San Andreas independent., 1858-05-08
Costelloe and Old Baily Practice.

Will Interest. he NdS QcSCcuUdut Vi TIE
ancient and honorable Norman house OF
Costelloe-(your Nagle and your Nangle
are varieties of the Costelloe, be it known. }
He had received an excellent education,
and possessed considerable legal knowl-
edge. He was shrewd; of much seeming
gravity; "a fellow of infinite jest "a living
joke; witty himself, and the cause of wit
in other men He was, although his
family had resided during six centuries
in Ireland, true Norman.
He had been in the year 1745, and
subsequently, a student Of the Middle
Temple, London, and had not denied him
self any Of the pleasures, or indeed any Of
the adventures, of which the English me-
tropolis afforded-that is, to the utmost
extentof the means supplied by his family.
lie thus acquired vast reputation of a
particular kind among his cotemporaries,
and even became the hero of a tale in
which he was made to appear staunch
Jacobite, guilty of high treason, in short,
in harboring the Pretender in his cham
bers
In justice to the counsellor's character
for loyalty, it must be stated, however,
that he was maligned in that respect. |
had heard and laughed at the story N.Y.
self, and had even told it once or twice
with much success. [ had occasion to
refer one day, however, to some of the old
chroniclers of France, and found in Bran
tome the adyenturer which had been
ascribed to Costelloe, related of the Duke
of Orleans, brother of Charles VI. Con-
tinuing my investigations, | hit upon it
also in the 'Esrais Historiques of St.
Folk and in an English version of it by
DR.. Gilbert, in his Views of Society in
Europe
This story was a specimen Of a hundred
anecdotes Of The Counsellor which re-
frain from giving here; not, however, be-
cause there is any doubt of correctness.
Fortunately, there is one which is not
liable to the objection that imposes silence
on me respecting the others, and which
will serve to portray my hero in his
proper colOrs.
His terms served, Costelloe was called
to the bar In Dublin, where he gave un-
questionable proofs of talent; but whether
through Incidence or taste, eschewine
equity or common law, he devoted himself
to what is termed Old Bailey practice,
and In which he was unrivalled.
One morning, at the time when Costel
loe was in the height of his reputation
the city Of Dublin was frightened from its
propriety by the announcement that
Gleadowes bank had been plundered Of
large sum of gold, by the chief cashier,
to whom its charge had been entrusted
The alleged culprit was Immediately taken
into custody, brought before the city mag
istrate, interrogated, and the proofs Of his
guilt being held manifest, committed to
Newgate. The whole process was termi-
mated by eleven o'clock A. NJ
Before the prisoner had reached his
destination, Costelloe was made aware OF
all the circumstances of the case by one
of the committing magistrates clerks,
whom ne kept constantly in pay. This
man had hardly left Costelloe's house after
acquitting himself Of his duty, when the
Counsellor received letter inviting him
to repair forthwith to Newgate to see Mr.
just brought in, who desired his
advice.
Costelloe proceeded at once to Newgate
for such course was not then interdictec
to practitioners by private resolutions ot
the bar; but even had it been, he was no
man to be turned from his purpose by
any rule that interfered, however slightly
with the indulgence of his humor Ht
was there introduced to the cashier O
Gleadowe's, a man of serious, sanctimo
NOUS mien, and of some fifty years o
age. The usual salutation over, and The
door carefully closed, Costelloe, with tina
wonderful coup d oH for which he wa'
celebrated, saw at once the species of per
son he had to deal with, and begged to b'
informed why his presence had been re
quested.
You have heard, probably, sir sale
the man, that | have been the cashier o
Gleadowe's bank, and that it is said
large deficit has been discovered in m,
accounts "
I THAT you had been clerk Of olc
Gleadowe, [ was ignorant, replied Cos
telloe; but | have been informed tina
his cashier has appropriated to himsel
one of his money-bags, in fact that tn
bank has been robbed by the rascal of
whole heap of gold
Rascal That is harsh word, sir.
Not if applicable
well, sir, [ shall not dispute terms
however painful to an honest, conscien
tious man to bear them. | am the part
in question:
And you done the trick?'
Sir
You sacked the swag?'
Il don't understand you'
you've gotten the money!
Really, sir, cannot comprehend you.
You robbed the bank 2
Do you mean to insult me? l rob th'
bank F.. cheat my employer l plunde
my benefacter, and preserve the fruits o
it. No, sir; no have not shilling
in the world
Then, by, you'll be hanged
What can you mean?
'Pll make 1t as clear to you as tha
Il -