The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-04-25
coMvHNTUAIvow s.
The Case Of Miss susia Talbot, In England
THE CATHOLIC ExCITKDIENr

The English newspapers, recently have been mu III
occupied with the case of Miss Augusta Talbot,
ward in chanccry, who, at her majority, or at her
marriage, will receive fortune OF eghty-f thou
sand pounds sterling, or of about four hundred thou
sand dollars. She had been placed ut n convent
school at Taunton, by the Earl of Shrewsbury,
under circumstances which will be found detailed in
the history of the Mr. Craven Berkeley
doubted the propriety of such treatment, and ac-
cordngly, in the Court of Chancery, his petition
behalf Of Miss Talbot has been examined, rs well
other petitions.
The suit in which these petitions have been pre-
sented, was instituted in August. 1889, Immediately
after the death of George Henry Talbot for the pur
pose of making his two children Zone of whom has
since died,) wards of court. The defendants were
Messrs. Wright, Bloun, and Fisher, trustees of the
will Of the late Earl of Shrewsbury, who died in
1927 and under whose will, i'm the events which hap
pcncd, Miss Talbot will, on attaining the age OF
twentyone years, hor marriage before that age,
be entitled absolutely to n sum exceeding E6i,OOO
in stock, and to another sum of Ell 900, arising
from the accumulation of interest the said stock.
The present Earl Of Shrewsbury, the residaary To-
gatee Of his said uncle, and who would take these
two sums absolutely in case Miss Talbot died before
twenty-o and unmarried, was also a defendant to
the SUIT, and so were Mrs. Craven Berkeley, the
mother Of the infant, and also was ner husband.
Mrs Berkeley entitled by the settlement on her
first marriage to E5OO out Of the interests OF the
G64, 600. There another suit instituted at the
same time by Horace st. Paul On relative of
Mrs Berkcley,) in of the two infants, against
the defendants and Dr. Doyle, and for the
same object. This latter suit afterwards dis
missed report Of the master that the first suit
was the fttcst to be prosecuted.
The petition presented by the Rev. DIR. Doyle and
Miss Talbot prayed to the effect that the petition
sence Of the Earl and Countess of Shrewsbury from
England, to be placed under the and manage
mcnt Of such lady Of proper rank, station, and re-
specablity for the purpose Of entering into society
in London during the season of 1851 as may be Sc
lected for that purpose by her said guardian, with
the sanction Of the said Earl and Countess, and
may be approved Of by the court that an addi-
tional allowance, Mt the rate of Il 800 year, at
such other rate to his lordshp should seem pro-
! per, may be paid out Of the income of this petit
TONERS fortune for that purpose, aud may be paid
to petitioner Thomas Doyle as such guardian, and
applied by him for the better enablisg the petit
| TONER Augusta Talbot, to 60 into society during
the season Of 1851, and to approve Of proper
to be allowed for that purposes that the allegations
cont aimed 10 the said petition Of the said Craven
Fitzhardinge Berkeley, far as the relate to
the petitioner, Augusta Talbot, may be investigated
in such manner and TO such extent n to his lord
ship shall seem expedient necessary that his
ordship will be pleased to make such further
other order rs to his lordship shall seem meet.
The other petition presented by MIR. Craven
Berkeley stated among other things that since tho
date Of that order of court, which gave the Earl OF
Shrewsbury liberty to take her abroad until very
lately, he (Nlr. Berkcley,) under the impress
sion that the infant, Miss Talbot, was travelling
abroad with the Earl and Countess of Shrewsbury;
cue control her, in importuning her to marry
n Fienchman named Rouchefoucaulf, who Is con
neced by marriage with the said earl and countess
That the infant having declined to acccde to that
proposition, threats aud ntimdatons were resorted
TO by the countess, finally declaring that If she 1.-THE
nfant) did not fall in with her wishes, and marry
the said Rouchcfoucault, she should take the veil;
that, accordingly, in september last, the said coun
tess, in pursuance Of her throat, sent the infant
back, accompanied BY the Earl of Shrewsbury, to
the convent at Taunton, where she had previously
been nj school; but this time she was not ~ pupil
or yisiter, but as posuant, with the ayowed OBJ
ject Of compelling her to take the veil and become
u nun; that Thomas Doyle, the guardian Of the in
FAINT, had not duly exercised his legal authority. or
iutetferCd rcmoistia tCd with the said couatess
for such uukind conduct, but acquiesccd in all those
proceedings reg ing the infant, with all which he
was well acquai. ID. The petition prayed THAT
Miss Talbot may be removed from the said convent,
and placed under the Of such person u the
Ioid Chancellor should seem meet, and that DIR. 4.
