The East Huron Gazette, 1892-02-11, Page 3TE.
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• • •
TR GREAT PE
•
L CASE.
A Tras story that Recently Agitated Eng
Sisk society to its Depths.
Whlle the men and women who take the
principal parte in this drama of life, which
might be called " The Crime and Punish-
ment of Ethel Osborne," are not of the high-
est social rank as in the somewhat similar
baccarat ease, they are of excellent birth
and of the best English culture. They are
gentlemen and ladies, as the English make
those distinctions. And it may be said safe-
ly that this, drama will lose nothing for hs
lack of sonorous titles. Had any great
writer put this story into a book, word for
word, detail for detail, as it has been re-
vealed in the English houses and shops and
courts, people would have read it with /ab-
sorbing interest, bnt it is doubtful whether
the realistic school would have given it a
favorable criticism.
It deals with the crass of people whom
Thackeray has presented at the worst in
" Vanity Fair," those who drift about the
outskirts of high society, sometimes getting
in and generally getting left. They have
extravagant tastes, which they indiilge far
beyond their exceedingly limited means.
Their days are full of battles with trades-
people, and their nights are often wakeful
with plans for the inevitable catastrophe
which is somehow or other always put off a
bit. The church and the army are the two
great refuges for the men and rich marriages
for both men and women. They live on a
trifling sum allowed to them by some richer
relative, and their hopes are for legacies, for
windfalls, for new affairs of any kind.
There is always a comedy side to this life
—for the spectators. It is always more or
less a tragedy for those concerned. Some-
times, oftener than the newspapers indicate,
there is such a tragedy as this, with the
climax just at the right time, andithe last
curtain falling on sorrow and shame and
despair.
L
In such an atmosphere Florence Ethel El-
liot, her brother, and her three sisters were
brought up. Their grandfather, John
Elliot of the Albany, Piccadilly, is a man
of a good deal of wealth, but "so funny,"
to use Miss Elliot's polite phrase. His only
son studied taw aid was admitted to the
bar, but he never practised. The father
male him an allowance, and, when he mar-
ried, increased it so that he could lead an
idle life and bring up a family with just too
little money tie be comfortable. The son
had four children, one of whom died. They
were brought up in a pretty little house at
Tergumonth, in Derbyshire, not far from
Torquay. At Collingwood, Torquay, lived
Mrs. Martin and her granddaughter, the
great aunt and the second cousin of the
Elliot children. There were frequent visits
between the families and Miss Martin was
especially fond of little Ethel Elliot,
In 1876 Miss Martin married Major Har-
greave, an officer in the army, living on
$2,000 allowed him by his father. Major
and Mrs. Hargreave lived with Grandmoth-
er Martin, Mrs. Hargreave being allowed
$2,e00 by her. Mrs. Martin had as heirlooms
and by purchase a collection of jewels
worth nearly $75,000. Each piece was aa
gem in its way, and the old lady was wont to
shew them to visitors as an especial mark
of favor. From time to time she gave Mrs.
Hargreave one of the jewels, promising to
leave her all at her death.
• In 1885 Ethel Elliot, grownto a fine-look-
ing girl of 20 years made along visit to
Mrs. Hargreave. They went about a good
deal, among other places to a ball at the
Imperial Hotel. Soon after that Mrs. El-
liot heard that Mrs. Hargreave had intro-
auced Ethel to a certain Radcliffe Hall,
whom she had heard was a highleaimproper
person. She also heard that there was a
pertain Mr. Englehart, a rich bachelor of
Torquay, who was on too intimate terms
with Mrs. Hargreave to suit the nice sensi-
bilities of Torquay respectability. Mrs.
Elliot felt much aggrieved, and, after writ-
ing Mrs. Hargreave a sharp letter, broke off
all relations with her.
That state of affairs lasted until 1887,
when the quarrel was patched up by explan-
ations, and the old cordial relations were re-
sumed. In 1887 Mr. Elliot died, and in
1889 Mrs. Elliot died. She left each of her
children about $6,000, and the shares of
Mrs. Geach, the oldest sister, Hugh, Ethel,
and Evelyn were afterward increased by the
death of a sister, Old John Elliot allowed
his grandchildren something—to Hugh, who
had beeome the kind of a lawyer his father
was, $2,000 a year, $2,500 tor household
expenses, and a house at The Boltons, South
Kensington, a district of London, rent free.
