Year: 1861

An extraordinary case of courtship at Moul-
Ton, England, came up for examination before
the magistrate at Northampton. few DAYS be-
lore the sailing of the last steamer for this
county from the accounts given in the Eng
llsh journals of the affair, We condense as fol-
lows;-The prisoner looked a neat. dupner.
smart sort of young fellow, and very rcspec-
tably attred. She wore on the fourth finger of
her right hand a handsome ring, containing
stone which gliSieucd, and which She did not
fail TO show off to the best advantage as a
present she had received from Miss Smith. She
carried in her hand boys cloth cap, with peak
and band. Her hair, which was fashonably cut
and short, was neatly parted on the left side,
and well brushed up and oiled She wore a
dark colored coat, much in the Newmarket
fashion, with outside pockets. Her vest and
trousers were light and well shaped, and her
boots, laced up in front, were heavy, and are
what we called balmorals. Altogether, she pre-
sened the general outline of a handsome little
man. Miss Smith, who was present with her
father brother, and friends, appeared about
seventeen Years of age, and was also well and
fashionahly dressed. The only witness ex-
amined was Miss Smiths father. who said the
prisoner was the wife of painter, her first
cousin, to whom she was married, at Chelten-
ham. seven years ago, when she was sixteen
years old. About five months sine they came
to reside at SheiIord, in Bedfordshre, and in
the same house with them lodged his the wit
nesse's) daughter, Ellen Smith. On coming to
Sheford the prisoner put on mans attire, said
her name was Fred, and that she was the son
of the painter, at whose trade she regularly
worked as lourneyman, and with whom she
slept Miss Smith, not having the slightest
suspicion that she was other than she represen-
ted herself, became very intimate with her and
speedily tell paSsionately in love with her. Fred
(tor it will be necessary to call her by her as
sumed name, in order to render the evidence
intelligbe) recprocated this affection, and in
every way conducted herself as Miss Smiths
lover and intended husband.


They conversed in terms of endearment to-
ward each other, and in letters written by the
prisoner to Miss Smith, she called the latter
her "dear Ellen" and spoke of the happiness
with which she should meet her again. About
| month ago the painter represented to witness
that he was about to remove to London; that
| he was anxious to take Fred's intanded with
him, in order to introduce her to his relatives.
The witness, under these circumstances, con-
sented TO her departure. Days and weeks hav-
ing transpired without hearing from her after
she left the witness proceeded to London to
make inquiries, Finding there were no re-
latives of the painter living at the number in
Doane street, he returned to Bedford, and COM
inunicated with the parent of the painter at
Cheltenham, who informed him, in reply, that
the parties were living at Mouton, in North
amptonshire, and they added that they supposed
Fred was not the son, but the wife of the paint
er, and that he had better look sharp, lest his
daughter should be decoved into trap. The
witness, of course, lost no time in proceeding
TO Moulton, where he found his daughter had
been represented to be the daughter OF the
painter, and the sister of Fred. Matters, which
were strange before, were thus becoming more
complicated, but the witness put an end to the
deception by producing he letter from Chelten-
ham. The effect was, he saiA indescribably
strange. His daughter, at first, could not be-
lieve the contents to be true; hut Fred made
no secret that they were perfectly correct. and
that she was the painters Wife Miss Smith
was thunderstruck, and had never held up her
head since. Fred was then taken into custody


The bench decided they had no power to inter-
fere, and that the prisoner, whose conduct was
most repreaensible in gaining the affections Of
a Young woman for some purpose which does
, not exactly appear must be discharged. The


case had originated in Bedfordshire, and there
the father of Miss Smith could commence ar


action in the county or some other civil court
against the prisoner and her husband. for the


loss of his daughters services. The prisoner


wept and said it was all a foolish lark and Sc
the case ended. As the prisoner was guarded
, out of court by the police, to where the painter
n was in waiting to receive her an immense crowt


of women followed and eered her.