HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times, 1892-2-4, Page 7:THEii: MT... PEARL QA$E,
A True Sairy that Recently Alti i Add.
lot soototy to tts peataa
, White the men and tioindWhe tattiithe
Pritlailsal Parts in this drama of life, which
taiglit be called " The Crime and Punish-
ment of Ethel Osborne," are not of the high-
est social rank as in the somewhat dinilar
baccarat case, they are of excellent birth
and of the best English culture, They are
gentlemen end ladies, as the English make
those distinctions. And it may be said safe-
ly that this drama will lose nothing for its
lack of sonorous titles. Had any great
• waiter p,ut this story iuto a book, word for
word, detail for detail, as it bee been re.-
vealed in the English houses and shops and
courts, people would have Teed it with ab-
• sorbing filtered, but it is doubtful whether
. the realistic school would have given it a
favorable criticism.
s It deals with the class of people whom
Tbackeray has presented at the worst in
Fair," those who drift about the
utskirts of high society, sometimes getting
n and geherally getting left. They have
extravagant tastes, which they indulge far
eyond their exceedingly limited means.
Their days are full of battles with trades-
people, and their nights are often wakeful
vith plans forhe Ineviteble catastrophe
hich i somehow or other always put off a
it. The churchaillie army are the two
teat refuges for the men aud rlehmarriages
or both men and women. They live on a
rifliug suin allowed to them by some richer
elaeive, and their hopes are for legacies, for
indfalls, for new affairs of any kind.
There is always a comedy side to thia life
for the spectators. It is always more or
ss a tragedy for those concerned. Some -
Imes, oftener than the newspapers indicate,
here is such a tragedy as this, with the
llama just at the right time, and the last
urtain falling on sorrow and shame and
Weir.
•
1.
In each an atmosphere Florence Ethet Ea
ot, her brother, aud her three sisters were
rought up. Their grandfather, John
liot of the Albany, Piccadilly, is it man
a good deal of wealth, but so funny,"
use Miss Elliot's polite plarase. His only
n studied faw taxa Was admitted to the
r, but he never practised. The father
ade him an allowance, and, when be mar -
ed, increased it so that he could lead au
e life and bring up a family with just, too
ttle MOney to be comfortable. The son
d four cluldren, one of whom died, They
ere brought up inc pretty little hoed at
erguniouth, in Derbyshire, not far front
orquay. At Collingwootl, Torquay, lived
re. Martin and her grandaa,ugliter, the
eat aunt and the second cousin of the
liot children. There were frequent visits
tween the families and Miss Martin was
peeially fond of little Ethel Elliot
In 1876 Miss Martin married. Major liar-
eave, an officer iu the army, living au
',000 allowed him by las father. Major
d Mrs. Hargreave lived with Grandinoth-
Martin, Mrs. Hargreave being allowed
a 00 by her. Mrs. Martin had as heirlooins
id by purthase a collection of jewels
rth nearly $75,000. Each piece was a
maths way, and the old lady was wont to
ew them to visitors as an especial mark
favor. From Unmet° time she gave Mrs.
reeve one of the jewels, promislug to
her an at her death.
O 1885 Ethel Elliot, grown to a fine -look -
g girl of 20 years mule a long visit to
'is. Hargrea,ve.leThey went about it good
al, among other places to it ball at the
merial Motel. Soon after that airs. Fa-
t hoard that Mrs. Hargreave had intro -
ed Ethel to it Certain Radcliffe Hall,
oin she had heard was it highly improper
fon. She also heard that there was • it
attain Mr. Engle ,t, n, rich bathelor of
orquay, who wie• in too intimate terms
ith Mrs. Heave, 0 to snit the nice sensi-
lities of Iorquaa respectability. Mrs.
allot felt much aggrieved, and, after writ -
g Mrs, Hargreeve it sharp letter, broke off
1 relations with her.