They moved to The Boltons immediately,
ar.d for a time lived fairly well. Hugh,
having all his time at his disposal, spent a
great deal of money. The $6,000 he got
from his mother was spent soon. Then he
borrowed a good part of his sister Ethel's
share, into which her love for fine gowns,
boots, hate, and the -like had made terrible
inroads. Finally he borrowed a good part
of Evelyn's share to relieve his most pressing
debts.
In January, 1890, old Mrs. Martin had
died, leaving all her jewels to Major Har-
greave's wife, but dividing what money she
had equally among her heirs. The Har-
greaves had to move from Collingwood, and
in the fall of 1890 established themselves at
Shirley, Torquay, much closer to the hand-
some establishment of Mr. Englehart, whom
the Major and his wife called. "Limb" on
'mount of the length of bis fine legs.
" Limb " had become almost a part of the
Hargreave establishmeht, and Torquay was
edified sequently by seeing him and Mrs.
Hargreave in the frontseatof one of his traps,
whilethe Majorsatdocile and bearningon the
single aeat behind. By that time, September,
IMO, Mrs. Hargreave had lost two jewels,
one while returning from a cricket match at
Torquay, and undoubtedly on the road, and
the other, a pin of sapphires and diamonds,
either at The Boltoes when Mrs. Hargreave
pus visiting there, or on the train going from
London to Torquay. Mrs, Liarzreave sbot
sure about that. She always carried lie
jewels about her when she tweelled. She
wore them in a small - leather bag strapped
to her waist and under her corset. Whether
tither of these losses has to do with this
story ns one has ;mid, and only one person
iould say.
Major Hargreave, being an extravagant
man, was always bard pressed for money.
He and his wife were not on the best of
terms in private life, although nothingof
that appeared in public. They occupied
separate- apartments, they went fteakiita
ways. She actuate!Mtn Of meanness to her
Medi The facts were kept from the ser -
yenta as far as was imssible; and teem the
two daughters, who Were 13 and 15 years
Of age. Mrs. Hargreave would never listen
to his frequent complaints that she had
$75,000 1 ed up in jewelswhen they neede
ed money. She Could, not mske ap her
Windt° part with a_ tingle jetateliiandt
aiming atArinett /est news of her treasures
du:via-get abroad- and attract- burglars,
hes:this ealeinethfrointWhitialeiceeta:#
titheatehiagt bad a cabinetmaker, whoinade
&aro** of setwetedrawternand-00.
•
ments, put a secret drawer in it. Mn.
Hargreave, being very proud of it, sent the
servants out of the room and showed Major
Hargreave and Mr. Englehart how it was
worked. It was a black cabinet with two
small drawers on either side. The secret
drawer was under the lower drawer on the
left side. She took the bower drawer out
and a false bottom was revealed. Wi h a
hat pin she pressed a tiny hole in the centre
of the false bottom and a small drawer
sprang out from what seemed to be the
carving and ornamentation of the lower
part of the cabinet.
Mrs. Hargreave kept in that drawer a
tray withforms to fit the rings and pins and
several small white pasteboard boxes, each
containing certain jewels, the names of
which were written on the covers of the
boxes. She showed the whole process to
the two men and then cautioned them never
to tell anybody.
Major Hargreave was about 40 years of
age. In December, 1890, a disease of the
blood that he had contracted in India be-
gan to trouble him, and he decided to go to
Aix-la-Chapelle for the waters. He was to
leave on Feb. 4, and, as Mrs. Hargreave
did not care to be left alone, she sent for
Ethel Elliot to come from The Boltons and
visit her for a week.
11.
The announcement of Ethel's engagement
to Capt. Arthur Osborne of the Carbiniers
had just been announced. Ethel Elliot was
then 25 years of age—a tall, well -formed
woman, with good ideas about how to dress
herself and a disregard for her incoma in
carrying out the ideas. She has brown hair
earnest brown eyes, and very beautiful white
teeth, which her lively disposition made her
show much of the time. She was a hand-
some girl, with indications of good breeding
in meaner and dress. She had known Capt.
Osborne ever since she had known any one,
and they had been in love for a long time.
He had some expectations from his father,
but was hard pressed while waiting for them
to be realized. He was respected for his
straightforwardness and his courage. Ethel
was very proud of him. She appreciated
his good qualities and loved him as much as
ha loved her.
In December, 1890, when the engagement
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. Her brother,
of whom she was very fond, was in the
depths of the dumps with tailors' bills, 'and
florists' bills, and thetike, far beyond his
power to pay. Capt Osbosne was in the
same condition. An army officer always
has debts, and Capt. Osborne was wondering
how he could square matters and get into
shape for the marriage.
