Potter's Electric News

THE MARQUIS TOWNSHEND \ND THE SERVANT-MAID. At the Marylebone Police-court last week, Mr D'Eyncourt was called upon to adjudicate on a case in which summonses had been issued, between Mr Pitt, of Montague-place, and Lord Townshend, and Esther Grover, a servant-girl 17 years of age, and Mr Pitt, her master. The case, which lasted a long time, caused much merriment in court. Mr Besley appeared for Lord Townshend, the defendant in the first case. The summons charged Lord Townshend that he did wilfully assault Mr Samuel Pitt, of 6, Montague-place, Marylebone." Mr Pitt (an elderly gentleman of very brusque manner), on being sworn, said 011 Tuesday, the 17th inst., one of my servants told me that a gen- tleman wanted to speak to me. I went out and saw a man and woman, who had been at my house before. The woman was Miss Austin and she is the aunt of Esther Grover, my servant. On seeing them, I told them at once to leave my house. Then I saw Lord Townshend—in my house, stand- ing by a folding door. I said to him—not knowing him, and he not having been announced—" Leave my house at once." He then said he wished to see Esther Grover. I said, Who are you ?" He replied, Lord Townshend." Then I said, "My lord, I beg pardon, but you must leave my house at once." He replied that he would not until he saw the girl-my servant-girl. I sent my footman for a policeman. When he bad gone out, Lord Townshend pushed me aside very roughly, and, without a word, ran down stairs into my kitchen, sir. There he found the girl, and as I may say, sir, he brought bar up in triumph—leading her by the hand, sir. (Laughter). I said that as he had got her he might keep her, and he led her out of the house, without her bonnet or shawl, sir. (Loud laughter. When they had gone my footman re- turned with the officer, and I told them the birds bad flown. Cross-examined: Esther Grover had been in my service for eight months. She had also been at my country seat. I think she had been three months in London. I had a scruple about her, as my housekeeper told me Esther had not been [Confirmed. On Saturday, the 15th, I took the letters from my box. There was one addressed to Esther Grover. On Sunday morning I produced the letter. I said I would not let her have it because the word "Miss" was on it. I thought it was not proper that a servant should have such a prefix to the name as Miss." I had told the lady's maid to open Esther's letter. She would not do it; and I said if there was any hesitation about it I would open it. I took my paper-knife and cut it open. I thought, as it was addressed to Miss," it was not for her-that it could not be meant for a servant. I think servants ought not to be addressed in that way. Inside the letter I found one addressed to Miss Austin. Mr D'Eyncourt: What did you do with this i letter ? Mr Pitt: I had my horses put to, drove over to Miss Austin's, and delivered it myself. (Laughter.) Mr D'Eyncourt: Had your servant any wish to leave you ? Mr Pitt: She bad not then given me notice to 0,0. Mr Besley: I may say that the marquis has placed himself entirely in my hands-unreservedly so. He is acting now under my advice. What his lordship did was upon the'most charitable motives. Mr Pitt: I complain of his lordship having made an unwarrantable attack upon me in my own bouse. If he will only apologise--give me an ample apology-I will forgive him and forego any- thing further. (Laughter). Mr Besley Will you just- Mr Pitt: No, I won't; I'll take no second-hand apology from you. I'm not going to be run rough- shod over by his lordship, although he may stand high in the peerage. Oh, yes, I'll allow he stands high; but, pooh, pooh, what do I care for that? Let his lordship apologise. I am twice his age, and! he ought to have known better. (Loud laughter.) By Mr D'Eyncourt: The marquis rushed in as ifto a rescue, and conducted my servant out like—- a hero. (Loud laughter.) I wan't nothing-only an apology but I'll not have it second hand it shall be only from his lordship himself. Where is the marquis? (glancing round the court). Oh! there he is. Well, my lord, what do you say ? Laughter.) Mr Besley: The marquis acted from the very best motive. Mr Pitt: What! when be knocked me aside, in my own house, and ran down down into my kitchen. (Laughter ) Why, I am only surprised the ser- vants didn't throw soapsuds over him. (Loud laughter.) Will you apologise, my lord ? No response was made to the inquiry, and Mr Besley called Esther Grover, wbo said: My aunt (Miss Austin), with another friend and the marquis, came to the house, The marquis came down the kitchen stairs. I saw Mr Pitt on the stairs. Myself and the marquis passed by him. The marquis did not push him, and I wanted to go by of my own free will. Mr Pitt: Ah, but didn't he carry you out in triumph? (Laughter.)