Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1892-02-13
ETHEL OSBORNE TRIAL
The Unfortunate Woman Com
mitted for Taial for Perjury.
AMOsT AFFECTING SCENE IN COURT

the Grnff Old Judge Wipes His Eyes
LONDON, Feb. 13-There was hardly stand
ing room left for a skeleton in the Bow
street police court when the case Of Mrs
Florence Ethel Osborne, charged with hav-
ing committed perjury during the trial Of
her suit for slander against Mrs Hargreayes,
was called before Sir John Bridges, the pre-
siding magistrate.
Mrs Osborne, the wife Of a captain in the
army, it will be remembered, was shopping
during the summer Of 1890, at Torquay, with
her friend Mrs. Hargreavea, the wife Of
Major Hargreaves, and while at the place
mentioned some valuable pearls, belonging
to the lady last mentioned, were missed
from the bedroom she occupied Mrs Os-
borne had access to this room, and was
aware Of the fact that Mrs Hargreayes kept
her jewels in certain hiding place in the
floor. The jewels disappeared, and diligent
search failed to recover them. Ia time
rumors connecting Mrs Osborne with the
theft were circulated, and she brought suit
for slander against Mrs Hargreayes As all
the parties were prominent in society the
Gaze attracted widespread attention.
During the course of the trial Mrs. Os-
borne made a number Of assertions under
cath which were subsequently proven to be
untrue. The trial was suddenly interrupted
by tho production of evidence that Mrs Os-
borne beyond possibility Of doubt had
reaIiy stolen the missing Hargreaves jewels,
which were valued at $1,000 Mrs Osborne
flsd to France, from which country she re-
cently returned and surrendered herself TO
tho police
Mrs. Osborne, who was dressed in mourn
ing, was deadly pale and has evidently
wasted away considerably since her arrest.
She trembled from head TO foot and was so
deeply agitated that she would have fallen
to the floor had it not been for the support
she received from her husband CAPTAIN
Osborne, after having led his unfortunate
wife into the dock, took his stand so close to
it that he could support and comfort her al
most as much as If he had really been be-
side her.
1frs. Hargreaves in Tears.
Mr. Gin then read the evidence furnished
by Mrs. Osborne in the action referred to-
saying that he relied, ia order to prove his
case Of perjury, upon the sworn statements
made by the prisoner to the effect that She
had not been in London at the time the
a. Hl1A A0Aa lfAA 81 LANNEAN fknEAl nilfE nEH.
sold the stolen jewels to Sphinx e. Sons: that
she had not indorsed checks under the name
Of "Ahce Price, that she had never seen
Pearce, one of the witnesses for Mrs. Har-
greayes in her suit against that lady: that
she did not go out Of the house on certain
dates, and that she had never heard the
names Of Sphinx & Sons mentioned.
Mrs. Hargreaves was then called to the
stand and in detail She gave an account Of
the loss Of the famous jewels Continuing,
Mrs. Hargreaves said that all her property
had since been restored and that all ex-
penses Of the trial had been refunded, and
that she had nothing but feeling Of great
sympathy for the prisoner and strong
hope that the matter would not be pressed
against her unfortunate friend
The witness then said with tears in her
eyes that she had visited Mrs Osborne in
Holloway jail, and explained that her mo
tive for so doing was simply one of sincere
commiseration with the prisoner in the sad
trouble in which she found herself.
Mrs Osborne, during the delivery Of the
latter part Of Mrs. Hargreaves' testimony,
sobbed so bitterly and violently and was
evidently 50 much distressed that several
other ladies in the courtroom burst into
tears and one lady was carried out in a dead
faint, utterly overcome by the emotion con
jured up by the scene While Mrs. Osborne
was weeping her devoted husband was con
stantly soothing her, pressing her hand,
whispering words Of comfort in her ear and
in every way trying his utmost to help her
to bear up.
Pathetic Scene in Court.
The climax was reached when Mrs. Har-
greaves, at the conclusion of her testimony,
stepped down from the witness stand.
blinded with tears, and quickly stepping
up to the unhappy lady in the prisoners
dock she utfectionately kissed her and
warmly shook hands with Captain Osborne.
Then, as if by magic, a roar Of applause
swept over that dull, old courtroom, caus-
ing Sir John Bridges TO stagger ang1ily to
his feet ana exclaim in most emphatic tones,
''Silence, or I win order the court to BE-
cleared"
But that burst Of sympathy for an un-
happy lady, crushed beneath a heap Of
troubles a woman about to become a moth
er, evidently touched a generous spot in
| many heart, for even old Sir John Bridges,
the veteran Of veteran police magistrates, is
said to have been compelled to wipe a tear
| from his left eye. He was certainly noticed
TO grow very red in the face and to have
blown his nose vigorously with a huge red
silk handkerchief
In answer to Sir John Bridges gentle in
| quiTy as to whether the prisoner had any
thing to say, Mrs. Osborne burst out in a
torrent Of tears, during which she was
heard to sob out, II have nothing TO say"
Led Back TO Jail.
Sir John Bridges then said that he was in
sympathy with Mrs Hargreaves and with
the family Of the unfortunate prisoner, and
that while he was desirous Of tempering
justice to the utmost degree with mercy, he
would not be doing his duty unless he COM
mitted Mrs Osborne for trial
There was a very affecting scene as the
unfortunate prisoner was almost carried,
half fainting and sobbing violently from the
courtroom, her husband being as affection
ate and as attentive to her then and
I throughout the proceedings as he had been
from the first moment his wife was placed
IN such an unenviable light before the pub
lc. Mrs. Osborne, accompanied by her
husband and escorted by an inspector of
police, was then taken back in a cab to Hol-
loway jail, where she was again assigned to
cot IN the infirmary Of that institution.
Mrs. Osborne win be tried shortly in the
central criminal court, Old Bailey.
A Chnrred T.eD aud Tsoot Toupd