Major Hargreave went to Aix on Feb. 4,
and on Feb. 9 Ethel arrived. She told Mrs.
Hargreave 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. Han
greave said the Major was so mean that she
would have to stay away from Ethel's 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 finally, and
Ethel promised to send the money as soon as
she returned -to London. After they had
canvassed their troubles thoroughly they
enjoyed life quite gayly with the aid of
"Limb" Englehart, who was in constant
attendance.
On the morning after Ethel arrived at
Shirley she and Mrs..Hargreave went to a
photographer and sat together for a picture.
Mrs.- Hargreave wore all her jewels, whioh,
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. Wargre.ave called Ethel into
her bedroom theTtext morning, and the two
women talked about the jewels while the old
servant, Avant, was at work in the room.
Then Mrs. Hargreave sent Avant out, and,
having closed and locked the door, opened
the secret drawer, showing Ethel how
it was dane. She told Ethel that
five persons now and five persons only
knew of the existence of the drawer—
herself, Ethel, Major Hargeave. Mr. Engle-
hart, and the maker. Mrs. Hargreave put
the jewels into their boxes. She noticed that
the inscription 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
secret drawer, which was made so that it
shuthard, and the subject of the conversation
w changed. But Ethel did not put out of
hermind her knowledge of the secret drawer,
thee -beauty of those big pearls, like small
bird'; eggs, end the flash of those diamonds
worth $2,000 at least.
Ethel was to have returned to th:t3o1-
toes 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
Sunday morning between 10t- ocluck and
mate Of that hour and a half there are
two stories. Ethel Elliot says she stayed
down stairs the whole time lounging about
the library and dining 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
roorn, where she was making up the bed.
She said ; " Avant, pease go down 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. Hargreave's room. She took
the glass of milk and went into the bed-
• room where she was sleeping -during her
- visit. Avantthonght nothing more about
that until nearly a month afterward.
Ethel 'stayed until Wednesdey, Feb. 18,
and then Mrs. Hargreave went a few miles
up the railroad with her to see her off.
They parted the best of friends, she calling
Mrs. Hargreave "Dear Georgie" and Mrs.
thargreaveaalling her " Topaz Dear," which
was Ethel's pet natne.
IIL
Mrs. Hargreave did not look at her jewels
for several days, not until Feb. 20, in fact.
At 11 : 30 o'clock on that Friday morning
she bad an errand in Torquay, and she
thought she would take her diamond earring*
along and have them reset. She went over
to the -cabinet and -was startled toifind that
the secret drawer was not quite jammed
,
HOW careless of me," she, thought. " I
did not Ant it tightly - the other day."
She pulled it out and examined the writ-
ing on the tops of the boxes. She could not
fini that box minted "two diamond ear-
rings. Two pear She took the draw.
r clear outandaearched eagerly, She looked
.in ali the otheediesa*eitaleattin#0, drawers
of dressing haseettathanigh site felt „sure
--:that the jewels-1101*in talten,-Slmsentfor
thneeive...10s;-*C4-1*--,--1.44***ie;for-the
440tevitttogabilief;'slie-,ballalhein into
abedroom to search. After an hour's in.
einieie,s with
anodgaresnivee
tsLerhseenpt tea.
elegrrs"1-
:011to i73b"n
Limb, me diamonds and pearls are
gone," she said when Mr. Englehardt ar-
rived.
Nonsense," he said. "Have yoa looked
eve here" he said.
" They have been
sto,lgernh.
en I'll take a description to Capt.
Barberatonce."rhrd
was the Superintendent of
the Torquay police. Mr. Englehart had
hardly spoken of the loss of the jewels be-
fore Capt. Barber laughed and winked and
saitd‘ i expect the Major's got 'em."
Everybody whowas interested knew, how-
ever, that the Major was at Aix, being rub-
bed and scrubbed and drenched, inwardly
and outwardly. Capt. Barber sent two
Sergeants of Police, who searched the
house inside and out, questioned the ser-
vants, ran round the gardens with their
noses to the ground, and otherwise excited
terror and admiration. They ascertained
one valuable fact. No one had left Shir-
ley to go any distance since Miss Ethel El-
liot lett on Feb. 18.
