The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-19
MONEY LENDER BEATEN
JURY DECIDED IN FAVOR OF SIR
TATTON AND LADY SYKES.
Held that the Signatures to the Prom
issOry Notes Were FOrgeries-Crim-
inaI Prosecution Now Probable

LONDON. Jan. 1s.-A verdict in favor of
Sir Tatton and Lady Sykes was rendered
to-day in the suit brought by Daniel JAY,
a money lender. to recover the sum of Els
$40 loaned to Lady Sykes on promissory
notes signed apparently by her husband,
Sir Tatton Sykes. but which the latter re-
pudiated on the ground that the signatures
were forged. The judge ordered the docu-
ments in the case to be impounded.
This points 10 the likelihood OF criminal
proceedings to elucdate the authorship of
Sir Tatton Sykes's signature. The foreman
said the jury found that the signatures on
the promissory notes, letters of authority
and letter dated Jan. 2, 1897, were not in the
handwriting of Sir Tatton Sykes The jury,
therefore, nonsuted the money-lender. The
jurys decision that the signatures were
forged and the action of the judge in i'm
pounding the documents naturally recall the
testimony regarding Lady Sykes, which was
presented on Jan. IA: This testimony point
ed to the notes having been forged by a
woman.
Lady Tatton Sykes has been accused on
previous occasions of securing large sums
through the criminal of his lordships
name. The revelations regarding her lady
ships career as a high gambler have amazed
I'll.
years old and her ladyship is forty-three.
She is known at Monte Carlo, and people
who make profession of betting on horse
races have seen her money. She plays bac-
carat. She likes to buy $4,000 race win
ners and she is eccentric" in many more
ways. When Sir Tatton married her she
was popular woman. The third Duke of
Portland was her great-grandfather. The
present duke is her cousin. Her aged hus-
hand has rent roll of $35O,000. Lady Sykes
wanted money to play cards, and the bar
onet gave her plenty of it. More than a
year ago she went to Daniel Jay money
lender, and presented notes purporting to
be signed by the baronet. The notes came
due the first of last year, but Lady Sykes
brought letter to Jay from the baronet
promising to pay in March. March came,
but no money. The baronet repudiated the
entire transaction. He said the notes were
forged. Jay brought suit before Lord Chief
Justice Russell with the result stated above.
CALLS SIR TATTON STINGY.
When the baronet took the stand he testi-
fed that his wife had forged his name to
notes and letters Lady Sykes laughed at
these terrible charges. She said her poor,
dear old man. was the stingiest baronet
under heaven. This business of charging
her with forgery Is an old trick of her hus-
band. she said. The baronet, Lady Sykes
averred, encouraged her to gamble and
shared in her profits, but refused to share
her losses. She says she will him for
divorce and an increase of alimony, and
maybe for perjury. This lively nobewoman
paid three visits to the United States. She
was received with open arms by New York's
best society, but her manners were too as
founding even for the four hundred, and on
ner third visit she was left alone.
When the trial began on Jan. r. Lawson
walton, who appeared for the money lender
said the action was to recover the of
| tIoAsO lent TO Lady Jessca Sykes in 1885,
signed by Ter husband. Sir iatton Sykes.
| The actual amount of cash lent counsel
continued. was about $4,000 the balance
| liability, but Sir Tattop denied that the
| signatl res were his. and alleged that they
were forged by Lady Sykes. The latter.
counsel said, would testify that her husband
| signed the notes. Counsel then proceeded
| to describe the relations between husband
| and Wife the former encouraging his wife's
| extravagances, yet loath to pay the bills.
| The wife consequently became involved in
| debt and borrowed money at 60 per cent.
husbands knowledge, she speculated heav-
| lily on the Stock Exchange. When the
had to pay e31 900 to her brokers' Sir Tat
ton promised Mr. Jay to pay off the whole
erwards he disappeared Finally, Lady
Sykes was forced to take proceedings to OBJ
tain relief, to which her husband answered
by the present criminal charge.
Wien Lady Sykes testified she corrobo-
rated the foregoing statement of Walton
ard said her husbands income was $4,000
The notes, she added, were signed in her
presence by Sir Tatton. During her cross
examination Lady Sykes admitted that she
bet heavily, but said 1t was with her hus-
bands consent. Altogether, she added, her
winnings on the Stock Exchange exceeded
owed sam" Lewis. the hep we'll els Known money
lender $4,000. Later Lady Sykes announced
that she had not kept account books, add
ing that she kept her accounts in her head.
Upon further cross-examination Lady
Sykes said 1t was impossible to get money
from Sir Tatton. except for churches; Her
borrowed from Sam" Lewis. Lady Sykes
Sangvinetti and G2S,000 from insurance
companies.
TO AVOID A SCANDAL.
The next day her ladyship was placed
on the stand again. She repudiated the
suggestion of counsel that she had, in 1890
obtained from the Union Bank the sum of
e10,0G0 on a. forged guarantee which her
husband afterwards recovered ana burned
in order to avoid a scandal. Asked if she
knew d. o. Mills, she said: oh yes He is
the father of Mr.. ogden Mills. the man who
married my sister-in-law's twin sister"
Later on Lady Sykes told Of a sixteen-thou-
icy A certain naval captain-J H. Allan
it appears also wanted money; so they
Joined forces, Sir Tatton Sykes and Captain
Allan going security for Lady Sykes the
captain receiving COO. At this juncture.
replying to q remark of the judge, counsel
said that it was proposed to show that be-
tween 1880 and 1886 Sir Tatton Sykes gave
his wife G126 600. The witness remarked
that this represented the accumula tons and
renewals of twenty years. Replying to the
judge Lady Sykes said she had always been
and still was on the best terms with her
husband. apd had never had cross word
with him in her life.
p. r. Beresford. the tutor of the Sykess
son. testified that the signatures were I'M
doubleday genuine, and created a sensation
by suggesting that Sir Tatton Sykes was in
sane. Mr.. Beresford added that he had
known Sir Tatton TO wear seven or eight
coats simultaneously. Other witnesses tes-
titled to. the genuineness of the signatures,
and Monte Carlo banker testified to see
ing Sir Tatton Sykes sign checks which he
afterwards repudiated. Other experts had
testified TO the genuineness of Sir Tatton
Sykes's signatures.
On Jan. IA Sir Tatton testified that the
signatures were not his An expert in hand