Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-10
POOR MRS. OSBORNE
Must Spend Nine Months in an En-
glish Prison at Hard Labor.
AFFECTING SCENES In THE COURT,
A Touching Plea in Her Behalf Made By the
Woman She Wronged.
LIVE NEWS FROM THE OTHER SIDE

Osporne began to-day a sentence OF nine
months Imprisonment at hard labor for lar
ceny and perjury. She pleaded guilty to-
day when arraigned at the Old Bailey.
When she was brought into court Mrs.
Osborne paid no attention whatever to her
surroundings She kept her handkerchief
to her eyes and wept bitterly. She was
called upon to stand up. and the charges of
theft and perjury were read to her. When
the reading was concluded she pleaded
guilty to both charges. She was very weak,
and her voice was SO low that it was i'm
possible for her to be heard on the bench,
I and the warder was obliged to repeat Mrs
Osborne's words.
Mr. Gill, who appeared to prosecute the
case for the Treasury, arose amid profound
silence and said be would recite the circum-
lstances of the case. Justice Smith inter-
posed, saying he had read all the deposi-
tions and was fully alive to all the facts of
the case Mr. Fulton said he only wished
TO explain that perjury was the charge
which induced the Treasury to prosecute,
for if larceny alone was concerned the
prosecution would have been left to private
persons.
Extenuating Circumstances Recounted.
Sir Charles Russell, counsel for Mrs Os-
borne, in a subdued and emotional voice,
addressed the Court in mitigation of the
sentence. He suggested that there had
been no motive for the theft, which must
have occurred while Mrs. Osborne was
laboring under temporary alteration OF
mind. The prisoner had not realized all
that must follow when, induced by the en-
thusiasm of her friends, she sought to vindi-
cate her reputation.
Sir Charles reminded His Lordship that
the false statements made by the prisoner
in the libel suit were retracted at her in
stance, and that the jury was not called
upon to give a verdict on her evidence Sir
Charles then read the correspondence that
had passed between Captain Osborne and
the Treasury after the prisoners grandfather
had paid the authorities the $3.50 paid for
the jewels, and all the other costs, amount
ing to e, 200
Captain Osborne wrote to the Public
Prosecutor in January that his wife was
most anxious to surrender, but he had abso-
lutely forbidden her to endanger the life of
herself and her unborn child by rendering
herself liable TO pass in prison the time be-
tween January and June.
Pcstponement of Arrest Refused.
Captain Osborne, in this letter, asked:
"As all the costs have been paid, is it not
possible under the circumstances that her
surrender be postponed?" He added:
'Ihe Treasury need not fear any depar-
ture from this promise. If my wife lives
she shall surrender Is it asking too much
for delay which would not be inconsistent
with the dictates of humanity?"
The Treasury refused to enter into an
agreement, and on January %, Captain Os-
borne wrote: :.My wife is convinced that
she ought to surrender anyway"
After reciting how the arrest was finally
made, as Captain Osborne had arranged,
Sir Charles Russell said he did not make
the appeal for mercy because the prisoner
was lady, yet the anguish and the humili-
alton she must in the future feel at the loss
of her friends respect and the grieyous
wrong she had been guilty of, would be
more punishment than any sentence the
Court could impose.
Mrs. Hxrgreaves' Plea for Her Friend.
At this point Mrs. Harereaves rose from
her seat at the solicitors table, and, with
great emotion, said: 'tMv Lord, and my
husband are the chief sufferers
The Judge interposed, saying, 'I don't
think 1 can listen to you" Mrs. Har-
greaves, however, was not daunted. She
persisted, saying:
81 am going to plead fo- mercy for
the accused. 1 am perfectly convinced
that Mrs. Osborne was not in her right
mind when she took the Jewels beg of
YOU to deal as leniently as possible with
her. have known and loved the prisoner
all her life
During Mrs Hargreayes' remarks Mrs.
Osborne wept bitterly, her sobs being audi
bic in every part of the court room. 1t was
thought she would faint, and second
female warder stepped quietly to her side
to help support her should she fall. Every
body in the room was much affected many
OF the women crying
The Court Severe but Considerate.
The painful scene was added to when the
Clerk of the Court, turning to the prisoner,
asked, Florence Ethel Osborne, have you
anything to say why the Court should not
pass judgment upon you ?''
Mrs. Osborne, sobbing violently, replied
in whisper, Nothing" The sentence
was then pronounced. The Judge recited
all the facts in the case and made no attempt
% gloss over any incident He said:
You stole these goods from your friends
when visiting them. You converted the
Jewels into money which you appropria ted
tor your use. When you were suspected of
me inert you commenced an actlun Tor l1Del
and sat by the side OF your counsel for days,
suggesting to them that your friends were
culprits. Had you succeeded by your wilful
perjury the Hargreaves would have lett the
court with an indelible stain upon them.
The maximum punishment for your crime
seven years this remark caused a sensa-
ion in the courtroom], but i am not going
o pass such a sentence on you. am taking
all the circumstances of your case into con-
nderaGon, notably the appeal just made for
you by Mrs. Hargreaves.
Mrs Osborne was seated in the dock
While the Judge was sentencing her, and on
he conclusion of his remarks she would
ave fallen from her seat but for the warders,
Who raised her gently, each of them taking
Ter by an arm and led her away to her cell
Captain Osborne Is Crushed.
Captain Osborne had a short interview
With his wife after sentence had been i'm
,osed upon her. He then left the court
oom and retired to his house, greatly
ifected at his wife's position. The house
n which the captain lives presents an ap-
,earance of mourning. All the blinds are
losed. Captain Osborne denied himself to
II callers.
His friends express much sympathy for
i'm in his deep athiction, and highly praise
be warm and unwavering devotion he
howed for his unfortunate wife during the
rving ordeal through which both of them
ave passed. They say that he is utterly
rushed with grief over the result of the
rial. and keenly feels the terrible disgrace
ntaiIed by his wife's conviction and SEN
.nce to imprisonment. The friends of the
,sbornes express great surprise at the
arshness of the sentence imposed upon the
risoner.