The jewels must have been taken between
Feb. 11, when Ethel and Georgie had looked°
at them together,
and Feb. 20, at 11:30
o'clock, when the boss was discovered. Fie e
persons knew the secret of the drawer. Had
any one of those five told the secret? Had
a servant, peering through the keyhole, seen
the drawer opened, and afterward discover-
ed the secret? The police asked carefully
about Miss Elliot, but Mrs. Hargreave in-
digaantly and positively thrust her from
suspicion. Mrs. Hargreave was inclined to
suspect her husband, although she could not
see how heeould have done it. On " Limb's"
advice she kept the loss from her letters to
him until a letter she wrote on Feb. 25, five
days afterward. He got that on Feb. 26,
and he was so much enraged over the loss of
the jewels he had cursed so often that he
forgot to get angry at the sentence, "It
you have taken them by intention, or other-
wise, I hope you will let us know at once."
" Limb " determined to sift the matter to
the 'bottom. Accompanied by a detective
from Torquay; he went to the city a d ad-
vertised the matter in the official paper of
the London police. He also seut a circular,
containing a description of the pearls and
diamonds, to every jeweller in London.
Major Hargreave returned to London from
Aix on March 2, bnt he took little interest
in the search. Indeed, there was little to
do except wait for developments.
Soon after the loss was discovered, Mrs.
Hargreave wrote to Ethel Hargreave,telling
her all about the loss. Ethel wrote back
sympathizingly, and in a day or two, inon-
swer to another letter from Mrs. Hargreave,
wrote that she had dreamed about the jewels.
Mrs. Hargreave was much impressed by that
friendliness. , Ethel was very busy just at
that time getting ready far her marriage
with Capt Osborne which was to be on
April 5th.
On March 8 Messrs. Spink & Son, jewel-
lers at 2 Gracechurch street, answered the
circular, saying they thought perhaps they
had the jewels. Mr. Englehart, Capt. Far-
ber, and May Hargreave drove the next
morning to the jewelry shop, and two hours
later Mrs. Hargreave got a telegram an-
nouncing that the jewels had been found.
Mr. Spink told the gentleman that on Feb.
19, shortly after 12i o'clock, a well-dressed,
fine-looking young woman, whose dress one
of his clerks was able to describe with some
accuracy, had come into the salesroom over
the sh..p, and had offered for sale the two
stolen pearls. He said that they saw at once
that she was a lady, and he further said
that there was nothing about her cool and
perfectly self-possessed manner and speech
to indicate that there was anything wrong.
As the pearls were large and of an especially
good quality they agreed to give her £550
($2,750) for them. When they asked her for
her address she wrote: " Alice Price, 14
Hyde Park Gardens." Following their cus-
tom, a clerk looked in the directory and
found no such person at that address. Mr.
Spink politely explained that to the lady,
whereupon she smiled, and without the
slightest confusion or hesitation said; " Oh ;
I am simply visiting there. I am Mrs. Price
of Radcliffe Hall, Bradford." The firm had
not at that time a set of country directories.
As there seemed to be nothing strange in
the young woman's story, Mr. Spink gaye
her the firm cheek for £550. He saw noth-
ing more of Mrs. Price of Radcliffe Hall,
Bradford, until Feb. 23, when, at about
11:3) A. M. she walked in again. She said
to the clerk who had waited upon her be-
fore that she had presented the check at
Glyn, Mills & Co's, the bankers, upon
whom it was drawn, and had learned that
she could not get cash for it. She asked him
to change it so that she _could get cash.
He very accommodatingly wrote "Pay
caeh," on it. She thanked him and went
away.
Major Hargreave, as soon as he found out
about the theft, wrote Capt. Barber -that
he suspected Ethel Elliot. He, said after-
ward that she was always talking about
money, and that on one occasion she had
said that she " would not stop at any crime
for oof," the last word being a cant word
much affected by the English. as a synonym
for money. A doubt has since been raised
as to whether the Major himself did not
utter the remark, When the major heard
that the youngwoman described as a tall
brunette, hail given as her home Radcliffe
Hall, a place having no existence; his mind
reverted to Radcliffe Hall, who had caused
the coolness between the Elliots and the
Hargreaves. He became convinced that his
first suspicion was correct.
From Spink & Son the gentlemen went to
Glyn, Milk & Co.' the bankers, only a short
distance away. The paying teller there
remembered the call and the refusal of Fele
19, and also the return of the same woman
on Feb. 23. Another clerk watched him
pay her the , cash. They described, with a
little variation in dress, the same woman
• whim Spink & Son had described. The
paying teller said that he had offered to pay
her in notes, bet numb to bis surprise she
had asked for gold. He countel out the
gold and put in a bag f9r her. It weighed
More thmi nine pounds avoirdUP019.
called a- cab, and, taking the bag in F er
arms so that her cape concealed it drove
away. Major-Hargreave and Mr. Eng -khan
could trace her no further; but both felt
sure Ethel Elliot was the thief. Mr. Engle-
hart went to Torquay and, brought back
photographs of Ethel Elliot, which Mrs.