—Witness: No; I walked out. Mr Pitt: Why, he brought you-uut without any bonnet or shawl. (Laughter.)—Witness: You would not allow me to have any. Witness continued Mr Pitt asked me if I wished to leave, and I told him I did. He then wanted to know if my aunt was my guardian, and I said, Yes." This was not at all in reference to the letter, though I had complained of his opening it. He swore at me, and called me a —— fool. Mr Pitt: What, Esther? MrBesley: Bequiet, sir. Don't be so impetuous. Witness: He said lie would take me away to where no one could find me, and that he would find out what I was. In the kitchen Lord Towns- hend took me by the hand, and asked me if'my name was Esther. I said it was. He then led me out without my bonnet or shawl. Cross-examined by Mr Pitt: I told you I would not stop where my letters were opened. It was my wish to leave. Mr Pitt: How did you come across his lord- ship ?—Witness My aunt brought him. Mr Pitt: What's your age, do you say?- Wit- ness Seventeen. On the Tuesday morning I tried to get away, but you would not let me. On the Tuesday morning you took me by my arm, and pushed me against the wall. My aunt offered to pay a month's wages in lieu of notice. Mr D'Eyncourt: Then it seems that all this arises out of the letter. Mr Pitt: Why should servants style themselves "Miss"? A respectable person might do so, bat a servant Miss "—pooh Have you not been treated with kindness, both here and at Elstree 1- Witness Yes, sir. Margaret Austin, aunt of the last witness, was called, and stated that Mr Pitt acknowledged that he had done very wrong in opening the letter. He said he bad a habit of taking all letters to bed with him on Saturday night, He said, on Sunday a morning, after having slept upon them, he opened them. He told me there was one for Esther, and he gave it to her. In consequence of the letter having been opened, she went to that police-courf to see what could be done. It so happened that the marquis was there, and I spoke to him. Mr Pitt: Why did you speak to him? Mr Besley: Do not interfere, sir. Mr Pitt: Stop, sir, don't you intrude. (Laughter.) Witness continued: She'told the marquis, and he went with her, and Mr Pitt said she should not see her neice. Then the marquis asked to be allowed to see her; Mr Pitt: Why didn't he send in his cird like a gentleman, and let me know who he was? Is my house to be intruded upon by him ? Will your lordship apologise ? (Laughter.) Mr Besley I must say- Mr Pitt: No; I'll not have it second hand, sir. What rare fun this will be for the public (Loud laughter.) Witness He ssid his lordship should not see my niece. He said she was down stairs. The marquis went past him, and down stairs, but did not push him. I did not hear him tell the marquis to leave his house. The marquis did not push him on one side. Mr Pitt: You saw the note-paper or letter?— Witness Yes. Mr Pitt: Black edge, was it not?—Witness: Yes. Mr Pitt: Mourning?—Witness: Yes. Mr Pitt Are you not aware that black-edged paper is more costly than the plain 1—Witness I should think it was. Mr Pitt: Then why should servants have it sent to them ? (Laughter.) James Tuck, a butler out of place, was next called. He said he was with Miss Austin at the interview. Mr Pitt held up his hands and said to the marquis when he emerged from the kitchen, 'Now you've got her, take her away.' Mr Pitt was not pushed. By Mr Pitt: I have been out of a place for some time. Mr Pitt: Have you ever been entrusted with the key of a wine cellar 1 (Laughter.) —Witness That is rather a rude question, sir; but I have bad such a kev. Mr Pitt: You'll never have keys of mine to keep, sir. (Laughter.) Mr D'Eyncourt: I think the best end of this case would be for his lordship to make the amende to Mr Pitt; for clearly he had no legal right in the house. However good your intentions, my lord, might be, you had no right to push Mr Pitt on one z;1 side. Mr Pitt; Hear, hear. Mr D'Eyncourt; Be quiet, sir; but, if you do not apologise, I- The Marquis I am willing to offer him any apology for causing him any inconvenience-- Mr Pitt: Why didn't you say so before ? Mr Besley Stop, sir, Mr Pitt: I want none of your second-hand apology, sir. The Marquis: And for acting illegally. Mr Pitt: There you have said quite enough; stop, stop, ryy lord, stop. If you bad said as much before, I should have been satisfied. I don't mind now for it seems to have enlivened the Court. It has caused amusement. There, there, say no more T have seen your name in the papers, my lord. Mr D'Eyncourt dismissed the summons. Mr Pitt was then called upon to answer for the assault upon Esther Grover and he very frankly admitted that he did push her against the wall. Mr D'Eyncourt to Esther Grover: Do you wish Mr Pitt to be fined, or to be bound over to keep the peace ?