Morning journal and courier., 1881-03-08
Tuesday Morning, March 8. 1881.
A STRANGE AND SAD STORY.


 A notable example of the strange and touching revelations made in criminal courts | is furnished the New York Tunes by a Lon don correspondent. At the last sitting of | the Central Criminal Court of London pris- | oner was tried who had been taken with spu- rious money in his possession. He had been
 previously convicted of coining and had
 undergone seven years penal servitude for the ofense. The evidence was against him and his former record did not prepossess any body in his favor. The lawyers had finished
 their work and the jury were just beginning
 to consult as to their verdict. The prisoner,
 straight, well built man of about five and thirty, stood in the dock pale and anxious
 Finally he interrupted the proceedings by ad- dressing the judge. In an earnest and i'm pressive voice he said My Lord, would like to say few words" The judge informed him that his case was closed and that his op-t pertunity for speech was over. But the prisoner begged to be allowed to ask just one question, and although it was out of order the request was granted. The policeman upon whose evidence the prisoner was to. be con- victed was called forward and the prisoner, through the judge, asked him upon whose information the arrest was made. After dis cussion the question was put in another shape, as follows: ''Was it woman who gave you the information upon which you arrested me? ?'' Commanded by the judge to answer the policeman said it was. 'Is that the woman 2' asked the prisoner, pointing to rather showily dressed woman with hand some features, but cold, disdainful expres- sion of face. s'It is,'' answered the officer. My Lord, " said the prisoner, "that woman is my wife !" This statement made g. sensa- tion in the court, and the prisoner was per mitted to go on, and he told the following painful story:
 I have served seven years on 8 similar charge to that now preferred against me. If I am again convicted you will at least give me twenty years, and that will end my life. Before you do so would like you to know the whole truth of this affair. I married young. My wife unexpectedly showed ex- travagant tastes and very expensive habits. was very fond of her and did all could to content her. Honestly could not keep pace with her desires, and we took to coining. She was with me in all my operations, aided in the work, assisted in passing the money. When we were taken the evidence was just as
 
 to questions put to my counsel I was told that if I pleaded guilty and said I had com pelled her to help me she would get off. I did so, and she was acquitted. I was sen- fenced to seven years' penal servitude. I served my full time, and came back to Lon don, determined to lead an honest life and to restore my wife to an honest home. It was some time before found her; but had ob- tained work at 30S. week. l had only one wish-to make a new home for my wife Eventually I found her. She was living with another man. His name is Foster. She told me that she had been obliged to accept his assistance or she would have starved. Eos ter was a fellow-workman of mine. I was willing to believe all she said and to forgive her. It was bitter struggle, but I did it. Come home," I said to her, land let by zones be bygones." She said she could not time to break off with Foster; but she would do it. waited, and every week as I received my wages I took e1 to her and gave it to her that she might have money without asking Foster for any. At last she appointed a night when she declared she would leave Foster. I was to meet her at the corner of Rathbone Place. I did so She said Foster had come out with her and was 8 street or so off, but that she would go and tell him now that she had made up her mind to leave him. ''I love you still, she said, s'better than any other man in the world, and would never have left you Of my own free will hold this until come back I will only be a few min utes.'' waited and almost immediately 8 policeman came and took me into custody. I did not know what the packet contained; i; 1t turned out to be false silver coinage. I learned afterward that when she left me with that packet in my hand she went up to the first policeman she met, told him where I stood, that was returned convict, c0iner of power of bad money; she knew 1t, she said, because had tried to pass some of it upon her. That is my story, my Lord.
 The policeman when questioned by the judge corroborated the prisoners story in re- gard to the part played by the faithless wo- man in causing the arrest of her husband, and the prisoner acquitted His story has since been verified in every detail, and friends have secured him respectable and l permanent employment. It is to be hoped | that he does not continue to love the woman l who ruined and betrayed him. l