New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-10

This new volume Of the "reminiscences OF Mr..
Montagu Williams the eminent Queens Counsel ana at
nresent a London MAGISTRATE will BE- heartily welcomed
NV all who had the pleasure Of reading hi- former
volumes Mr. Williams makes no literary pr'tensons'
but his mind IS stored with strange and Interesting
recoIectons, and he is an excellent E"cohtcuf'
telling his stories in a clear, straightforward ana
simple way which brings ont all their points Few
men have had a more varied experience. moreover
for beginning with the most extensive criminal practice
OF his time Mr. Williams developed powers so unusual
that his services were called in requlsitOn in nearly
every important case, financial, commercial and 0thef
wise: and thus he has been associated with perhaps
n larger number Of causes celebrcs7 than any other
man Of his generation. The present volume was as
he states first intended 10 be merely record OF his
magteral experience among the poor Of the East End
OF London but he urged to continue his rcminls-
cences and as there remained plenty 10 tell he com
piled with the request and la. evidently WITHOUT
difficulty, filled twothirds of the portiy volume WIN
recoections not less bright, odd and entef'ai'l"H
than those which so much character 10 MS i0Iher
memoirs There are not indeed so many long ac-
counts of great here but even such matters are
sufficiently representcd and there Is much amusing
anecdote about eccentric witty or unbalanced mem
bers of the bar which in England has lis full proper
ton Of "cranks."
Mr. Williams speaks OF one particularly crazy bar
rister who was in the habit of filling MS bsls'e'S
bas with sharp flint stones before going into court
in front of him, and when (as commonly happeheW
the presiding iudge demonstrated against the display
Of missiles the offender would reply that ne lad fe"soh
10 apprehend an assault and had merely brougho inc
stones for his protection. The poor man thought all
the world in a conspiracy against him. ana imam! ~
became necessary to put him in an asylum MI
Wiams's great criminal practice did not protect MIN
from the depredaons of the class that relied so largely
nnon his mowers Of defence. In a former volume ne
told how he was victmized by former client; III inc
present one he gives the particulars OF ROBBERY COM
mited during his absence at his chambers upon "i''
occasion clean sweep was made OF Vdiudoe Vo'4o'
zion of boutere" consisting mainly OF presents mace
To Nh, owner No cew ever obtained 10 the thici
in this case nor was anything recovered IL seems
nossble that a barrister like Montagu Williams may
NOT have been a persona grata' with the ponce
ipasmuch as he several times concerned III U'o
prosecution of police officers for perjury. one Ut 0
OF these cases outlined. suggest the sinister pos
sibity Of methods of "railroadng' old conVlets 10
prison such a., have been heard of in other countries
than England and which point TO the danger arising
from an abuse of police power
Mr. Williams was concerned in the prosecution OF
tbe notorious Grenvile Murray editor OF the hpeHo"'
sheet called "The Queens Messenger WHICH apP"-
emily subsisted by systematic blackinal ana Sd'io''
It's prey was the English arietocracy Murray h1'ne
himself moved Familiarity in those circles was III II
nosition TO strike below the belt every time ana De
came terror to all who feared public scahdas YET HA
skeletons in their closets. Lord CarrnStoh' having
been Nbclled by "The Queens Messenger loon INC
first opportunity to administer sound hoSe""Pri'9
"a the pntatjve editor Grcnville Murray. Inc latr
sunmonad Carrnctoa for assault. and swore that he
WAS not the editor of in any way connected "lul
The Oueen's Messenger" At the police court nearing
q free fight took place between the partisahS oi 'o
complainant and defendant, the friends OF MURRAY Try
ing 10 get possession by violence OF SOME eNUV"oo
which was about to he used against him. The proofs
ri.h tho
abundant and conclusive that he dared not stay 10 lace
che charge Of perjury against him, but left HI BONDS
men in the lurch and fled the country osaPleiII"9
thep finally and dying abroad in o5scury ana de9u'u-
tion Nr. Williams appeared also IN inc FAMOUS o'o
end and Quincy trials, the aftermath Of that biach
Friday which threatened to shake the bottom out Oh INC
CITY OF London. and which was duplicated OILY NV
cher dav when the collapse of the great house Oh
Barring spread terror and confusion far ana VICE. lHo
atten,pts TO fix criminal responsibility upon the mel
hers of the firm of Overend and Quincy laiI1u' u az
the proceedings had TO be abandoned. ~,
A curious case detailed here is that Of a wealthy
widow against two American Esprit mediums The
tocts a. related by Mr. Williams indicate that the VIC
Tim was what Thackeray would have called born
pceon: one chosen by destiny 10 be ire easy prey "a
The first sharper who came along. No'Ihhs couIu ~
simpler than the practice Of the ingenious HcuiU9'
The victim had $4,000 worth OF diamonds ana !c"'
erv. They wanted this property 50 they told her
them The reason alleged was that the magnetism OF
Tho ewely was strong that If she wore it she Wonin
he drawn over into the spirit world before her uio'
All this she swallowed, and forthwith made over her
diamonds to the she-slarper. who subsequently pr
shaded her 10 make deed Of Gift and OTHER papers
testfying to the vOlunarincss Of the transfer III e
same way a wardrobe valued at 10000 was oDa!hel
nv these Unsuitable shars nor did they deSist uhul
tbev had drained their victim dry. Then thcy uo-
parted for the United states, the pigeon accompanying
Them According to arrangement they were hel'c-
forth 70 maintain her, she having turned over all neg
nroperty 10 them. ON arriving in TINS country now
ever they soon began to grow tired OF h'r presence
and the cold treatment she experienced had the ehect
o oncninc her eyes Proceedings were begun ait'f e
mediums had refused to surrender the woman prop
erty and becoming alarmed at ms point u'eS gave
nm a mart of the jcTelTy. Mr.. Williams ""c9 ot H'N
whether I'm the end all the property was recovered o"t
The case was evidently one in which the injured per
con had done her best 10 make restitution dhcn' M
.,rrardorne all her own safeguards ana putting every
no.sl,le weapon in the hands Of the enemy.
highly interesting portion Of Mr. WiiIam,'
volume Is tia, which relates to his experience "I 'o
bench lie has been sitting Ter several war az
Worship street which serves an Eat End popWa-
zion 10 GOO 600 and embraces in its jurisdiction Such
districts as Whechapcl and ShOTaditch where pa"P'T-
ism crime and vice flourish mnkly one Oh Inc
worst evils there. as here, Is in the character az"
condition of the dOmcics alone available u the very
DOOR The tenements Of London ard New-l0rk evil
IDENTIFY 20 upon all fours. and the same d!nicultcN
and defects local government have hitherto operated
10 hinder reform and to protect the profits OF uo
greedy soulleSs landlords who maintain these nui-
sances In London. however. the municipality mas
exercised the right Of demolition in many instances.
This right is clearly necessary but employed alone IL
nav do quite as much harm as good; since 1t pro
duces more crowdng than before. and thruStS the eX
PEELED tenants Of the destroyed rookencs npon other
tenemcnts which were previously full The power
TO build anew should 90 with that of demolition. but
Mr. Williams holds that only the general govern
ment ought TO exercise this authority. Indeed he