Hargreave was most unwilling to 'give up.
The clerks in the banker's office and in the
jewelry- shop were almost certain that the
portraits were those of Mrs. Price. She
had written "Alice.Price" on the check
e
e
s.
t° go tic' See -March 9,at 3.30
ptb eh.iewhen°Tmreem.8 thi ec.lcashedheeot Monday, 1 presented roMt hrdehimself .r and
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The next stepwas to bringmaEttoldeludiedot
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'Ws* he thought
- . . • • -
ti Why, no,-Mre Englehart,' --he repliede
" What do you mean ?"
Mr. Englehart fell to stammering again,
and at last blurted. out : "They say—they
say that—in fact—she is- said—she- is
thought—she is- suspected of having taken
some of her cousin's jewels."
Mr. Elliotlooked at Mr. Englehart with
an expression which made the latter stam-
mer more than ever.
" What do you mean," Elliot said, "by
coming here with that sort of a story ?"
Then Englehart managed to gite the facts
on which the suspicion was grounded.
Elliot himself offered to confront his sister
with the clerks. He made an appointment
for the following morning.
As soon as Englehart had gone Elliot hur
ried home and told his sister of the out-
rageous charge that had been brought
against her. She took it as any honest
woman would take such a charge, and her
manner was such that her brother felt it
would have been adding insult to injury to
have asked her point blank if she took the
jewels. That did not enter into the quest-
ion. The brother and sister awaited the
morning engagement with apparently equal
impatience. Mrs. Geach, the older sister,
accompanied them to the test. Mr. Spink
and his clerks identified her positively, al-
though they said the difference in her cloth-
ing, and especially the change from the
large hat she wore before to a very small
hat, altered her appearance a good deal.
The bank clerks were not so positive, which
was in a certain way a point in her favor,
and when one of them pointed to her and
said, " certainly not this one," she turned
her undisturbed countenance toward her
sister and laughed merrily. In fact, after
her first indignation she was disposed to
look on the whole aflair as a joke. She
could see how such mean people in money
matters as the Hargreaves were could rush
to such a false and unjust conclusion, and in
her triumphant innocence she pitied them.
Capt. Osborne came post-haste in answer
to a. telegram, and found her in that serene
mood. But he was not disposed to look on
such a scandalous and shameful accusation
so lightly. Of course she was innocent ; a
doubt of that never entered his head. Even
when the ugly facts began to peer on every
side his confidence, as his conduct shows,
was unshaken. He had several stormy in-
terviews in the next few days with Major
Hargreave, with Englehart, with solicitors.
Major Hargreave said point blank that the
money must be refunded and the other
jewels returned or there would be an arrest.
He said that he and his wife were convinc-
ed against their will by overwhelming proot.
All these events brought April 4, the day
set for the wedding, very near at, hand.
And the Hargreaves were so enraged at
Ethel Elliott that when they beard Capt.
Osborne had resolved that the wedding
should , go on they sent a solicitor to him,
warning him that his intention had better
be abandoned, as his fiancee would be ar-
rested on April 4.
The wedding was not to be a public
affair, as originally planned, but wastes)
be in the presence of the immediate
family- only. When Capt. Osborne re-
ceived word of the intended arrest the
wedding was put off, and,- instead of
being married on April 4, Ethel Elliot and
Capt. Osborne sat in the little parlor of The
Boltons all day awaiting the arrival of the
officers. Her face was not so bright as it
was a few weeks before, and her eyes had a
look in them which made honest Capt. Os-
borne shut his lips whenever he looked at
her. The next day they were married. Capt.
Osborne had the notice of the marriage print-
ed in the newspapers and also sent a person-
al note of it to Major Hargreave's solicitors.
The relatives of the bride and groom had
stood by them firmly in all their troubles
and had approved the marriatie even in the
lace of the scandal which all felt sure was
coming. Capt. Osborpe's father settled $75,-
000 and $2,000 a year upon him. Ethel
Elliot's grandfather settled $25,000 and
$1,000 a year upon her, with $1,000 a year
more to be paid back when Osborne came
into his father's estate.