That state of Affairs lasted until 18S7,
um the quarrel was patched up by explan-
ions, aud the old cordial reletionswers m-
imed. In 1887 Mr. Elliot died, and in
SO Mrs. Elliot died. She left doh of her
ildren about $6,000, and the shares of
Irs. Udell, the oldest sister, Hugla Ethel,
d Be elyn were afterward increasea by the
ath ole sister. Old John Elliot allowed.
s ,grandehildren something -to Hugh who
ad. become the kind of a lawyer his ?ether
as, $2,000 a year, 82,100 or household
-penses, anal a house atThe Bakens, bouth
ensington, a district of London, rent free.
hey moved. to Tbe Bottom immediately,
ral for a gine lived fairly well. Hugh,
ming all his time at hie disposal, spent a
eat -deal of money. Tha $6,000 lie got
om his mother was spent soon. Then -he
orrowed a good part of his sister Ethers
are, into which her love for fine gowns,
oota, hats, and the like had made terrible
meads. Finally he borrowed a good part
Evelyn's share to relieve his mostpressing
ebts.
In January, 1890, old Mrs. Martin had
ied, leaving all her jewels to Major Hata
reave's wife, bub dividing what money she
ad equally among her heirs. The Har.
reaves had to move from Collingwooa, and
the fall of 1890 established themselves at
hirley, Torquay, much closer to the heml-
ine establishment of Mr. Englehart, wheal
e Major and his wife called "Limb" on
(mount of that length of bis fine legs.
Limb" had betamme almost a part of the
argreaye establfeament, and Torquay was
difiea frequently by seeing him and. Mrs.
argreave in the front seatof one of his traps,
hile the .Major satdocae and beamingon the
ngle seat behind. By that time, September,
90, Mrs. Hargreave had lost two jewels,
e while returning from a cricket match at
orqua.y, and undoubtedly on the road, and
e otherea pin of sapphires and diamonds,
ther at The Bolters when Mrs. Hargreave
as visiting there, or on the train going from
ondon to Torquay. Mrs. Hargreave is not
re abed that. She always • carried' her
wels about her when she travelled. She
ore them in a small leather bag strapped
o her waist and under her Corset Whether
ther of these losses has to do with this
ory ne one has said, and only one person
ald say.
Major Hargreayd, being an extravagant
an, was always hard pressed for moaey.
e and his wife were not on the best of
ms in private life, although nothing of
at appeeted in public. They occupied
parateapartments, they went separate
ys. • She accused him of meanness to her
ends. The facts were kept from the ser
vents as far as was possible, aadafrora the
two daughters, who were 13 and 15 years
of•age. Mrs. Hargreave would never listen
te his frequent complaints that eee had
$75,000 locked up in, jewels wben they need -
ea money. She could not make :up het
mind to pert with a single jewel, aud be-
coming alarmed lest news of her treasures
should get abroad and attract burglars, she
beirght a cabinet from White & Co. of Tor-
quay, enti had a cabinetmaker, who made
age/malty of seceet ,arawers and cOmpart-
• -
meats, put a secret drawer in it, Mrs- quires with no results, she seat a telegram " Why, no, Mr. Englehart,' he replied.
Hargreave, being very proud of it, sent the to " Limb," and gave herself up to tears. " What do you mean ? '
servants out of the room and showed Major Oh, Limb, my diamonds and. pearls are Mr. Englehart fell to stammering Again,
Thirgreave and Mr. Englehmt how it was gone," she said when DAL Engleharclt ar- and at last blurted out; "Thy say -they
tyeeked, It Was a blaca, cabinet with twei rived. . , sayethat-in , fact -she h said -she ze
small drawers on either side. The secret "Nonsense," , " on looked thcilight-she as 'suspected of having taken
draWet was under the lower. droweitam the everwhere ?" some of her cousie's jewela"
leftesules She took the lower drawer out• "'e3," she said; They, have been IttraEllieb looked M Mr. Englehart with
and..a false bottom was revealed. Wi li a 1 stolen." ' .an expression wilich made 'the latter :items
bat pin 'she pressed a tiny hole in the centre Then I'll take a deeeciption to Capt. mer more than ever. '
of the false bottom and a sata,11 drawer 1 Barber all once."
