New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-03-16
AN ARIsTOCRATIC eULPRIr.

Few will forget the dark story of Handbook and
De Burgh, which some ten days since we re-
counted in all ito horrid details, and in which an
unnatural mother was shown to have sacrificed
by gradual starvation, or some still deadlier
means her own three beautiful girls, to consoli-
date their fortunes on her bastard son. This Off
spring of love or lust was, a. may b. RENE n
bered decorated with the aristocratic name Of
De Burgh, the family name Of the Marquis Of
Canricarde, bis reputed, and az far a. We have
seen undisputed, SIRE whom the facts, as elected
on trial. represented, as at best a silent acces-
sorry to many of the foul means by which this
fendish mother attempted to compass her guilty
end. The natural indignation which this cruel
story reused in every generous and gentle heart,
has drawn from the accused nobleman defense,
which we in justice subon, but which equally in
Justice we regret for the honor of hum sRty, and
Of Enelsnd's mobiles, to say is not only bald and
incomplete, but in many respects aggravstes the
case which had already looked 20 dark against
him. It appeared 80 strange, if we mistake
not, as to draw an exclamation of surprise
from the presiding Judge, that though as his
lordship states, "he was no party to the
"case," be figured as the leading character in
the trial, and several distinguished counsel ap-
peared to have been engaged with the exclusive
object of conducting his defense. But whatever
deficiency obtained in this respect, Lord Clsnri-
carde has now himself supplied. He has
taken the field In person, and we presume has
made the best defense the case could afford.
Lord Clanricsrde represents himself a. being
drawn to the bedside of the dying Handbook by
some tender memories of feld-sports enjoyed in
common in early days. We should be sorry to
mar picture so fair, and which would present
soft page in aristocratic annals, but the Wis.
ito were too suipiciously frequent, being repeated
once or twice day, to be justified by tie Of
friendship contracted athuntiDg carouses 10 youth
between nobleman of high lineage and position
and country squire of the low, degraded and
debaucbed character which he represents this
Mr. Handbook to have been. It is, too, singu.
larly unfortunate that he should have perverted
these visits of friendship, and made use of every
avenue of approach to this dying man, to wrest
the guardianship Of three young and gentle girls
from that relative to whom their father desired
to commit the sacred charge, and hand them over
to be starved away with slow agony BY fendish
woman, whose infamy of character was notorious,
and who was at the time the mother of bastard
child Of which he himself was the reputed father.
Equally unfortunate 10 it that, while this process
OF slow death was being carried out, to enable
this reputed con to walk TO wealth over the
corpses Of these unprotected girls, he should be
shown to have been q constant visitor Of the
mother under the playful and affectionate abbre-
Walton of Clan, and to have abused the sacred
ONCE Of trustee in allocating to this woman largo
sums, which he knew were perverted to an unjust
and shameful purpose.
For Ourselves, We simply stated the facts Is re-
counted on hearing before the Chancellor. We
do not record such tales 10 crafty private malice,
or indulge prurient curiosity, but - lssssa aad