from the shock to my nerves I received
then. I didn't wait till it was all over : I'saw sufficient
to know what was going on. Mrs. Price looked through
"my gimlet-hole" for a moment. She was taking an in-
ventory, because Mrs. King was going to leave the house.
Mrs. King took a look through too. It were not al-
together more than three minutes, Both Mrs. Price and
Mrs. King appeared very shocked. The next day I saw
anything was Wednesday. I saw them in a similar po-
sition. He was sitting down, and she was extended
across his lap. Mr. Melins was hdr cousin ; and he
slept in the back drawing-room. He was not reading in
the house at the time I was looking through the gimlet
hole. Mrs. Evans' lady's-maid was in the house at the
time—she sat up-stairs somewhere. She was always
there to attend to her mistress morning, noon, and night.
There was a chest of drawers against the folding doors ;
but it did not interfere with the hole. To Serjeant Wil-
kins : On the first day that I saw what I have described
she was ironing down stairs ; and on the second day she
was out. I have two children. My husband had a fish-
monger's shop before he took to butchering. My father is
a fanner in Lincolnshire. I keep a confectioner's shop,
and during this time I had some one to attend to it for
me. I have known Field's sister some time.
__

Ann Price, of Little Rider-street and Pall-mall, called by
Mr. Aspland, said she let lodgings. Knew Mrs. King. Went
to her house on the 4th July. Went to Mrs. King's to
take an inventory. It was on a Tuesday. Remembers
Mrs. Grocott asking me to look through a hole in the
door in that room. Did so, and saw Mrs. Evans and Mr.
Robinson on the sofa. She was in conversation, on her
. _

hands and knees, speaking with him

came away

A. noise was macie,'and Mrs. Evans came into the room

and we went down stairs. Some time afterwards Mrs.
Grocott called me up stairs again, and I peeped through the
hole. and saw Mrs. Evans standing astride, with her legs

across Mr. Robinson's, he sitting on the sofa. They weie
doing what, I suppose, a wife might do with her hus-
band.—To Mr. Watson: Have been married seven or

eight years. My husband was a warehouseman in
the city, but he is Sat present abroad. I have
a house in Rider-street. I am not a broker.

sked me

to take the inventory

a favour. I did not finish the inventory ; I was so con-
fused that I could not go on. We all were. Mrs..
Grocott, that delicate young lady the cook, did appear
shocked. I had never any occasion to look through
gimlet-holes before. When I first saw them, Mrs. Evans
had her hand on Mr. Robinson's knee. That did not ap-
pear to me to be indelicate. I was not shocked at that.
The second time, Mrs. Evans was standing astride in
front of Mr. Robinson. I could not see whether her feet
touched the ground. What I saw take place there
I'm sure takes place between husband and
wife ; but not in that position perhaps. I had seen Mr.
Field on the Monday. I went out to meet him with
Mrs. King; but I did not know it was he. Mr. Field
brought me here.—Re-examined I have not had Iny-
thing given to me by Mr. Field or any one else.

Maria King, of No. 2, Bryanstone-street, Portland-
square, said : I am in the habit of letting rooms to
lodgers. In the month of June, Mr. Robinson came to
take apartments for Mr. Lloyd Evans and a young gentle-
man reading for holy orders. He was to pay me £3 12s. for
drawing-room floor, the bedroom above, and a bedroom for
the lady's maid. Mrs. Evans arrived on the Monday, I
think. Before she arrived, Mr. Robinson was at my house
three or four times : and he came in the evening after she
had arrived. He called twice a day generally, and often
took lunch and tea. Mr. Melins generally went out
after luncheon. About three weeks after their arrival,
there was a bill in my window for apartments to let, and
Mr. Field came to ask about them. He called again, and
said there was something wrong in my house, and
asked me if " I would help him to find it out." I
would not. Mrs. Evans received a letter from Mrs.
Carrington, stating that they would take the house
for a few months; but I had no cook. I happened
to mention it to Field, and he said he would find
me one, and he sent Mrs. Grocott. On the Tuesday Mrs.
Grocott asked me to come into the drawing-room, and I
looked through the gimlet-hole. Mr. Robinson and Mrs.
Evans were having an improper intimacy. I saw it
repeated on Wednesday.
To Mr. WA.TsoN : I took the house as Mrs. King. I
am not married; but I thought it better to be callis,l Mrs.
_ _