•
. . " What do you mean," Elliot said," by
spraug oat from wbat, seemed to be the Capt. Barber was the Superintendent of coming here with that sort ef a story?
mumble and ornamentation of the lower the Torquay police: Ma Englehart had. • Then 'Englehartmanaged to give the facts
part of the cablaeta •• hardly spoken of the loss of the jewels he-. on whica the suspicion was. grounded.
Mrs. Hargreeve kept in that drawer a fore Capt. Barber laughed and winked and Elliot lituaself offered to confront his sister
1 ' '
tray with forms to fit the rings and pins and sail: with the clerks. Ho made an appointment
several small white pasteboard boxes, each "1 expect the Major's got 'eat' for the following morning.
i
containing , certain jewels, the names of Everybody who was interesteaknew, how- As den as Englehart had gone Elliot bur
which wee written on the coves of the ever, that the Mead *as at Aix, being rub- ried home and told his sister of the Out -
boxes. She showed the whole process to bed and scitabbea and drenched, inwardly Indus charge that had been brought
the two men and then cautioned them never and outwardly. Capt. Barber sent two against bet. She took it as any honest
to tell anybody.. ' '• : Sergeants of Police, who searched • the woramt would take such a charge, and her
Major Hargreave was abnut 40 steers of house inside and out, questioned the ser- meaner was such that her brother felt it
ages In December, 1890, a' disease of the vaiitsiran rouna the gardens with their would have been adding insult to injury to
blood that he had contracted in India be. noses to the ground, and otherwise excited have asked her point blank if she took the
gam to trouble him, and be decided to go to terror aud admiration. They ascertained • jewels. That did not enter into the quest.
Aix-la-Chapelle for the waters, Ile was to one valuable fact No one had lefe Shir- ion, The brother and sister awaited the
leave on Feb. 4, and, as Mrs. Hargreave ley to go any distance since Miss Ethel El- morningengagement with apparently equal
did not care to be left alone, she sent for liot lett on Feb. 18. impatience. Mrs. Geach, the older sister,
Ethel Elliot to cold from The Batons and The jewels must havebeen taken between accompanied them to the test Mr. Spink
visit her for a Week. . Feb. 11, when Ethel and Georgie had looked and his clerks identified her positively, al-
_ 1. at them together, ', and Feb. 20, at 11:30 though they said, the difference in her cloth -
o'clock, when the loss was discovered. Five ing, and especially 'the change from the
II. • persons knew the secret of the drawea Had large bat she wore before to a very small
any one of those five told the secret? Had hat, altered her appearance a good deal.
a servant, peering through the keyhole, seen The bank clerks were not so positive, which
the drawer opened, and afterwarddiscover- Was in a certain way a point in her favor,
ed the secret? The police asked carefully and when one of them pointed to her and
about Miss Elliot, but Mrs. Hargreave in- said, "dertainly not this one," sheturned
dignautly and positively thrust her from her uadistarbed countenance toward her
suspicion. Mrs. Hargreave was inclined to sister and laughed merrily. In facia after
suspect her hesband, although she could not her first indignation she was disposed to
sae bow he could have done it. On "Limb's" look on the -whole aflair as a joke. She
advice she kept the loss from her letters to could see how such mean people in money
him until a letter she wrote on Feb. 25, five matters as the Hargreaves were could rush
days afterward. He got that on Feb. 26, to euch a false and unjust conclusion, and in
awl he was so much enraged over the toes of her triumpbant innocence she pitied them.
the jewels he had aimed so eften that he Capt. Osborne came pesabaste in answer
forgot to get angry at the sentence, "It to a telegram, and fauna her in that serene
you have taken them by intention, or other- mood. But he was not disposed to look an
wise, I hope you will let us know at once;" such a soandelous and shameful accusation
" Limb " determined to .sif 1 the matter to so lightly, Of manse alto was innocent; a
the bottom. Accompanied by a detective doubt ot that tend entered his head. Even
from Torquay, he went to the city a d ad- when the ugly facts began to peer on every
vertised the matter in the official paper of side his confilence, as his conduct shows,
the London police. He also smite circular, was unshaken. He had several stormy in -
containing a descripteon of the pearls and terviews in the next few days with Major
diamonds, to every jeweller in London. Hargreave, with Englehext, with solicitors,
Major Hargreave returned to London from Major Hargreave did point blank that the
Aix on March2,but he took little interest money muse be refunded and the other
in the setwoh. 'Indeed, there was --little to jewels returned or there would be =arrest,
do except, wait for developments. He said that he and his wife were convinc-
Soon after the loss was discovered, Mrs. ea against their will by overwhelming proot.
