The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-11-30
In SHYLOCK'S HANDS
ENGLISH N0BILIiYS HARD SHIFT
FOR FUNDS.


Case on Trial In Londea wherein Il Is
Claimed b, the Defendant In . Suit
Brought by = Money Lender That Lord
william Neville Secured an Indorser's
Signature by the Rankest Kind of Fraud
Document Signed Through Sits In a
Sheet of Paper Covering 1t - Other
Savory Stories.
London, Nov. 2s.-The lord justice Is
hearing an interesting case which is at
tracing the attention OF club men and
members Of the aristocracy here. II is
the suit of a money lender to recover
from an officer Of the guards named
Clay the sum of LIS pounds due on two
prcmissory notes cas1ed for Lord Will
lam Neville. Sir Edward Clarke, Q. c.,
representing Clay. examined the plant
if and showed that Lord Neville borrow
ed large sums at from 80 TO 40 per cent
interest. and that in one case, recently,
the parents of a youth who had en-
dorsed Lord Neville's unpaid notes, paid
the plaintiff 10000 pounds.
Sir Edward Clarke. for the defense, al
legged that Lord Neville secured Clay's
endorsement by a trick, Neville, accord
ing to counsers statement. asked Clay
to witness his signature TO family docu-
merts OF private character, these doc
uments being covered by paper in
which there were Sits. where Clay was
asked to sign. The latter demurred and
asked to see the documents, whereupon
he was told the documents referred to a
divorce of Lord Neville's sister, Lady
Cowley. Clay accepted the explanation
and signed without having any idea un-
til he was .ued, that he was signing
promissory notes. Clay testified in cor
robUration OF the statement made by
Sir Edward Clarke and said that after
the discovery OF the trick played upon
him, he taxed Lord Neville with II,
whereupon Lord Neville wrote and ask
ed him to hold his tongue for short
time, as otherwise he Qord Nevilie)
would be ruined for life Finally Clay
called Lord Neville swindler.
At the close OF today's testimony the
case was adjourned.
Lord William Beachamp Neville. VINO
was born in 1860. Is the fourth son Of the
marquis OF Abergavenny. He va.
formerly an aide de camp TO the viceroy
OF Ireland, the duke OF Marlborough,
and is a lieutenant In tine Third battai-
ion OF the Royal West Kent regiment.
He is married. The fifth daughter of
the marquis OF Abergavenny Is Lady
Violet, born in 1866, and married in 1889
to the third Earl Cowley. On October
80, 1896, a petition for divorce was
brought by Countess Cowley, who allsg-
ed matrimonial misconduct and extreme
cruelty on the part of the earl The CO.
respondent in the case was Mrs. Char
ington. 1t was brought out in the course
OF the trial, which began in January last,
that the earl, while Visc0unt Dangan,
was forced to heavily compensate Phyllis
Broughton, the actress, for breach Of
promise. In the trial Of the divorce suit
Earl Cowley and Mrs. Chsrington de-
MED the allegations OF the complaint.
Counsel for the countess asked permits
sion to amend the petition of the plant
iff by introducing new correspondent
on the following Monday. The request
was granted and the jury WIS discharg-
ed. When the hearing of the case was
resumed on February !, Earl Cowley
made no contest but admitted miscon-
duct with the secod correspondent end
in August last, the countess obtained
decree OF absolute divorce with alimony
to the amount Of 200 pounds a year for
life
Sam Lewis, the money lender in The
case that was on trial in London, today.
is probably the most notorious man OF
his class in England. During the bank
ruptcy proceedings against the marquis
of Ailesbury, who died in 1894, IL de-
veloped that Lewis had a claim OF 251,-
900 pounds against the estate. which in
cludes the famous Savernake forest.
Lewis, in September, 1895. purchased
the beautiful residence OF Countess Cow
ley, at Maidenhead. for 1900 pounds.