-- Miss Grover: Fined, sir. The Marquis: Hear, hear. (Laughter.) Mr Pitt: Fined! you won't get any of the money. Mr D'Eyncourt then fined Mr Pitt twenty shil- lings and costs.- The Marquis Have I to pay any costs ? Mr Pitt: No give them to your beggars. I have read of you in the papers, my lord. (Laughter.) The whoie party then, apparently on the best terms, left the court. THE ABYSSINIAN EXPEDITION. ALEXANDRIA, MARCH 21. Intelligence from Annesley Bay states that all the troops forming the Abyssinian expedition, except a mountain battery of Royal Artillery and four com- panies of the 45th Regiment, have left Zouilla for the highlands. The health of the troops is good. Her Majesty's ship Psyche arrived here to-day from Malta. J ADEN via (MALTA), March 15. The surveying ship Hydra has arrived here, having been engaged in taking the line from Aden to Bombay for the projected submarine cable. The greatest depth obtained between Bombay and the island of Kooria Mooria is 2,080 fathoms. The Minerva and four other French ships of war are now in the Red Sea. The Minerva has left for Annesley. The British squadron in these waters consists of nine ships. —* LORD DERBY UPON HIS RETIREMENT. Viscount Neville has forwarded to us (The Globe) for publication the following letter, which has been addressed by Lord Derby to the Earl of Dartmouth, in reference to a resolution passed by the National Union of Conservative and Constitutional Associa- tions, expressive of regret at his retirement from public life 0 St James's Square, March 27, 1868. c My Lord-I have to acknowledge, with the liveliest gratitude, the address which your lordship has done me the honour of transmitting to me on behalf of the National Union, and the numerous Constitutional Associations whose names are annexed kindly expressing their regret at my retirement from office, and their hope that I should still be enabled to take part in the political business of the country. It was not without a pang, and only under a conviction of the absolute necessity of the step, that f found myself compelled to ask permission to with draw from the service of a Sovereign to whose gracious favour I am so deeply indebted, and to sever mv political connection with the party which for so many years has honoured me with its confidence, and for many members of which T entertain a personal as weil as poiitjcal regard. It was, however, very satis- aclory to me to be empowered to transfer the office, which I had had the honour of holding, to one whose ,o-operation and friendship I had enjoyed for more than twenty years, and who, I am persuaded, will prove himself not unmindful of those great consti- tutional principles which has been the study of my! life to uphold, and to which, so far as my health will permit, 1 shall not fail to give my earnest though unofficial support. I have the honour to be, my Lord, your obliged and faithful servant, (Signed) 'DERBY.' The Earl of Dartmouth.' SAVAGE AND FATAL FIGHT ON ABERDARF, MOUNTAIN. -Early on Monday morning a desperate fight took place on the Aberdare mountain, near the directing post, between Thomas Beynon (40), underground labourer, and Row- land Thomas, collier, aged 23, a grandson of old Rowland Thomas, well known by his work on coal mines of the district. The affair was arranged so secretly that the authorities were in complete ignorance of the meeting. So desperate and determined was the fight, that 62, some say 72, rounds were fought, and then Thomas was left tor dead. Beynon made off, but was captured, and is now in the cells, badly injured. Thomas lingered until two o'clock in the afternoon, and then died, the official statement being from a rupture of a blood-vessel. This is supposed to have been caused by a backward fall; but, all informants agree in regarding the fight as uncom- monly desperate, and stoutly contested. The survivor was so injured that he had to be carried into the police station. A GOOD SOLDIER.