Hargreave wrote to Ethel Hargreieve,telling All these events brought April 4, the day
her all about the loss. Ethel wrote back set for the wedding, very near at hand,
sympathizingly, and in a day or two, in ma And the Hargreaves were so enraged at
swer to another letter from Mrs. Hargreave, Ethel Elliott that when they heard Capt,
wrote that she had dreamed about, the jewels. Osborne had resolved that the weddlng
Mrs. Hargreave was much impressed by that should go on they aent, a solicitor to him,
friendliness. Ethel was very busy jest at warning him that his intention had better
that time getting ready far her marriage bo abaudoned, as his flaw:0e would be ar-
with Capt Otherne which was to be on rested on April 4.
April eath. The wedding was not to be a public
On March 8 Messrs. Spink & Son, jewel- affair, as originally planned, but was to
lers at 2 Gracethurch street, answered the be in the presence of the immediate
eircular, saying they thought perhaps they family only. When Capt. Osborne re-
lied the jewels. Mr. Englehart, Capt tar- ceived word of the intended arrest the
ber, and May Hargreave drove the next wedding was put off, and, instead of
morning to the jewelry shop, and twe hours being married on April 4, Ethel Elliot and
later Mrs. Hargreave got a telegram an- Capt. Osborne set in the little parlor of Th3
nouneing that the jewels had been found. Boltons all day awaiting the arrival of the
Mr. Spink told the gentlemen that on Feb, officers. Her face Was not so bright as it
10, shortly after 12e o'clock, a well-dressed, was a few weeks before, and her eyes bad a
fine-looking young woman, whose dress one look in them which made honest Capt. Os.
of his clerks was able to describe with some borne shut Ma lips whenever he looked at
accuracy, had come into the salesroom over her. The nextday they were married. Capt.
the shep, and had offered for sale the two Osborne had the notice of the marriage print.
stolen pearls. He said that they SAM at once ed in the newspapers and also sent a person -
that she was a lady, ana he further said al note of it to Major Hargreave's solicitors.
that there was -nothing about her cool and The relatives of the bride and groom had
perfectly selapoesessed manner and speech stood, by them firmly in all their troubles
to indicate that there was anything wrong. and had approved the marriage even in the
As the pearls were large and of au especial y face of the scandal whick all felt sure was
good quality they agreed to give her te550 miming. Capt. °simile's father settled $75,-
($2,750) for them. When they asked her for 000 and $2,000 a year Upon him. Ethel
her address she wrote: "Alice Price, la was grandfather settled $25,000 and
Hyde Park Gardens." Following their ens- $1,000 a year upoulter, with $1,000 a year
tom, is, clerk looked in the directory and more to be paid back when Osborne came
Lound no such pore= at that address. Mr. into his 'father's estate. •
Spink politely explained that to the lady,
Major Hargreave had °Mena suit against
whereupon she smiled, and without the
slightest confusion or hesitation said; "O11;
Stink &" Son for the recovery of the jewels,
w ich they thought they could hold under a
I am simply visiting there. I am tIrs. Price
queer old It'nglieh law. He had also served
of Radcliffe Hall, Bradford." The firm had
not at that time east of country directories. notice on Mrs. Osbotne'thet she must pay
over the money she had got for the jewels
As there seemed to be nothing strange in
and sign a confession Of herguile or take the
the young woman's story, Mr. Spink gave
consequences. Matters were in that condi.
her the firm check for £550. He saw noth-
tion When it came to the ears of Capt. Os-
ing more of Mrs. Price of Radcliffe Hall,
borne that Mrs. Hargreave ae‘d the Major
Bradford, until Feb. 23, when, at about
11:30 A. M. she walked in again. She said were talking of the scandal and rapidly
making publie that which had before been
to the clerk who had waitea upou her be.
known only by the persons intimately con -
fore that she lied presented the check at .
