Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-01-05
BRITISH TITLED RUNKS"
AND ORDINARY "DRUNKS"
Special Correspondence Of The star.

LONDON. December II. 1907.
IS A S drunk as lord" is one of tho
n phrases most Frequently used
to describe an advanced stage
of alcoholism. though nowadays there
is little justification for il Lords
are not now more addicted to incbrictv
than any other class II statistics on
the subject were attainable ii would be
found. probably. that in proportion to
their number they are among the most
sober members of the community. But
there are exceptions. And one of them
is the Earl OF Cork and Orrey, Baron
Boyle Baron Broshill and Banlon. Wis
count Dungarven and Viscourt kanal-
meaky
This many titled Irish peer 60, drunk
the other night-glo-iously drunk. He
Ztgzag eyed down Piccadilly and dIscov-
cred that lamp posts were dancing jigs
that the pavement was rocking and
that the buildings were out of plumb
and threatening to topplc dowG upon
him. lie conhued his discoveries to a
policeman. He wanted TO know what
in thunder had gone wrong with Lon
don. Also he wanted to know why in
something else-the policeman did not
at once put stop to such diSgrdcrful
commotion. He announced his purpose
of administering Immediate ana dire
chasttsement tn the representative Of
rest the whole blooming town. And
the policeman. not knowing that tho
victim Of the Authorizations Of iutoNi-
cation was an exalted peer of the realm,
ran him in
This Would hardly be worth telling
but for the fact that the sequel shows
how the average British magistrate.
VINO Is supposed to he the embodiment
of impartial justice. discriminates be
tween a drunk and disorderly peer and
the everyday sort of man who has the
bad luck. when on Il spree. to RUN foul
of Il bobby. The earl. sobercd by a
nights sleep. was arraiEned IN the
Marlborough street police court next
morning before Justice Denmaa. Sew
eral 'drunks" had been disposed Of in
| the usual way before he appeared.
Their names and addresses were given
and their offenses set forth with I'M
compromising official frankness.
| Lord Cork was No. -; on the docket.
His turn had not arrived when he en-
| tered the court But because he was a
peer his case was given precedence OF
| those ahead of him. The offici1i prose
cutor told the magistrate that there
was charge on the list that would
occupy IA very short time in hearing.
which case is it, asked the magis-
| trate.
NO. c3. sir" replied the prosecutor.
adding significantly: II need not take
any part in the matter
Had No. D been Tom Jones or Bill
| Smith the name of the culprit would
| have been loudly announced. Eut no
proclamation WAS made of the name OF
| the nObleman vino had demonstrated
| In his own person that strong drink ~
| no respecter of distinguished titles.
| There was no stir in the court when No.
% stepped In front of the dock and
| pleaded guilty. None of the spectators
knew who he was
DO you wish to say anything about
the case?" asked the magistrate. DIS
creetly emitting the customary form
adopted by commoner When address ng
a peer mo, your worship replied No.
23.
An inspector gave a dry. official &C
count of No 23-s behavior on the previ-
GUS night. He was then fined $3.50 plus
81 costs. and discharged However. the
| fact that he was the Earl of Cork ana
| Orrey. three barons and a couple OF Wis
counts. did leak out somehow. and got
into the papers along with brief ac-
| count of the police court proceedings.
But no paper ventured any comment on
name of the distinguished offender None
suggested that a peer. in such circum-
| stances was entitled To no more con-
siderat;on than the man in the street.
Apart from the fact that the earl oc-
| casionally imbibes more liquor than he
| can carry without staggering. he is not
| a bad sort and is very popular in those
circles where the conventionalities OF So
ciety with the big rs" count for little.
He served in the South African war as
colonel of yeomanry. When he inherited
the family titles few years ago lie
came into possession of some $1,000 acres.
hut he seems to have fallen I'm with the
prevailing opinion that the best way to
make money out of land IS to sell it.
He has already converted into cash his
English seat in Somersetshire. consisting
of fine old mansion and some 1000
acres. and is getting rid of much of his
Irish property.
He is forty-seven years old and 10 re-
garded as a confirmed bachelor. His
heir presumptive is his brother who mar
ried a California beauty IL few years ago
She is likely to be d peerless some day, X
the earl persists in remaining single.