The Pontypridd District Herald and Rhondda Valley, Llantrisant, Caerphilly, and Mountain Ash News. — 1891-10-17 (Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

THREATENING TO MURDER A,, WELLKNOWN ACI'RESS.' A tall, well-dressed man named Leroy Nicholas Darlington Pickett, deeoribed as an organist and professional singer, of Ardwiok, Manchester, was charged on a warrant at Westminster Polio, court, London, with sending libellous and menacing letters to Miss Margaret Macintyre, the wishknown lyric actress. Mr. C. F. Gill was counsel for the prosecutrix. The prisoner, a native of the United States and the son of a clergyman, was arrested on a warrant. —Mr. Gill, in opening the case, said prisoner for over two years had subjected Miss Macintyre to a great amount of annoyance, both when she was staying at her mother's house and at different places where she was professionally engaged. He had written to lies proposing martiage, and from the tone of that letter, OA well as others, there seemed to be very little doubt that he was out.ot his mind., Mrs. Meantyre. the mother of the prosecutrix, at last placed the matter in the hands of her solicitor, who cautioned the prisoner, but the caution produced no impression. On August 29 last Miss Macintyre received a letter which was of such an atrocious character that he would not read it. Tne very first line contained a threat to kill the young lady, and the most disgraceful and obscene expressions were used all through it. In fact it was the production of a man evidently out of his mind; bus it was felt—reluctant as Mies Macintyre and her family wet o to institute these proceedings—that it could not be pulsed over, and that the writer must be made to realise. the feot that be sending such horrible communications Ise WU making himself liable to a long term of penal servitude. Inquiries had been made as tuthe antecedents ef the MA, who had never spnknn, to Mi.. Macintyre or seen her except in her public capacity, and it had been ascertained that he was a member of a travelling company of jubilee singers. In cono/usion, counsel said that Miss Macintyre waa not in attendant*, aa she was fulfilling an engagement in (he country, but her sworn Miorrnatiou was before the Court, and her mother ens, prepared to giveessideuce.— Sergeant Dengate said that in the train on the way to. London prisoner remstked, "II am sorry this bat happened...l have b en very queer in say head, Led I run taking medicine now." He also said that it was,* love affair and that it would ruin him. Macintyre, wife of Lieut.-General John Macintyre, residing in Victoria-street, Westminster, said for over two years het daughter had been annoyed by the receipt of letters and presents from the prisoner. Many of the letters had been destroyed, and the presents were invariably returned—some of them three or four times over. On one occasion he called and apologised and said it would not oocur again. The first letter received, dated Dec. 31, 1890, was as follows:  To Mies Marguerite Macintyre, —As I have never attended a wedding in my life I must be excused if I have bungled matters. I speak the truth when I tell you that ivy busy life in America afforded no time for love affairs. But "Miss Right," 'has come along, and I am persuaded that the feeling which I honestly exprosvl for you a few months ago is mutual; my conscience tells me that it is shared by both. It, behoves me, therefore, as a man and a Christian, to propose marriage, which Ido with all my heart. In making this proposal I am constrained to call your attention to the fact that lam no artist. I cannot expect to be an artist, in the European sense of the term, for two or three years. It will be utterly impossible for me to render you any assistanee in your operatic career sooner. I must henceforth be ready to act upon your suggestion.—Your humble servant, L. N. D. Ploximr. Another letter, which was undated, Mr. Gill said, contained the words, "I will either marry you or kill you."—Mrs. Macintyre added, in answer to counsel, that amongst other things which the prisoner sent and which went back to him were a number of religious booka—The Magistrate said prisoner would be committed for trial, and if found insane would be dealt with as a criminal lunatic.