The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 266: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

PE te a ee = age ‘Rodney, and ere now read from the batrister’s| THE MYATERIBS OF THE CORT. a eee re aie en ea and overheard every syllable that was spoken. One voice was that of a man—the other that of ¢ woman. The woman said she bad juat discovered that there wes a mint of money in the iron safe: the wan said he supposed therefore the job was for that night. The woman assented, and spuke of having waited for positive information whether Mr. Pollard had got the money in the house to pay tu Mre. Hayner. After some little more con- yersntion, the witness overheard the man say some- thing about the means that had been adapted to get the woman into her position as Pollard’s house- keeper; but all that was said upon thie point ia not clearly remembered by the witness. The wo- man addressed the man as Barney; and the name of ul Scott was two or three times mentioned. The witness tarried at the gate until it auddealy opened—and then she hurried away. But hearing the man follow her, she was apprebensive of mis chiei: she accardingly crouched down under ‘the wall---he passed eloso by her aide, but happened pot to come ig contact with her; and a8 the lane was involved in total darkness, ha behold her not. Such, my lord and gentlemen,” e¢oncluded the counsel for the defence, “ia the deposition af the witness whe for the reasons stated cannot appear in yuur presence: anid those same reasone will a¢- count for the fact of her having abstuined from declaring to the authorities all she know, until a few chance words which she the other day let drop, caused an inquiry tou be made, and led to the aft. ing of the raatter.” lt would be impossible to describe the sensation which prevailed in the court during ood after the readiuy of this deposition, Lettice Rodney clasped ler hands tugether—the tears ran down her checks —she was weil nigh overpowered by her emotivns. Mrs. Webber grew palo as death; and her trau- bled looks were flung nervously around, to ascer- taiu the unpression made by this decurment. The counsel for the prosecution was astonished—e feel- ing in which the judge and jury evidently parti- cipaled ; and the spestators showed by their eounteuances that their opinions were undergoing a rapid change, turning in Letliee Rodney's davour and therciore against Mrs. Webber. * | will now read from my instructions,” said the counsel for the defenee, “the description which the prisguer has given her legal adviser of the two ill-looking persons whom she allegea to have seen with Mr. DPollard’s housekeeper on the memorable night of the foul tragedy which has led to this judisal inquiry.” Tho barrister accordingly read the personal dcriptions ¢f the Burker and of Bill Beott ; and when he had finished, he said, “At this stapes of the proceedings I will call back the witnees whoro I jugt now sent out of court—i tocan thp detectave officer.” This witness was aecordingly re-summoned ; and on again making hia appearance, he was desired by the counsel for the defence to describe the persuns of Barney the Burker and of Bill Beott—the two individuala whom be had seen on several oecasigns enter the alley comn.unicating with the Smedieys’ abode. That discription tal- lied to a nicety with the one given by Lettice instructions. But there was still another witness furthcoming Pd aie I MGS i, ORS. oar age Pa Rete ie Gp. aie eee yada for the defonce ; and thie was the landlerd of the law public-hofae, or boozing-ken, at which Barney and Bill Sceutt had ladged when they wore ad Livar- pool. The public-house itscl! was in the clese vieinage of the late Mr. Pollard’y abada; and the landlord proved ¢hat the time when the Burker and his acolyte lodged beneath his roof, wae pre claely that when the murdey was committed, He evan recollected that thoe were out late on the pertiqular night itself, and that ibey took their departure gt @ very ourly hour in the morning ¢ but he had not then the faintest idea that they were the authors af the erme, masmucd aa it ap- peared to be so qumpletely brought home to Luttieo Rodney, . Scarcely was the landiard’s evidence givon, when a person entered the qvurt aud handed u papor to the counsel for the defence, It was nuw six o'clock in the eyening—the trial had lasted the whole day—aend several hours bad glapsed since Mrs. Wobber first appeared in the witness-box. “i have yet something te submit to the Oourt,” said the counsel for the defedaie.. “The dotevtive officer who ie in attendsnce’ here, inatructed his brother-detectiva who was engaged with him in the metropolis in the same cass, to be at the Lon- don terminus of the railway this day, @o that he might be in readinoss to act according to any ine structions télegraphed up to him. At the outset of her evidence in the morning, the woman Webber gtated that she had some time back beon in tho servics of certain deceasod ladies, whom she named. Upon this answer being piven, a gentle. man in court--who from bumane wotives is ine torested in the case—sped to the cloctric telograph ufice, and sent up certuin inatructiona tu the de- testive in Londan. Theso were promptly actod upon: the results of certain inquiries havo been telegraphed down to WLiverpoal; and the paper containing them, bas just beon placed in my band. Though the ladies whom the woman Webber named, have coused to exist, yet thoir familica still live, and still cecupy the samo dwellings. Tho anewers they gave to the queries put to them by the detective officer in Loudon, furnish a cumplete refutation 6» the womap Webber's statements in respect to Lr ever having occupied giluations, in the rervice 0, the deceased ladies.” , ; The gvuunsel for the defence handed the telee graphic despatch to sumo one neur, that it might be passed to the olerk of the evart; and when is Lad been spad, the barrister observed, “ My lord, and pentlemen of the jury, without avother syllably that is my case!” All eyes were now turned upon the eouncel for the prosecutiun ; and this gentlowen, yising from his seat, eumply romarked that he had dune his duty in placuy the charge before the court in the first instance according to the instructions be bad reevived-- bul. he significantly added that aftor the turn whieh matters had taken, he should pot fury a moment think of exercising bis right to reply te the case for the defence. This qunvuncement wag received with a certain sensstion indicative of app plause, which ‘the ushers of the court did nos attezpt to suppress: for they themsclves doubte leas Lad their feelluge enlisted in the same startling drama which thue for so many hours bad heen commanding so vivid an interest. The judge said but a tow words in charge to the jury,—morely (C A, SS CO NOG