King. iifyieZnii;el.; Walsh. I don't like to say whe-
ther there was a Mr. King. I never saw Mr. Evans to
my knowledge. I knew that Mrs. Grocott was sent to
spy upon their actions. Mr. Field told me that Mrs.
Grocott would assist him, as Mr. Evans was a very injured
man. Mr. Field had spoken to me before that. I never
told Mr.. Robinson that such a person walin the house.
I hoped that Mrs. Grocott would find nothing out. Mr.
Melins generally dined there. A few days after Mrs. Evans
had been there, some ladies called. I believed they were
Mrs. Robinson, Mr. Robinson's mother, and Mrs. Thackeray.
I don't know that Mrs. Thackery is Mrs. Robinson's sis-
ter. Field came to my house on the Sunday. It was
between two and three o'clock on the Tuesday when this
occurred. When I looked through the hole, Mr. Robin-
son was sitting on the sofa, and Mrs. Evans was in his
lap. Their feet were on the floor, I should think. His
legs were stretched out. I told Dr. Jones that day. Dr.
Jones is a gentleman residing in Manchester-square. I
was very much agitated and very much astonished. I
should not have gone the second time, but I was brought.
It was the sweet solicitation of the fat cook that led me
there.

This closed the case for the plaintiff, and Mr. Watson
proceeded to address the jury for the defence. He trusted
to their experience, as men conversant with the affairs of
the world, and with the ordinary relations of individuals,
for a verdict for the defendant. He appeared before them
for the defendant, Mr. Robinson, a gentleman advanced
in years, being, as they had heard, above fifty years of
age, and who had for many years been the intimate friend
of the highly respectable gentleman (Mr. Carrington)
sitting before him. Mr. Carrington, after leading a life
of usefulness, according to the statement of his learned
friend, in our colonies, had returned to live at
Cheltenham, with his two sons and two daughters
living in a respectable position in that town. He ap-
peared, also, for the deeply injured woman, who was
charged with being a party in this offence, as well for her
respectable and aged father, whose grey hairs, in the event
of an adverse verdict, would "go down with sorrow to the
grave." In the case there were three persons prominently
before the court—that kept woman (Mrs. King), who was
lately in the box ; that " spy"; and the other woman,
whose husband was "in foreign parts." And it was upon
the evidence of creatures, such as these, that they were
called upon to consign the defendant, to consign Mrs.
Evans, and all these parties to ignominy and disgrace. Re
urged that, if there had been an improper intimacy between
the defendant and the plaintiff's wife, the ingenuity of a
detective so acute would have discovered more convincing
evidence of its existence during the period Mrs. Evans
was lodging in Edgeware-road. What were the facts of
the case? On the 14th November, 1850, this unhappy
lady had the deep misfortune to herself and her family to
make an alliance with the plaintiff, who was come before
them to-day to seek for damages for an alleged offence,
which he had no hesitation in saying was built upon a
base system of conspiracy, and sustained by perjured

witnesses. There were Cases in which persons cast
away the jewel of a wife's affections, leaving that
wife to go forth into the world without protection,
instead of cherishing and comforting her. And such
was the case here. After his marriage, the defendant did
not introduce his wife into congenial society; but, after a
brief visit to France, he took her ou his hunting expedi-
tion to Leicester, where she sees no company, and is in-.
troduced into no society except that of fox-hunters. Did
he comfort his wife? did he attend to her happiness in
such a manner as to be remembered with pleasure through
a long life ? did he show a single mark of affection for her?
On this point, one woman was all he could call,—the oc-
cupant of the house where they lodged ; and she said his
wife treated him very badly, because, when asked what she
would have for dinner, said, I don't care;" because, at other
times she would not go out when the carriage was ordered;
and then, when the quarrel took place between the witness
and the injured wife's lady's-maid, she said that " Mrs.
Evans was no such lady as he was a gentleman !" Did
they ever hear anything so preposterous ? It was mon-
strously absurd. With respect to the subsequent evidence,
he maintained that the whole case had been trumped up
by the plaintiff in a vindictive spirit. Then as to the
defendant, Mr. Robinson, he showed that he had long
been an intimate friend of the family ; that he still
retained the friendship and confidence of the lady's father;
that he had taken a lively interest in the daughter from
a child ; that he had walked and driven out with her
before and after her marriage, accompanied at times
by her father and mother; that he had taken
the apartments in London for Mrs. Evans, with the full
knowledge and consent of her friends ' • and that he had
gone up to London in accordance with his usual custom,
his own mother, wife, and friends living in Great Cum-
berland-square, lose toßryanstone-street. If there had been
an improper intimacy between the defendant and Mrs.
Evans, he maintained that it could not have remained hid-
den from the lady'slfather,l.brother, and sisters ; or from the
observation of Mr. Lawrence, their next door neigh-
bour, who had given evidence in the case. But, continued
the learned gentleman, there were censorious and scandal-
loving people, who, in the guiltiness of their own hearts,
COnK not the 1.1111901 n d awn and year§ of