The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-10
OUR LONDON LETTER.
Some Remarkable Cases IN Court-The Gov.
eminent and the Wnr.

ernment and the War.
LONDON Nov. 27.-Wcre it not for the
Afghan war, there are thrco social TOPICS just
now occupying tho law courts. any one Of which
would furnish material for piquant conversa-
ton Of tho kind rclshed by scandal monQers.
One has just boon decided in manner cacu-
lated to disturb the domestic rcposc Of many
couples who have entered upon matrimonial
bliss through the lnconvenient portal known
rs mixed marriage. The Hon. Leopold
Agar Ellis. being Protestant Of tho typo Of
tolcrably fast young men about town, fell dcs-
perately in love. some thirteen years ago.wth
lovely daughter OF Lord Camoys-a Catholic
nobleman OF the old school. Tho young lady
being somewhat OF n dJcote. but too much In
love to allow the abstract continent TO inter-
fore with the concrete one. compromised with
her conscience by extracting n solemn promise
from tho Hon. Leopold before her marriage
that the results, whether boys or girls. should
be brought up In the Roman Catholic faith.
Upon his consenting 10 take this pledge ahe
gave him hcr hand. and we may presume that
the first year realized all that the most ardent
antlcipntions could desire in the way Of hap
pincss but soon arrived the pledges Of their
affection. and then the Hon. Leopold felt
qualms OF conscience about the other pledge.
This IL the more remarkable. as tho ordinary
t'h'i VI hi5 ili' hih hpN HuEkttN SUN T'llElN ~
scrupes. However. as his three little girls
grew up. he became more and more sensitive to
their spiritual welfare. and openly instructed
them in the teuets Of the Established faith.
insisting upon taking them to church. In
the mean time the Hon. Mrs Az like
wise woman. instead OF openly wag-
ing theologic war. carried 1t on secretly.
and MS ii is likely che was good deal
better informed on these subjects than her hus-
band, and gave much more time TO under
mining his instruction than he gave to instruct
ing, the children all became Catholics. II sug-
gcsis many a curious scene this mother finding
out in the evening what hercsies the daughters
had armed in tho morning from their father
and tearing them ruthlesslv to pieces. Finally
the eldest little girl having attained the age of ~.
was admonished by her own conscience that 1t
WINS wrong TO 20 to n Protestant church. and
put down her foot" Tho sisters followed her
example. and tho father. finding himself unable
TO cope with this fiat rebellion aided and abctted
by tho mother appealed to the courts of the
country.
The first result was to make wards in Chan
cory Of them. and 1t was decreed that durngs six
months they should be taught no religion at ALL
The matter was not allowed to remain thus
compromised though It Is probable that zach
parent would have preferred the children TO |
have no religion rather than the religion OF the |
other. Finally il has been decided on appeal
that man may swear anything he likes before
marriage in regard 10 matters OF this sort.
In order TO obtain his wife thereby. and Is
at liberty to break his promise aferward.
because he cannot ALLEVIATE from himself his in |
aienahle right TO look after his own children.
This. according 10 the Court. is not a moral but
legal question. and legally an ante-nuptial
Varhql Of nj t..
The decision suggests. nevertheless host of |
curious moral problems which. presented 70 |
them at this tender age. may interest the |
children. why" they may ask IL mamma |
thinks we shall be oternally damned II we be- |
licve what papa docs. did she marry him when |
she knew he was going TO hell2 Isn't II wrong |
to be in love with any one who is going 20 hellY" |
Or. again. What funny religion papa's must |
he II it tells him that he ought to break the SOL
enn promise he made to mamma. or else we |
shall 60 20 hell; and how still more funny than |
either OF our parents that Christian court was |
which decided that for six months wo should |
not have any religion at ALL because II We had |
died during that period 1t would actually have |
sent US 10 hell"
In old days. in the case Of mixed marriages. |
the boys were always educated in the religion Of |
the father and the girls In that ofthe mother and
in that case the brothers had no chance Of ever |
meeting their sisters in u future life. But 1t |
may Doe said that the question OF eternal saliva |
ton is not az issue, and that neither party thinks
everlasting torment hinges on IT, In that case one
does not SEQ the necessity Of the quarrel The |
Times gets out Of tho dilemma by sentcniiously |
declaring that the law has been laid down in |
terms at variance with the iuridical conception |
OF the community" whatever that may mean
% conclusion as impotent as the judgment or |
the original cause Of quarrel; and there per-
haps. we had better leave it,"
The next cause ctitjre is that Of Lady Gooch. |
the wife Of Sir Francis Gooch a baronet. with |
100000 year, who is prosecuted by her hus-
band for endeayoring 10 palm of suppositi-
tious heir upon him. In the ovent Of Sir Fran
els dying chidless, the property by the terms Of |
tho Will. reverted 10 his mother. Elnor. the |
Dowager Lady Gooch. To prevent this catas-
trophc his wife endcavored to procure a baby
from private baby farming establishment. II
WIS found, however that there was no baby
which suited. and one was obtained from some
mysterious and unknown quarter. which Lady
Gooch Struggled into the Grosvenor Hotel in a
shawl. followed 10y her maid, and OF which she
was confined in the course OF the night. When
tho doctor was called in he pronounced the baby
a fine fourteen days old boy and the lady by
no means in tho condition which she ought 10
Meantime Sir Francis. who had been
watching her for some time previously
by means Of detectives, as his suspi-
eions had been reused summonsed her
before she had risen from her bed an
event SO startling that she jumped out Of ii as
well as ever and sent the baby back to the UNI
known region from whence 1t came. II was
brought ont in tho evidence Of the female baby
farmer that she had actually procured the baby.
but Ia this day IT romans a mystery whose that
baby was. rs she kept no record OF il. and its
parents wrro not material To tho case which |
was clearly proved against Lady Gooch. Sir
Francis. who had paid her legal expenses as
we'll ms his own. proved his ease, and declined
to proceed further, rs his only object was 10 pre-
vent having fraudulent heir foisted upon
him. Tho court did not take quito so lenient n
view OF tho matter, and has committed Lady
Gooch 10 be tried for tho attempted fraud.
The third case is quite in another line. hut
not the less full Of its own special interest Mr.. |
Whistler, who is woll known in the United |
States for the peculiar style Of art which he
affects. and who is an American citl2nn