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Sequel to a Rhos-on=Sea Matrimonial…

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Sequel to a Rhos-on=Sea Matrimonial Dispute. The Alleged Larceny 0«c\ Extraordinary Conduct of the P/oseearifeM'. Defendant Discharged. Ox Saturday Mrs Mary Travers Morgan, formerly of Devon House, Rhos-on-Sea, who figured as the defer, dant in a matrimonial dispute which was fully reported in last week's Pioneer," surrendered to her recognisances on a charge of having feloni- ously stolen a number of articles, the property of Mr Beiamin Sugden, of Manchester, and Rhos-on- Sea. At the previous hearing of this case last Thursday defendant was not represented, and the case was adjourned for the attendance of her solicitor, Mr Bliss-Hill, who now appeared on her behalf, Mr Francis Nunn being instructed by Mr Sugden to prosecute. The magistrates present were Mr T. G. Osborn (in the chair), Dr Venables Williams, and Mr George Bevan. A large number of people were in court, the case, which was reported exclusively in last week's issue of this journal, having aroused intense interest in the district. Sergeant Tippett, re-called, said he had a letter which prisoner attempted to burn. He could not sav whether the letter was in the handwriting of prisoner or not. She took it out of her pocket, and threw it on the fire. Witness took out the pieces and said, You must not destroy it." Prisoner said, It was only a letter I AYKOTE TO MY I'NCLE." The letter, as far as it could be deciphered, was as follows :— My dear Alice,-I have sent mv boxes on to Colchester station Tuesday, 13th. There are five boxes, large ones. My husband is in debt, and I have to send away the best I could. They belong to me, and they have nothing to do with mv hus- band. The detective police are after them. I have sent them with uncle's name on. Will you t)lease send to Colchester station for them, and I will make it right. Please ask them what they want. I hope you will see that they don't take any away, as 1 they are all my goods. I hope you will not be frightened. I cannot At this point the rest of the letter was unread- able. The Chairman We don't quite see how this letters bears upon the matter, and if it cannot throw any light opon the missing articles, it does not help us in the least. Mr Nunn I have made no comments. I only hand it in in the course of my duty. Sergeant Tippett said on Saturday morning he further charged defendant with stealing an electric cruet and mahogany desk, the property of Mr Sug- den. She replied, I havn't got them." Addressing the bench, Mr Nunn said since the case was last before them further evidence had been obtained with the result that the prisoner was charged with stealing a silver cruet and a desk, as well as the books, table-cloths, and basket, which were produced in court. The additional evidence he intended to call would show that the cruet and the desk, which were the property of the com- plainant, were removed by her from the house when she KXEYY THEY WERE NOT HERS, and after she was warned not to touch them. The defendant's husband's daughter, Miss Emily Morgan, would prove that the articles were formerly in the house, and were not there now, and an independent witness, named Mr Stevenson, who at first was inclined to side with the defendant in her previous disputes also give evidence as to their disappearance. Another witness of absolute impartiality was Mr Parry, the stationmaster, who would swear that he heard defendant say that the basket was Mr Sugden's. Mr Morgan, the husband of the defendant was also prepared to give evidence ztl against his wife. Mr Bliss-Hill said his friend could not call the husband, and asked for his authority if he had any. Mr Nunn said he should press his point, and let his friend submit an authority to prove that he had no right to call Mr Morgan. Mr Bliss-Hill said formerly the wife or husband could not give evidence against each other as to any offence whatever, but now the statute enacted that such evidence could be given by either parties in certain cases, which did not include that of larceny. The Clerk said he would advise the prosecution not to call the husband. Mr Nunn Very well, sir. Proceeding, he said he was at a loss to conceive how defendant could possibly think she had a right to take the articles. He contended that the fact of the goods being consigned to a consignor was evidence that some underhand work was on foot. Mr Benjamin Sugden, insurance broker, 30, Cross-street, Manchester, who gave evidence at the first hearing, was recalled and cross-examined by Mr Bliss-Hill. Witness said he hid charged de- fendant with having feloniously stolen certain goods belonging to him. He I I UNDERSTOOD THE GRAYITY OF THE CHARGE, and was prepared to take the consequences. He had not found one of the goods he specified on the sworn information, but he understood the case must go on. The Clerk said it was not a case of understand- ing. Witness must give a definite answer. Mr Bliss-Hill Can you identify this basket ? Witness It is mine. Mr Bliss-Hiil I say can you identify it ? Witness It's my property. Mr Bliss-Hill That's no answer to my question. You must identify it if you claim it. Witness I furnished the house with everything that is in it, and what is in it is mine. Mr Bliss-Hill You are wasting the time of the court, sir, by your evasive answers. The Clerk It's a simple question, Mr Sugden, and wants a simple answer, Yes or No. Witness How can I identify it among fifty articles ? I know it is mine, but I cannot actually identify it. Then why didn't you say so, and not waste so much time? Now, what about this book? Is it yours? My answer is the same with regard to all the articles. That won't do for me at all. You accuse, this lady