Glyn, Mills & Co's, the bankers,cerned
upon .
Although that enraged Capt. Osborne. yet,
whom it was drawn, and had learned that
in another sense, it pleased hint. It gave
she could not get cash for it. She asked him
him the chance to bring a suit for slander
to chauge it so that she could get oath.
He very accommodatingly wrote '
e„ and give the Ii3 to the Hargreaves, who
cash," on it. She thanked him and 'rwea were slandering his wife. The public can-
not know how Mrs. Osborne took the Cap.
away. tain's proposal to bring a suit for dander
Major Hargreave, as soon as he found out
about the theft, wrote Capt. Barber that and put her innocence to the frightful test
.
he sispected Ethel Elliot of a trial in open court But from what is
He„ said after-
ward that the was always talking about known of her she can have made only slight
n all probability she urged
money, and that on one ocedion she bad objection, and i
him an when she saw bow near to his heart
said that she "would not stop at any crime
the matter lay. Capt. Osborneas solicitors
for oof," the last word being a cant word
retained Sir Charles Russell, and when no -
much affected by the English as a synonym
the of the suit was served on the Hargreaves
for money. - A doubt haa'since been raised
as to whether the Major himself did not the latter part of lune they retained through
utter the remark. When the ajor heard
their solimtors Sir Edward Clarke. By the
M
that the youngwoman described as a tall retaining of these renowned counsellors on
brunette, had given as her home Radcliffe
opposite sides the case was certain of wide
publicity even had it been less sensational.
Hall, a place having no existence, his mind
When the papers began to come in Sir
reverted to Radcliffe Hall, who had caused
Charles Russell found that Mrs. Osborne
the coolness between the' Elliots and the
Hargreaves. He became convinced thathis would be called upon to account for every
moment of her time onFeb. 19 from 9 &Mock
first suspicion was correct.
From Spink & Son the gentlemen went toin.the morning until 6 o'clock in the even -
Glyn, Mills & Co.' the bankers, only a short mg.
Several moriths afterward be discover-
distance away. The paying teller there ecrhat she would also have to account, in
rememberedhe same way for Feb, 23, The Hargreaves the call and the refusal of FebFeb.
19, end also the return oathe same woman and their solicitors kept this information
from the Osboraes as long as pessible.
on Feb. 23. Another clerk watched him
When the trial was opened on Dec. 16,
pay her the cash. They described, with a
. before Mr. justiceDenmanan Queen's Bench
little variation in dress, the sante woman
whom Spin & Son had described. The Division of the ThoyaleCourts of Justice,
k
paying teller said that he had offered to pay. Capt. Osborne and his counsel were confe
her halides, but much to his. surprise,
see dent of victory. Mrs. Osborne, as far as can
li
be judged from her manner was as cool and
had asked. for gold. He countea• out the
gold and put incbag for her. It weighed confident as they Were. Sir Charles Rus -
more than nine emends avoirdupois.
She sell's presentation of her innocence were
s
clear and logical. He rather insinuated
'celled la cab, and, , taking the bag in a er
ariasso that her cape concealed it drove that Mrs. Hargreave had stolen her own
.away. major Hargreave and yee. Hegeamet, jewelsfor scare unknown motive, and he
dealt far from lightly with "Limb" Engle-
maild trace her no ferther ; but both felt
• The announcement of Ethei's engagement
to Capt. Arthur °theme; of the Ca.rbmiers
hadtust been annotmeed. Ethel Elliot was
then 25 years of age -a tall, well -formed
woman, with good ideas eboat how to dress
herself and a disregard for her ince= in
carrying out the ideas. She has brown hair
earnest 'mown eyes, and very beautiful white
teeth, which her lively disposition made her
how muchaef the time. She was a llama -
some girl, with indications of good breeding
lat meaner and dress. She heti known Capt.