Major Hargreave bad entered enit against
Spink & Sou for the recovery of the jewels,
which they thought they could hold under a
queer old English law. He had also served
notice on Mrs. Osborne that she must pay
over the money she had got for the jewels
and sign a confession of her guilt or take the
consequences. Matters were in that condi-
tion when it came to the ears of Capt. Os-
borne that Mrs. Hargreave and the Major
were talking of the scandal and rapidly
making public that which had before been
known only by the persons intimately con-
cerned.
Although that enraged Cant. Osborne. yet,
in auother sense, it pleased hit -t. It gave
him the chance to bring a suit for slander
and give the lie to the Hargreaves, who
were slandering his wife. The public can -
nee know how Mrs. Osborne took the Cap-
tain's proposal to bring a suit for slander
and put her innocence to the frightful teat
of a trial in open court. But from what is
knOwn of her she can have made only slight
objection, and in all probability site urged
him oil when she seem how near to his heart
the matter' lay. Capt. Osborne's solicitors
retained Sir Charles Russell, and when no-
tice of the suit was served on the Hargreaves
the latter part of lune they retained through
their solicitors Sir Edward Clarke. By the
retaining of these renowned counsellors on
opposite sides the case was certain of wide
publicity even had it been less sensational.
When the papers began to come in Sir
Charles Russell found that Mrs. Osborne
would be called upon to account for every
moment of her time on Feb. 19 from 9 o'clock
in the morning until 6 o'clock in the even-
ing. Several months afterward be discover-
ed that she would also have to account in
the same way for Feb. 23. The Hargreaves
and their solicitors kept this information
from the Osbornes as long as possible.
When the trial was opened on Dec. 16,
before Mr. JasticeDenmamin Queen's Bench
Division of the 'Royal Courts of Justice,
Capt. Osborne and his counsel were confi-
dent of victory. Mrs. Osborne, as far as can
be judged from her manner was as cool and
confident as they were. -Sir Charles Rus-
sell's presentation, oi her innocence wore
clear and logical. He rather insinuated
that Mrs. Hargreave had stolen her own
jevrelsior some unknown motive, and he
dealt far from lightly with " Limb" Engle-
hart. -
Mrs. Osborne was the first witness. The
vital parts of her testimony were in regard
to her money affairs and her whereabouts on
Feb. 19 and 23. Her appearance made a
most favorable _impression on the jury, the
crowd whichfilled the court reom, and even
on the Judge. She was cool, and she ans-
wered questions promptly and with no at-
tempts at evasion. The defence had not
disclosed the hours at which it was especial-
ly necessary for Mrs. Osborne to account for
herself. She described her actions on each
of the days. For Feb. 19. the day after her
return from Shirley and the day on which
Aline Price had sold Spink the jewels, she
said
" I break -bated in mybedroom that morn-
ing. "-My breakfast was brought up by the
'd. - --Igot isp at 10 o'clock. It Was
a naetY, foggy morning, and I had to -dress
by gaslight. I slipped on my dressinggown it hi PBAKLISOV
and wrote nay letters --one to Mrs.
greave, which is bef the eie
ore court, and
another to Capt. Osborne. It took me from:
all to three-quarters of an hour to write
the letters. I rang for my housemaid, who
took them down to the page boy to -posh
I then went up stairs to have my bath, re-
turning to my dressing room about 11 or
soon after. I then commenced to dress, and
that took me front three-quarters of an
hour to au hour. I dressed completely for
walking out. While I was dressing mei
brother Hugh came into nay room unex-
pectedly, and we had some conversation
about our anmeliate intended movements.
I alio saw my housemaid and instructed -her
es 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 kitchen
to give 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.
The 1 took about a quarter of an hour. I
then asked for Mr. Humphreys, a member
of the firm, from whom I had ordered my
trousseen. I had to wait about a quarter
of an hour for him,and then had a conversa-
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 Mine. Poncerot, who is a
dressmaker in Alfred place West. I was
there five or ten minutes. On my way
home I bought some flowers of a woman at
the Queen's gate."
That took her past the time of the sale of
the jewels. For Feb. 23. when the check
was cashed by the banters, she said, in an-
swer to the question whether she went out :
" No I did not. I did not leave the house
the
"No,
of the day. Miss Dashwood, Mrs.
Saunders, a dressmaker, and the servants
were in the house that day, and my sister
Evelyn returned from Hastings at 51 o'clock
in the evening."
After Sir Edwarcalgerke had cross exam-
ined her, the people present felt that she
had scored a triumph. They did not notice
that Sir Edward had made her show nearly
an hour of time between 124 and lt unac-
counted on Feb. 19, nor did they realize
that he had involved her account of her
finances so that site had confessed to far
more money that she had the right to have.