-Sergeant-Major Woodhouse died on Sunday last at Ciewer, near Windsor. He had been in no less than thirty-six engagements, but was never wounded, and .was never absent from his duties, either from illness or any other cause, during upwards of twenty-five years of his active service in the Coldstreaili Guards. He was eighty years of age, and had a family of eighteen childreen. Six served as soldiers, and theie are at the present time three of them non-commissioned officers in the 2nd Life Guards. One of them is a dtummer, and for his use her Majesty recently presented to the regiment a splendid Hanovarian cream coloured horse. The old soldier's regiment being on garrison duty at the present time at Windsor, he was buried with military honours there on Thursday afternoon. The band of the 2nd Life Guards, together with the corps of drums and fifes of the Coict3treanis attended. The old soldier was followed by his sons, several of the Life Guards, and all the non-commissioned officers of his regiment. Wreaths of laurel were spread over his coffin. He has lift an aged widow.-Pall Nalt Gazette. MISCHIEVOUS DOGs.-According to the statute law as provided by the 28th and 29th of Victoria, cap. 60, sec. 1, in case of sheep or cattle being in- jured by a dog the sheepowner may recover damages from the dogowner without showing a previous mischievous propensity, or the owner's knowledge of such propensity, or that the injury was attributable to neglect on the part of the owner.' The matter then simply is that if somebody's dog bites my sheep I can recover damages, but if the dog bites me I can recover nothing unless I can prove a scienter. It is difficult to conjecture upon what principle this dis- tinction between human flesh and mutton is grounded. Mr Pitt Taylor, the judge of the Lambeth County Court, had occasion this week to remark upon this ridiculous anomaly. A workman .passing a house with a sack, a dog ran out of the house and bit him, whereupon he sued the owner of the dog on account of the injury he sustained. The plaintiff not being prepared with any evidence to prove a scienter, the judge was about to dismiss the summons, when the plaintiff fortunately supplied the link, by stating that the defendant had informed him that his dog had once-been ill-treated by a sweep, since which he had always flown at sweeps, and he supposed that he might have mistaken the plaintiff for a sweep.-Soli- citors' Journal. THE OUTRAGE ON A LIVERPOOL MERCHANT.—At the Liverpool Assize Courts, on Saturday, before Mr Justice Mellor, four young men, named Wilson, Harris, Ford, and Jackson, were indicted for having assaulted Mr Adolphe Kusel, with intent to rob him. Mr Kusel is a wine merchant in Tower Buildings, and Jackson and Ford were two of his clerks. The other two prisoners were friends of theirs, and on the 24th of February last, about eleven in the morning, Wilson (dressed as a woman) and Harris (also dis- guised) entered Mr Kusel's office, his clerks having in the meantime left it. After some conversation about some samples, Harris and Wilson suddenly seized Mr Kusel, attempted to gag him, and beat him fearfully about the head with a life-preserver, at the same time breaking his right arm. When the pri- soners were first arrested they made statements that robbery was their object, and that, after dividing Mr Kusel's money, they would go to Australia and New Zealand. On Saturday, on the contrary, the counsel for the defence contended that the prisoners had some grudge against Mr Kusel, and that they went to his office merely for the purpose of giving him a good thrashing. The prisoners were all found guilty. Mr Justice Mellor said he should take time to consider the sentence, as the circumstances of the case were so peculiar. HORRIBLE ATROCITIES BY INDIANS.—On Sunday evening, the 5th February, a party of Indians attacked the station of Mr Friend, county Elano, Texas, during the absence of the men. There were several ladies in the house, including two named Johnson. One of the Mrs Johnsons seized a gun, which was taken out of her hand by Mrs Friend, who presented it at an Indian, but before she could fire the savage closed upon her, and, wresting the gun out of her hands, attempted to shoot her, but the courageous woman seized a chair and struck the Indian upon the arm, causing the gnn to fall from his 'hands. He then fitted an arrow to his bow and shot her through the arm, when Mrs Friend seized a flat iron and struck him with it upon the head, causing the Indian to stagger, but instantly recovering, the brute shot her again with an arrow, which glanced from a rib, but inflicted a dreadful wound. The Indian now knelt near Mrs Friend, drew his knife, and commenced scalping her. The pain of this operation restored her to her senses, when she seized the knife with her right hand and endeavoured to wrest it from him, but in vain, the knife being drawn through her closed band, cutting the fingers to the bone. This act was repeated three times with the same result, the Indian continuing scalping. He took three scalps from her head, two about two inches wide and three inches long, and the other about half the size. The knife must have