Berkeley might have TO her Ut al. reasonable
times, and that the costs Of this petition be paid
out Of the trust fund.- belonging to the infant.
The Solicitor General proceeded to argue the
UPON these petitions, and contendod thai Miss
Talbot sbould be place IN the society of other per-
sons than those she had been accustomed TO, IN
oder TO ascertain her unbiased wishes. lie sub
mttcd that the order Of the court in loi3 had been
very improperly carried out, for she bad been LETT
al colsvcnt until nineteen years ct age, without
residing Dor single day under the roof Of the Earl
and Countess Of Shrewsbury, into whose care she
had been given. They had only seen her once
| during that time. AMI she had ouly visited them
once. DR. 10y u had visited her every two months
lr Doyle asserted that he never wished Miss ABBOT
10 become n nun, aud had tried to induce hcr To
marry British subject lie bad also set has face
against the foreign marriage The solicitor ttene-
fal pfocccscd TO argue at some length that u the
infant permitted TO remain in the hands OF her
present guardian and friends, she would be compelled
totake the veil, and her property would become Tor
/ feitcd to q convent.
The allowing Is the letter written " Miss talbot
q lao pr1l luH Ntlln
| MISS TALHor's LETTER II THE LORD cnANcEiLoE.
4 rtpsb.V. Feb is, Taunton
My Lord.-You will of course, what have writ
ten in 10 MIR tfaycn Berkeley flse statements
I'm sur tn such Gaze you will think IL only JUS for
ne e. express my cif What y the pure truth ~ have
done IL H. scare ly credible how gentleman can act ne
Mr.. Craven B,rkcl,y has done, for a.sure you MY
Lord he down ht hustN the llth oi February
lie then slcd me numerous at form 81 questions. II
he had object IN view but wished 10 get little IN
fmati,n b, fut, hand and at his departure he sad lao
should comc again. snd bring with him little h'lf.sister
| know how Mr. 1. Berkeley intended to act But after
the manner In which he bias spoken II the convent ~
Taunton where have spent the happies days 81 my fe
ana Where have experienced for nne years the r, un
changing kirdLcsshuw could rad BIZ petition AMI not
isl just indignation al his conduit 50 that u Is now
My Lord my own Tree and deliberate wi.h never again To
sc Mr. tfsyeD Eerk,lty. should meet him anywhere,
he would not surely be the rt 20 sddrcss me aud moes
atur, dly. should not lie has al grac,d himself for
,ytr In my eyes, ard should think In the eyes 81 every
iust and o.sonsblc person Believe me Ny Lord y Y
alone la this houe who have shown any FEELING " in
dsaion for all under this too good e. let any
feeling rise but that which every one must naturally feel
- compassion for weak and cfhonorable man This
letter your lorkhp H. ut ltcty 10 show W whom you
please do not feel 20 have sad more than ought
have spoken strongly II Nj g. rrkeley's conduct hut
have passed the limits 81 truth and justice. must
add that every word Of this LITTER y FROM myself am
alunc while writing II; aud therefore ne one can allege
that have irrn prompted by any every word Is the
\ result ~ my thoughts aud ri cction
| Mr. Morris. whom saw ON Monday, told me Of your
ordships wish that should 80 up 20 town again and
little ~ the world II vii cost me much Gee
tsply, to leave Taunton where all my dearest and
truc friends but your lorjshp acts for the best aud
l would not, thsreferr, sny Aceount, oppose you