New-York tribune., 1886-08-15

tive of her relations with Sir Charles Dixie. COM
plicated with Incideuts full Of improbabilites
clearly explained, and tied herself down to numer-
Gus dates and places. She was not once shaken on
cross-examnatOn. She was contradlcted directly
and indirectly by witnesses under grave SUSPICION
whom the jury dlsbeieved She was corroborated
by witnesses independent of both parties unim-
peached, whom the jury believed But
substantially, rs the Judge said. the
ixsuo rested on Mrs. Crawfords testimony as
against Sir Charles Dilkes.
Fcw, perhaps mono, who heard Mrs. Crawford tell
her story. and who road it, doubted that 1t was
true Sir Charles he'd but one theory of the whole
matter; it was conspiracy to ruin him. Ihere
was evidence OF conspiracy; the jury were asked
to infer it and they declined. Had 1t been con-
spracy, asked the JudQe. Is ii probable Il young
womar. would have invented story like this. full
of horrible particulars wholly unnecessary. each
likely TO he easily capable Of disproof! Would not
q single confession of one two acts been enough'
But every attempt to dsprove these particu-
lars broke down. Sir Charles Dixie
sought to establish alibi for the two
occasions when Mrs Crawford said she met him in
Warren-st. The alibi broke down. lie swore he
had never been more than or twice q year III
the house iu Warren-st.. where an old fcmae ser
want of his-Madamc DeSouavy-lodgcd. aud had
never met q woman there. Other dodgers ID the
house. the Hilliers father. mother and daughter.
swore that he came there often that a woman.
whom they described mot Mrs CrawfordD, always
preceded him. and that they remained together IN
ho1r in Madame DeSollavys room she not being
there. That evidence said the Judge to tho
Jury if you believe it, destroys the value OF
Sir Charles DIlke's evidence as to what
took place in Warrcn-st.;-and elsewhere,
added the jury in effect. Ii admitted that
| Mrc Crnx or1 do had 10
house. and the bedroom in Sir Charles Dilke's own
house in Sloanc-st, where she sad, she had re-
peated1y met bm. How ca no she to know them
If her story not truef No answer TO tins ques-
tion was much as suggested. She spoke OF the
presence of a certain Young woman named Fanny
in Sir Charles's bedroom when she herself was
there Fanny was not called. though her absence
told heavily against hil. Finally. when Sir
Charles Dlke heard of Mrs. awfori's COME esslon
to her husband he offered her money TO rctrac, and
hush up the charge. Such are some of the points
| on which the jury based verdict III wnich Mr
| Justice llnnnen made his concurrence clear.
The summing up Of the case by Mr.. Justice Han
ncn was a masferly piecc OF work. ana the manner
of 1t Was also fine example Of the English Judge
at his best. In an English court, unlike the
American courts or such of thcmas used 10 know,
Judge and jury both sit during the judge summing
up. When the charge Is long one the practice
is convenient boz b, and the English would say
il has tho advantage of discouraring iudical
oratory. Sir James Hammer spoke with oeIibera-
ton, very clearly, in q voice all the dis
tinct for beng low. The court was stiffness it.
sdlf. Sir Charles Dke. who on the previoas
day had broken ont into express of impGtIcncc
under the merciless invectve o. Mr.. Matthews. sat
motionless and silent while this address wcnt oD
| There was M invcctive. there was nothing in tho
form of rebukc vndication Of out ragged morality,
| no pulpit discourse. Never was judge more
| rieidly impartial. He laid bforc the jury every
| consideration IN Sir CLarless favor. gave full
| weight to every argument, expressed NJ opinion
recitcd facts. weighed probabilities left every
thing TO the jury. But when he had finished
there was not an inch Of firm foohod left
for the elaborate structure of Justification which
| Sir Charles had painfully built up
| asked a gentle nau OF the ias nex. whom sat
whether he thought the jury would be long ou
WELL" ans yered he "you never tell what
| Jury will do IN these political cases" The Judge
! quilted the bench as the Jury Withdrew. No one
else stirred. The very counsel IN the case kept
| their places. The audience renamed. There was
| no step toward calling the next case. A belief
that the jury would 10. be many minutes away
pervaded the court In tie absence OF tue Judge
mcn stood up and chatted; there was "a STIR.
movement. but no departure. Five minutes passed.
ten, Dut before the h).T ndu D'cn lcacHcd
the door of the back of the jury box opened.
the officer charge came ont "a moment later the
jurors were returning to their places. instantly
hush fell on the court, the murmur OF voices died
away n dead &. lcnce succeeded. Ihc Judge had 10
| be sent for and there was pause OF perhaps
| minute.
looked at Sir Charles Dixie. The return Of the
| Jury must have told him his fate-his sole
chance was in long debate and disagree
mcnt. But man hopes against horc when
he looks on death; at least, he him. elf tor
| the worst Sir Charles sat up a little sraighter,
attened his back close against the OAK front of the
bench behind HIM. steadcd himself with both open
| hands resting hard upon the seat Hardly move
| ment OF the features except slight twuchDg Of
the eyellds but his attitude was that OF cx-
| pccting volley. While the foreman in answer to
the clerk question read ont the clumsy legal phrase
which announced his doom, convicted HIM of
adultery and mpl ed periury. be sat like sitting
statue, not less motioncss and not less white.
There was slight applause. instantly scnced.
While the lawyers and the judge discussed what
technical form should be gwen 10 this awful sell
fence still he kept his seat. His solicitor by
his side his counsel hard by, friend or two was
IN court. 40 one OF them sad word or offered
his hand When all was over S.r Charles Dixie
rose took his hat. edged past the table. looked
TO the right or left, reached the steps TO the little
private door below the Judges bench, and so. with
head upright till he bentit to he owness ofthe exit
and with bearing Spartan to the last quilted the
court and went forth to the world
Mr.. Justice Hammer. as l said. concurred in the
verdict of the jury Not less clear is the
renee of the public. The feeling of the public was
shown in o rough way by hooting Sir Charles Dixie
no he left the Law Courts. This began tho day
after Mrs. Crawford had given her evidence. A
thousand or perhaps two Thousand people were
gathered IN the Strand in front OF the main
entrance Sir Charles came out. One or two
foolish friends called for cheers. The crowd re-
sponded by loud groans aud rush toward his
carriage into tao of which nc