been very dull, Mrs Friend thinks. Not satisfied with this. the Indian cut off her hair, wounded her several times on other portions of her head, and worked the arrow several times through the wound. I his was done probably to see whether any lIfe yet remained in the body of the unfortunate woman but Mrs Friend, though keenly sensible of all, feigned death so well from the time that she found it was useless to contend with the savage, that she uttered no cry or changed a muscle to show that. she lived. This was her only hope for life, and she knew it, and braved through an ordeal horrible enough to make a strong man tremble even at the thought of so much agony. The Indians plundered the house of all moveables of value, and left, taking with them the remaining women and children. On the dis- covery of the outrage a strong party of men followed the trail in pursuit, and in succession came upon the mutilated remains of the other women and children. The trail led the pursuers through the Comanche Springs' Settlements, where they found that the Indians had captured and carried off several horses in that neighbourhood. The pursuit was continued to the top of the Packsaddle Mountain, in the south- east part of the county, and given up in despair. Mra Friend is, strange to say, in a fair way to recover. The press and people of Texas are calling upon the United States Government aud General Hancock to rid the state of Texas of these monsters. Such blood- thirsty atrocities as the above demand the attention of all having power in this matter, and suggest re- prisals and a war of extermination as soon as tha I grass rises or suitable preparations caa be made.

leader. He contrasted the conduct of the Go- ^frnment with respect to Reform, and expressed IS fears that they meant to play the same game 'With respect to the Irish Church. Such an ambi- jpons amendment would never hftve been put orward by a.ny government, unless it had either no policy to declare, or one which it was ashamed to vow. The amendment was devioed to catch votes from both sides. To the gentlemen from the North Z, Ireland, it said, "Vote for me; I am the only Protestant champion." To gentlemen opposite, i Vote for me; I am educating my party.' He would n sooner attempt to tell how the weather cock would P01nt to-morrow, than predict the policy of the ead of the Government. Such a policy, such tnanagement as this was unworthy of the House and the Government, which ought to lead the It was impossible to tell under which 'ttible the pea would be found, for the noble lord 9 moved the amendment scrupulously avoided Jtying down any policy or principle of his own. ,ls greatest care seemed to be to avoid fettering j Government next year, and to gain time in c0.,fj *° see h°w public opinion would go. He ofti n°^ reconc^e t')is amendment with the letter the Premier. If the Government meant to be- ay the Irish Church, the amendment was clever; ut if they meant to act up to the letter, it was a ,.e^k and fatal policy. Such tactics were not only '^honourable but impolitic, for it was futile to rench themselves behind vague and ambiguous erances, which had a double purpose to serve, could never support such an amendment, and ju touch rather have met the resolutions of j^^tadstone with a manly, prompt, and direct jja^r ^aing felt that it would be better for this Par- ^to have completed the work of Reform, and di l as he should regret to see the Government disl)laced, chiefly on account of the foreign policy of the^ n^ey> stiH he could not sacrifice Ireland for gjVgs^e of the Government. They ought at once to he h A PeoP'e a pledge of their intentions, and Mr pi no ^es'tation in supporting the resolution of 80l Intone. They could not arrive at a practical Pav °^ <lues^011 this session, but they could ele way ^or a 8reat national decision at the next latil0n' Government was defeated, a resig- „ °»or a dissolution would necessarily follow but i)aver Present circumstances, it was not desirable to My6 a so'u^on> it would not be fair to take ^enf1*3^6 Pre(3icainent in which the Govern- lie i ,w^s placed. It was with this feeling that ad given notice of his amendment. he Solicitor-Geiieral complained of the factious Hichk^ character of the resolutions, the second of ^Uuti con(';en^e(i was illegal, and the third uncon- ^oiis ° • second, by a mere resolution of the T"er«poralities Act, and the third p]6d„ j fu een *° break the coronation oath, which and t Qaeen to «»aintain intact all the spiritual privileges of the United Church of Hot so Ireland. This being the case, he did cour«Qe w House could pledge itself to the TheS^MkS*e^ by Mr Gladstone. a' l2^o WaS a<^journe(^' an(i the House rose