She left the stanll followed by applause, and
even Sir Charles Russell smiled at her.
She had made only one misstep apparently,
and that did not concern the theft.
Other witnesses came to corroborate her,
and fcr Feb. 23 she had the best proof that
she was in the house. Miss Dashwood was
pesitive, Mrs. Saunders was positive. She
could not have gone out for an hoar.
Soon after the beginning of the session off
Dec. 20, Justice Denman handed down a
note which he had just received 'by special
messenger. He read it and handed it to the
attorneys. 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-
vincial Bank. The council kept this note to
themselves, but sentout inquiries iminediate-
ly. The trial went on, and Mrs. Osborne
and her husband sat there listening calmly
and attentively while the detectives were
following the trail.
The detectives ascertained that the woman
had got notes for the gold at the National
Provincial Bank. They copied the numbers
of the notes, and went to the Bank of Eng-
land. It was late in the afternoon, and the
officials had 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-
ting, 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. W hen the new facts were laid
before Sir Charles Russell he saw at once
that Ethel Elliott had deceived everybody.
He sent for Capt, Osborne and told the 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 still be-
lieved her, that she was innocent, and he
knew it. And she still denied tle accusa-
tion,
still stood for her own innoceeee. She
had forgotten that her name was on one of
the notes That was Saturday.
There were several consultations during
Sunday, but Sir Charles could not convince
Ethel that she ,was caught, nor could he
s ha,ke Capt. Osborne's belief in her innocence.
Early on Monday morning, Dec. 21, Capt.
Osborne went with Hugh Elliott and his
solicitor to the Bank of England to look at
the notes. " I will know that it is not her
handwriting," be said ; " I cannot be de-
ceived." For nearly a year she had
written to him every day. He was
1 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 yetso 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
waen the counsellors, with grave 1 faces en-
tered the court room and the defendants
took their seats and looked triumphantly
at the vacant seats of the plaintiffs. Sir
Charles Russell apologized for his insinua-
tions against Englehart and the Hargreaves
and asked that a verdict be given for the de-
fendants without further delay. Sir Edward
Clarke explained the complete exposure of
Mrs. Osborne as gently as he could. Sir
Charles Russell, so moved that he could
scarcely articulate said that the suit was
withdrawn at the- imperative instructions
of Capt. Osborne. " I hope I may be per-
mitted to add," said Sir Charles, "that
throughout he has acted as a thoroughly
honorable and chivalrous gentleman."
Ability involves responsibility. Power,*
its last particle is duty.
To have a coarse marked out before- Iland
is to be prepared for difficult:tee _
If we can still love those who taverna&
us suffer, we love them all the move
Lifting somebody else's burdens is the
best thing to do to make your own lighter.
Men who undertake consideraate things,
even in a regular way, ought to give us
ground to presume ability.
To appreciable of steady friendship and
lasting love, are the two greatest proofs
not only of goodness of heart, but of
strength of mind.
Hope not to find in philosophy the end of
the doubts which perplex you ; for philos-
phy can only suagest problems which the
Gospel alone can solve.
There are moments when by someetrange
impulse we contradict our past selves—fatal
moments wben a at of passion like a lava
stream lays low the work of half our lives.
It is not the question how much a man
knows, but what use he can make of what
he knows ; not e, question of what he has ac-
quired, and how he has been trained, but
of what he is, and what he can do.
The love of God can neither coniole, eni
lighten, nor sanctify, nor even save us—the
love of God indeed is to us as if it had never
been, so long as it is- not shed abroad in our
hearts by the Holy Spirit, and mingled in
us by faith.
Every one has an ideal of life higher than
his actual life reaches. We should all like
to be better, nobler, more just and generous
and disinterested than we are. Through
self discipline alone can we climb this ladder
and approach this ideal.
Why lie Laughed.
Andrews—The papers say that the:Presi-
dent laughed immoderately when Marshal
Wilder, the humorist, called on him.
Bennett—I don't wonder. Wilder's grim-
aces would make anybody in the world
laugh.'
"That wasn't what made Harrison roar."
"What was it, then!"
'5 Wilder's remark that he was a New
Yorker, but he didn't want anything from
the adieninistration, or any office, whatever,
• under any circumstances."
"Well, there is something very funny in
that."
fro
.e' thoughts -
proceed
• Gm the heart.