()theme over since she had known any one,
and they bad been in love for a long time.
He had some expectations from his father,
but was hard prossea while waiting for them
to be realized. He was respected for his
straigh tforwardness and his courage. Ethel
was very proud of him. She appreciated
his good qualities and loved him as much at
Ise loved her,
In December, 1890, when the engaeement
was Announced, she was in great financial
straits. A. crisis was approaching, and while
she was just as gay as ever,she probably lay
awake a good deal wondering how all the
tradespeople were to be paid, and how the
wedding was to be arranged. aler brother,
of wham she was very fond, Was in the
depths of the dumps with tailors' bills, and
florists' bills, and the like, far beyond hie
power to pay. Cot Osborne was in the
same condition. An army officer always
has debts, and Capt. Osborne was wondering
bow he could square matters and get into
shape for the marriage.
tiajor Rargreave went to Aix on Feb. 4,
and on Feb. 9 Ethel arrived. Shetold Mra.
Dargreave a good deal about her trouble,
and she guessed she would have to sell the
last of the bonds in which her mother's es-
tate was invested, although the amount
would not be nearly enough. 'Mrs. Hay-
greave said the Major was so mean that she
would have to stay away from Ethers wed-
ding because she couldn't buy a gown.
Ethel wouldn't, listen to that, and offered to
give her $50 to buy the gown in time for the
wedding. Mrs. Hargreave, or Georgie, as
they called her, agreed to that, filially, and
Ethel promised to send the money as soon es
she returned to London. After they had
cauvassea their troubles thoroughly they
enjoyed lifo quite gayly with the aid of
" Limb" Englohart, who was in constaut
attendance.
On the month eye after Ethel arrived at.
Shirley she and Mrs. Hargreave went to a
photographer and sat together for &picture.
Mrs. Hargreave wore all her jewels, will*,
by the way, showed up very poorly in the
picture. When they returned Mrs. Har-
greave did not put her jewels back into the
secret drawer, but left them overnight in the
cash box. Mrs. Hargreave called Ethel into
her bedroom the next morning, and the two
women talked about the jewels while the old
servant, Avant, was at work in the room.
Then Ilia. Hargreave sent Avant out, and,
having closed and looked the door, opened
the secret drawer, shelving Ethel how
it was due. She told Ethel that
five persons now and five persons only
knew of the existence of the drawer -
herself, Ethel, Major arargeave. Mr. Engle-
hart, and the maker. Mrs. Hargreave put
the jewels into their boxes. She noticed that
the inseriptiou on the box containing the
diamond and the pearl earrings was obscure.
So she remarked it "Two diamond earrings.
Two pearl ditto." Then she closed the
sedet drawer, which was made so that it
shuthard, andthe subject of the conversation
wt changed. BM Ethel did not pat out of
hermind her knowledge of the secret drawer,
the beauty of those big pearls, like small
bird': eggs, end tho flash of those diamonds
worth $2,000 at least.
Ethel was to. have returned to the Bola
tots on Friday, Feb. 13, but Mrs. Har-
greave persuaded her to stay until the fol-
lowing Wednesday. She and Mrs. Har-
greave were together constantly except on
Smithy morning between 10t ocluck and
noon. Of that hour and a half there are
two stories Ethel Elliot says she stayed
downstairs the whole time lounging n,beut
the library and -dieing room, Avant the
old servant of the Hargreaves says that
soon after Mrs. Hargreaves went out, Ethel
came up stairs to. Mrs. Hargreave's bed
room, where she was making un the bed.
She said; " Avant, p'ease go clown and
get me a glass of milk." Avant went down
and was gone about five minutes. When
she came back Ethel was standing in the
door of Mrs. Her:gem:ea room. he , took
the glass of Milk and went into the bed-
room *here she was sleepingduring her
visit. Avant thought nothing more about
that until nearly a month afterward.
Ethel 'stayed until Wedneedey, Feb. 18,
and then Mre. Hargreave went alow miles
up the raikaaa with her to see Weft
They parted the best of friends, st,3e ealling
Mrs. Hargreave " Dear Georgie" and Mrs.
