Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1846-04-16
Remarkable Trial.

Ildi Is lakeu IRON the LOHdOH Spectator -
A trial which has excited the greatest interest COM
menccd in the Court of Queens Bench on Saturday.
1t was an action for damages brought by Mary Eliza
beth Smith against Earl Ferrers. The Soliciior-Gen
era! stated the case for Miss Smith, to this effect =
The intimacy which ripened into offers of marriage
commenced in 1889; when the lady was only fifteen
years Of age, and the Earl, then Lord Tamworth, not
much older. The parties came within range of each
other in Warwickshire Miss Smith residing at Aus
trey with her father and mother, people of respecta-
blllty but not rich and the young lord living in the
neighborhood with Mr.. Atcherly, his tutor. When
Miss Smiths parents heard of the meetings of the
youthful couple, they did not approve of the intimacy,
and sent their daughter to London and then to France.
to be out Of the way.
In 1910, Lord Tamworth went abroad and return
ing in 1912, renewed the intimacy with the lady, be-
gan to write letters declaratory of love, made offers
of marriage, and claimed pledges Of acceptance.
His lordship proved an ardent and laborious letter.
writer; penning the illusions on small scraps of pa
per, and sending them TO Miss Smith with many apol-
ogies for the indistinctness of the penmanship. None
OF the earlier letters had been preserved but those
received in the first six months of 1874 were produc-
ed and read in Court. The contents were very multi
furious. Tie staple was made up of declarations of
affection and aspirations for a speedy union. The
lover descended occasionally into more commonplace
topics; mentioning little personal incidents, giving
critical notices of his companions and prominent pub
lie characters, and making illusions to the engage
ment of servants and house-furnishings. He was
never at a loss for a subject, or for an expression
obviously taking the words or phrase which came
uppermost. The writer begins his letters after these
fashions-'Dearest Mary, my own love-" ''Mary,
dearest and ever-beloved," ''My dearest Mary" A
few extracts follow
"Pray take every care Of yourself, dearest-forgetn not you
are the only hope Of one to whom a palace would be a
desert, and England no home, without you-far dearer
10 me than each earthly blessing, without which no one
or any would be of value. Mary, you, who are all IN all
to me, take care of yourself; and mind when you return
from walking you change your shoes. You may laugh
at me, but you are not particular, | know, IN this respect,
and you may take cold"
al have purchased a beautiful carpet for your room at
Evelyn stepped in and caught me looking at my
purchases. He laughed and asked me what | a bachelor,
should do with those fine things or if they were pres
enls? | said | should send them 10 the cOuntry-Ihat
they were for myself. He admired my taste, and remark
ed the next thing would be a wife, he supposed. No
thing more was said. A piano must be the next thing
thought of; but of that more when we meet.
"Your parcel and last note reached me the day ere
yesterday and, though much engaged, l write immedi-
ately to thank you for them. The handkerchief | shall
prize above all other handkercbiefs. Thank you much,
dearest. Your note | have read and re-read."
"With several other gentlemen | often go TO hear the
speeches in the House. Really lis a great treat, and
what you would like, and your father, too, much, fancy.
When we stay In London, for our marriage, he must
come up. Then he will have the pleasure of hearing his
friend Sir Robert speak. What Il clever fellow he is. /
have had sent to c. a dozen very pretty chairs, and a
large swing glass for your own special use, falr lady, and
OTueTbO luIunuTt y 1OuT ONH Ooins
"'The second handkerchief has been received, dearest
Mary, and with it your own kind and sensible notes.
IT'S good TO hear from you, best and most beloved; aud
those notes make me more than ever satisfied with she
whom | have chosen for my future wife. Only, for the
shade of gloom contained in them, do | get into what is
vulgarIy termed a fdget, and wander"
The letters were signed for the most part ''Wash-
ington Ferrers," and In some instances 'Ferrers."
His lordship was rather fastidious in the matter Of
dress and Miss Smiths costume not exactly pleasing
him, he desired her to purchase certain things, and
regard them as presents from himself; promising to
supply the money. She complied, and, without the
knowledge of her father and mother, made purchases
to the amount of 26OL. But, although often pressed,
his Lordship did not send the money and the credl-
tors becoming clamorous, the lady was obliged TO
mention her difficulties to her parents. This led TO a
correspondence between the father and the Earl the
result of which was q promise to pay the money, and
an expression Of regret that his lndiscretlon had
caused ''yeXation to Mary ~
The money, however, was never forthcoming it
was advanced by Miss Smiths grandfather. Letters
continued to pass between the lovers. May, (1S44,)
was named for the marriage and the necessary pre-
partitions were made, but the wedding was afterward
postponed till August. The postponement, coupled
with reports in the papers that Earl Ferrers was
about to marry another lady, induced Mr.. Smith to
write to him, demanding a declara ton of the time
that the marriage with his daughter was to take place.
The reply was in all respects satisfactory. Not so
the performance; for a notice shortly afterward ap-
peared of his marriage with Miss Chichester.
The pleas on behalf of Earl Ferrers amounted to
this-that he had made no promise of marriage and
that the letters produced were forgeries.
Various witnesses were examined to prove that the
letters produced in Court were in the hand writing of
Earl Ferrers. The reverend Edward Francis Arden,
was one of them, and his story was singular. He
had been personally acquainted with Lord Ferrers be-
fore his going abroad and on the Earl's return was
appointed chaplain. retaining the Office till May, 1874.
He frequently resided with his ~lordship at his seats,
Charley Castle and Staunten Harold. During these
visits there was much conviviality, and 'larking -
the chaplain wearing DISCUSSES like Lord Ferrers, and
sallying out at night in search of adventures. Mr..
Arden expressed his belief that all the letters were in
his ~lordship's handwriting. He admitted that be had
been engaged in getting up evidence for the prosecu-
ton. An ex-footman spoke decidedly to the hand
writing but the other witnesses did not display the
same confidence.
Some persons living in Austrey swore to having
seen the lady and the gentleman talking together in
the village, in 1913. The parents of the young wo-
man were also examined; and spoke to many of the
facts already enumerated as to the progress of the in
timacy,-the receipt of the letters, the purchase of
''the present. and the preparations which were made
for the marriage. The mother said she had never
seen Lord Ferrers in her life but has seen letters al
dressed TO him by her daughter, which were put into
different post-offices by different persons; two hand
kerchiefs were forwarded in two of the letters. Her
daughter received a bonnet from London, accompanied
by a note from MIR. Deyereux Shirley, the Earl's bro
Their but at Christmas a bill for the bonnet was sent
in by Miss Wyman, of Ashby. The witness thought
there must have been some mistake her daughter
denied s~olemnly, in the presence of Miss Wyman,
that she had ordered the bonnet or had received it
but subsequently admitted to her mother that the ac-
count was correct.
Her explanation was, that Lord Ferrers had desired
her TO purchase a bonnet and, with a view of max
ing it appear that it came from London, it was agreed
that MIR. Deyereux Shirley should meet her at Ashby
and give her a note to enclose in the box. The meet