4 I
The best of our glad days sometimes come
quickly following the most sorrowful, just
as mist and storm are often succeeded by
the clear shining after the rain. No one
can be sure that to -morrow will be beauti-
ful, but he can hope so, and there is a pleas-
ure in looking for streaks of light in our
sunsets which we should not deny ourselves.
Often reproof and criticism that might be
moat salutary if couched in a few cogent
words are rendered simply irritating and
repulsive by the verbosity which seems to
like to linger upon the shortcomings of an-
other. We need that sensitiveness by which
we eau detect the unspoken feelings oi
others and forestall the first symptoms of
weariness. This and the self-denial that
accompanies it are among the beat marks of
that kindly and generous spirit which are
the essence of all true courtesy.
The highest duty that ever come; to a
man is not to do a deed of prowess or win a
material victory, but to endure, suffer, and
die for truth or freedom. The highest honor
that a man can bear in life or death is the
scar of a chain borne in a good cause. Stand-
ing here by the grave of a man who lived
and died humbly, modestly, and poorly, we
look not for powers of achievements, we are
not deceived by lowliness, by poverty, nor
even by errors; we find that, after the gift-
ing of death and years, there remains to us
his adoration, courage and devotion. To
these we have raised this stone, to honor
their memory in a dead man, and to remind
living men that love and gratitude are the
sure harvest of fidelity and trustworthiness
Schoolboy English.
The following is an extract from a work
entitled "Original English," compiled from
essays written by London schoolboys :—
The Cow.
" The cow is a noble quadrerped, though
not so noble as the horse much less the roar-
ing lion. It has four short legs, a big head
for its size and a thick body. Its back legs
are bent, and there's two big bones sticking -
out just above. Its tail'smore noble than
the donkey's, but nothin' to cum up to that
of the race horse. The cow gives us milk
and niced beefand shoolether. How thank-
ful should children be to this tame quarer-
ped. The reason why beef is so dear is be-
cause that cows cost so much and the earth
is gettin full of people. 1 allways have beef
to my dinner on Sundays • on other days
bread and drippin or bread an lard, some-
times treackle Mother says if I'm hungry on
my rounds I can eat a piece of cat's meat if
it doesent smell, but I mustut eat the liver
she says. How thankful we out to be to
the cow for uiced hot beef. Pertaters
grows ; they are not on the cow. The four
things what yousees under the cows belley
are what the milk comes through, How
thankful should v e be. The cows makes
milk from grass. God teaches the cow how
to do it. A cow's feet are spilt in two, like
sheeps they are called hooves Little cows
are called carves. Carves are the stupidest
of all tame quadrerpeds, except pigs and
donkeys. When you drive a carf, never
prick it behind, but push it gently with
your fiat hand. Men are crewel to carves
coz they cant draw milk from them. You
can genly find mushrooms in cows fields, but
you muiont go in if there's a board up. ow
would your mothers like you to be called
trespass? Bulls are very much like cows, but
are fierce quadrerpeds. You can always
tell hulls from inrivs' coz bulls are black and
not quite so fat. Bulls are not tame quad-
rerpeds, and they look as if they could run.
You can allways tell them that way. When
my mother sees a bull she allways stands
with her back to the wall till its gone past,
and she holds my hand. If a bull wanted to
hurt my mother I would pull mother in a
hedge and then kick out. Cows are painted
different colors ; wite and red and yellow.
When they are black and white they are
genly half bulk, so you must not go near
them. There is wbat is called cream which
rich people eats • it is got from cows which
are all 'white. flow thankful should rich
people be for gettin what they call cream from
the cow. Yon can learn lessons from this
poor quadrerped ; not to kick, not to tress
pass, and not to persercoot people"
Both Were Slightly Battled.
" I'm in a hurry," said a Bloomer farmer
rushing into one of our hardware stores
yesterday; " just got time to catch the
train. Give me a corn -popper quick !"
"Alt right sir," replied the clerk. " Do
you want a large pop -corner ?"
" No, just a medium -sized ---an ordinary
porn -copper."
"How will this cop-porrier do ?"
" Is that a pon-corper ?"
"Yes. But you are getting a little tate
tied. You mean a corn-porper—no, a porn-
copper—no, a "—
" I mean a con porper."
"Oh, yes, a pon-eopper."
" Yes, be quick! Give me a pop -cc -Hier,
and be quick."
"All right. Here's your pun -cooper."
Only Half Snceeseful.
Poet—Two weeks ago I sent a _poem and _
sent a stamp for approval.
Editor—Yes, 1 zemembar. We approved- .,
of the stamp. It war a dorsy. Ilan% re,?-,
membsr the poem:
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