Hargreave calling hea" Topaz Deme""whieh
was Ethel's pet name.
Mrs. Hargreave (ticket look at her jewels
for several days, not 'tit Feb. 20, m fad.
At 11: 30 o'elock on that„Friday Morning
she had an errand in Torquay, and she
thought she wonld take her diamond earrings
along and have themaeset. She went Over
to the cabinet and was startled to find tliat
the secret drawer was not quite jamnied
in.
•
" How careless of me," she thought. cc
did not shut it tightlythe other•day."
'Shepulled it oue and examined the writ-
ing en the tops cif the teems. She could not
fina that boa marked two cliamond ear.
rings. TWO pearl ditto." She took the draw-
er clear (attend searched eagerly, She leaked
in all the other drawers ;Main the drawers
of her dressing case, although elle felt sure
that the jewelhcl been,taken. She sell &for
tae servants; and, .no longer 'caring for the
seereb of the cabinet, she called them into
her bedroom to search. After an hour's he
by gaslight. I slipped on my dressing gown t
and. wrote my letters -one to Mrs. Har-
greave, which is before the court and
another to Capt. Osborne. It tookme from
half to three-quarters of an hour, towrite
the lettere., .1 ram& for my heasernead, wbo
took them down to the page bay to vest.
ithen went up stairs to have my bath, re-
• turning to my dressing :room about, .11 or
soon after, I then commenced to dregs, and
that toth me from three-quarters of an
hour to an hour. 1 dressed completely for
• malking oib. White I was dressing my
brother Hugh came into my room unex-
pectedly; and we had some conversation
about our immediate intended movements,
I also saw my housemaid ancl instructed her
as to the alteration of a petticoat, which I
afterward had packed in a box and sent
away I then left the dressing room.
" Before going out I went into the kitohen
togive my orders to the cook.. That took
about twenty minutes. I then left the
house, somewhere about half past 12. I
walked from The Boltons to Messrs, Whit-
tingham & Humphreys', in Onslow place,
quite close to South Kensington station.
That took about a quarter of an hour. I
then.asked for Mr. Humphreys, a member
of the firm, from whom I had ordered my
trousseau. I had to wait about a quarter
of an hour for him,and then had a converse -
tion as to the trousseau. I was occupied
with him from three-quarters of an hour to
an hour, leaving about 1, or half past.
Next I went to Mme. Poncerot, who is a
dressmaker in Alfred place West. I was
there five or ten minutes. Oa my way
home I bought aome flowers of a woman at
the Queen's gate."
Thet took her past the time of the sale of
the jewels. For Feb. 23. when the check
was cashed by the ban ers, she said, in an-
swer to the question whether she went out:
"No, I did not. I did not leave the house
the whole of the day. Miss Dashwood, Mrs.
Saunders, a dressmaker, and the servants
were in the hobse that day, and my • sister
Evelyn returned from Hastings at 0 o'clock
in the evouing."
After Sir Edward Clarke heel cross exam-
ined her, the people present felt that she
had scored a triumph. Tbey did not notice
that Sir Edward had made 'her show nearly
an hour of time between 12L and la unac-
counted on Feb. 19, nor did they realize
that he had involved her account ad her
finances so that she had confessed to far
more money than she had theright to have.
She left the stand followed by applause, and
even Sir Charles Russell smiled at her.
She bad made only one misstep apparently,
and that did not concern the theft •
Other witnesses came to corroborate her,
and fcr Feb, 23 she hal the beat proof that
she was in the house. Miss Dashwood was
phitive, Mrs. Saunders was positive. She
could not have gone out for an hour.
Soon after the beginning of the session of
Dec. 20, Justice Denman handed down a
note which he had just received by special
xnessenger. He read, it and handed it to the
attorneya. Both became intensely absorbed.