of feloniously stealing these goods, which you say are yours. I am, therefore, simply asking you formally to iden- tify them. If they are yours, it's easy enough. They are mine, but I cannot identify them. Did you carefully examine this book to see if there was a name in it? No. I did not. Then you simply say its my book," and you remember having seen it before ? Yes. Then would you be surprised to learn that this book which is a "Casseil's Popular Educator," CONTAINS THE NAME OF THOMAS MORGAN on the fly-leaf. Yes, I should, but I still claim it all the same Do you. Perhaps you claim the whole of Rhos- on-Sea (Laughter) ? Mr Morgan turned over everything that he pos-essed in the house to me. We cannot call Mr Morgan to prove that. I wish we c uld. He would say what I do. You were a party to turning this woman out of the house ? p In what way ? You caused her to clear out. Her husband was my tenant, and not her. I don't know why he gave the house up. Witness would be very surprised to learn that defendant had purchased the tablecloths herself, and would not believe it whoever swore it. The value would be about 7s 6d. He would not give 2d for the book, in fact he would not be bothered with it. It was valueless so far as he was con- cerned. Mr Bliss-Hill You treat this' matter very Sir. flippantly, sir. Prosecutor I beg your pardon, I am not flippant. Witness said he could not say when the articles were last in his possession. He could not re- member seeing them before, as a matter of fact. The Clerk Then do you still charge her with stealing them ? Witness I really cannot say she stole them. I say they were missing from the house. Mr Bliss-Hill You do not allege, then, that she has stolen the things ? Witness No I say they are missing, and that is all I did say or intended to say. (Sensation.) Witness denied that Morgan was his present tenant. The Chairman said they did not know what was before them after that statement. Mr Nunn said his client had had a serious illness, and he was afraid he got mixed up. in what he I said: The basket was found by Sergeant Tippett in defendant's box. The Chairman But that does not touch upon the point. The question has been put dis- tinctly to your client—Is he prepared to charge this defendant with stealing this property, and he has as distinctly replied that he is not. Therefore, if he does not make such a charge, it seems to us that THERE IS NOTHING BEFORE ITS. Mr Nunn: I suggest that what my client means is this Mr Bliss-Hill said he should object to his friend putting any other construction on it. This was a criminal charge, and something else might I make prosecutor change his mind. Mr Nunn said his client lived at Manchester, and let the house to the defendant's husband. He, therefore, could not, of his knowledge, identify everything in it, even if all the property was his. But from the evidence which he has obtained, and will put before you, he knows that these articles, which are his, were taken away by the defendant. Would the Bench kindly put this 'question to the prosecutor, "Do you not allege that these articles, etc., etc., being your property, were stolen by the defen- dant from Devon House?" The Clerk said it was a leading question. The Chairman said he could not put-the ques- tion in the form Mr Nunn suggested. So far as we have gone, the prosecutor says he-does not charge the defendant with stealing the articles. He simply says the things are missing. Mr Nunn: But he means that he has the evidence of other people who can say defendant took them away. Prosecutor (interrupting) said he had no idea that defendant would be taken into custody, and when the sergeant told him he begged kim, if possible to let her out Mr Bliss-Hill: Did you not tell a certain person yesterday that you had bailed Mrs Mor- gan out? Prosecutor: No, I said I should, if I had been the police, have taken her word that she would appear. The Clerk: Is it wise to go on after this? Sergeant Tippett denied what Mr Sugden said. He explained to prosecutor what the situation was, and the consequences. Mr Bliss-Hill: My client was brought across the fields from Rhos through the deep snow, and LODGED ALL NIGHT IN A COLD CELL. It was done at the prosecutor's instigation, and now he states he did not want to do it. Prosecutor said so far as he was concerned he wished to withdraw the case, so long as it was thoroughly understood —5—- The Clerk: Stop a minute. Prosecutor Of course, I am in my solicitor's hands. The Chairman said the Bench were placed in an awkward position. Some of the articles al- leged to have been stolen were not before the court, and those that were prosecutor's could not identify. Mr Nunn said he was placed in an awkward sotiino mm bmbmbmzbzm bzbhmbzhmbz rfgm p6sition after his client's admissions, but as he was in his (Mr Nunn's) hands he thought he was bound to go on with the case, and call his wit- nesses. Mr Bliss-Hill was sorry to hear Mr Nunn say that. It was no part of his to press a case, which he was doing after what had fallen from the Bench. Mr Nunn: I really must protest. I am not pressing the case at all. I only want to pro- duce my evidence to show what I know. After consultations had taken place .on the bench, and between the clerk (Mr George) and Mr Nunn, the latter said After my client has reiterated his statement that he does not charge the defendant with feloniously stealing these things I think it right to disregard the evidence I had intended to bring forward to prove my case, having regard to the fact that it would be entirely neutralised by the prosecutor's state- ment. Therefore, I think it best not to proceed with the case. The Chairman Very well, we discharge the defendant.

Letters from the Seat of War.

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