The note was from the Messrs. Benjamin,
Ulste House, Conduit street, and set forth
that late in the morning of Feb. 23 a lady
steped from a cab and brought a bag of gold
containing £550, into theirshop,asking them
to give her notes for it. They had not the
notes and directed her to the National Pro-
viLtcial
Bank. The council kept this note to
themselves, butsentout inquiries iminediaie-
ly. The trial went on, and Mrs. Osborne
and aer husband sat theta listening calmly
and attentively while the detectives were
following the trail.
The deteetives aseertained that the woman
had got notes for the gold at the National
Provincial Bank. They copied the numbers
of the notes, aud event to the Bank of Eng-
land. It was late in the afternoon, and the
officials bad much formality to go through.
At last they found one of the notes. It had
come trom Maple's dry goods house. Writ-
ten across it, in an unmistakable handwrit-
ling, was the name "Ethel Elliot". At
Maple's they said a lady living at The
Boltons had paid it to their agent in the
latter part of March in exchange for a C.O.
D. package.
The court had adjourned for the day by
that time. al hen the now facts were laid
before Sir Charles Russell he saw at once
that Ethel Elliott had deceived everybody.
He sent for Cepa Osborne and toldtbe facts
to him. Capt. Osborne refused to believe
them. He went home and confronted his
wife. He told her what Sir Charles had
said, and that he was going to withdraw
from the case. He told her that he dill be-
lieved her, that she was innocent, and he
knew it. And she still denied the accusa-
tion still stood for her own innocoace. She
haeforgotten that her mune was on one of
the notes. That was Saturday.
There were several consultations during
Sunday, but Sir Charles could not convince
Ethel that she leas caught, nor could he
thakeCapt. Osborne's belief in her innocence.
Early on Monday morning, Dee. 21, Capt.
Osborne went with Hugh Elliott and his
solicitor to the Bank of England to look at
the notes. "1 will know that it is not. her
handwriting," he said; "1 cannot be de-
ceived." For nearly a year she had
written to him every day. He was
familiar with each shade and turn of
her writing. Others might be fooled by
a fancied resemblance, but he would
know. They went to the bank. The offi-
cer handed him the note. He looked at the
name so lightly written there and yet so dis-
tinctly, and as he looked he shook from side
to side, and, before any one could catch him
he fell to the floor. They could not bring
him back to consciousness for several hours
to the knowledge that his wife was doubly
a liar and that the child to be borne shortly
would have a thief for a mother.
There was a scene never to be forgotten
viten the counsellors, with grave faces en-
•
teure Ethel Enid was the thief, , Mr. Engle. hart. • e '
hart went to Torquay .and . brought back Mrs. Osboyne was the.lirst witness. The
photographs of Ethel Elliot, which Mrs.
vital parts of her testirnonY were in regard
'•
Hargreave was mot unwilling to givemp., to her money affairs andhea whereabouts on
Feb, 19 and 23. Her appearance made a
The- aldtits in Lae:banker's office and in the
jewelry shop; were •almostmeetain pliat the most feadrable inipieseion on the jury, the
portraits wefe thosof Mrs. Price. She crowd which filled the dart room, and even
-e
on the Judge. She was cool, and she ans.
had written a tAlice Price" on the ' check
vihen she cashed it.- - • .;• e . wered questions promptly and with no at-
tempts at evasion.; The defend had not
The nette step Was to., bring Ethel Elliot
isclosed the hours it which it Was especial -
before the clerks. Mr. Englehart decided d
to go to' see her • brother et his' chambers iu ly necessary for Mrs. Osborne to account for
the Temple. OnMonday, Marc a, at 3.30 heraelL' She described her actions on each
P. M. he presented himself before Hugh
of the days. For Feb. 19. the day after her
• i
Elliot, He stammered and fussed about a return from' Shirley and the day on which
'good cleat - : - : . .. Alice Price had sold Spink the ,jewels, she
" Have,you noticed anything particular sad:
or pecnliar about your sister, :Miss Ether's " I breakfasted in mybedroom that morn-
meimer lately ?" he asked. " . ing.,. ' My breakfast was brought up' by the
Hugh Elliotsays he thought " Liinb "had housemaid. I got up a,t 10 o'clock. It was
been drinking. ' . a nasty, foggy morning, and I had to dress
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