Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

11 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

- THE MEN IN WOMEN'S CLOTHES.j

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THE MEN IN WOMEN'S CLOTHES. j On Saturday morning, Ernest Boulton and Frederick W. Park, the young men charged with conspiring together to incite to the commission of a felony, were again brought up before Mr. Flowers, a.t Bow Stree". Mr. Haxhell, proprietor of Haxheli's Hotel, said he first saw Boulton on the 7th of April last. He came dressed as a man, and was introduced by Mr. A. WestropT) Gibbins, a very old customer of the hotel. Mr. Gibbins was a gendemanof independent property, and followed no ocjupat:on. Boulton stayed at the hotel eight days. Mr. Gibbins, who had arrived at the hotel in March, remained over the time that Boulton stopped. Mr. Gibbins intro- duced Boulton as the best amateur aeiress on the boards." Mr. Gibbins occupied a bedroom and sitting room, 83 and 84, and Boulton, who was his guest, slept in 85, which was on another floor. Mr. Gibbins said that Boulton had been specially in- vited from Edinburgh to join a little musical party, He had seen Boulton in female costume about four times while staying at his house. He went out three or four times in the evening in full evening dress as a lady. He was usually accompanied by Mr. Gibbins, Mr. Somerville, and Park. Gibbins and Boulton went out on these occasions in ladies' dress. Somerville always went out dressed as a man, and Park sometimes as one and sometimes as the other. He knew Mr. Thomas, whom he understood to be a gentleman of independent property. He always came to the hotel in his own carriage. Thomas, who was also introduced by Gibbins, occasionally dressed in women's clothes. He came in his carriage so dressed to dine with Gibbins. On the night after the boat race Mr. Gibbins gave a musical party and ball at witness's house. It commenced at nine o'clock and finished about half-past three. Gibbins, Thomas, Cumming, Boulton, and Park were present in ladies' ball dress, They all, with the exception of Thomas, dressed at the hotel. There was to his knowledge another gentleman there dressed in lady's costume. He understood his name was Peel. There were six or eight" real "ladiea there, whom he understood to befriends of Mr. Westropp Gibbins. The witness was in the room the whole of the time. A slight disturbance arose npon one of the guests wishing that there should be more dancing and less singing, to which Mr. Gibbins objected. The witness then suggested that they should wind up and clear out," which was done. By Mr. Flowers: Mr. Gibbins is about twenty-two years of age, and Mr. Thomas about twenty-three ortweny-four. Mr. Gibbins had remained at the hotel till a few days ago. Cross-examined by Mr. Besley: Gibbins said he was coming up for a week's frolic, and wished to give a small party with music, in the way of enter- tainment. He is a most accomplished musician. He came again and said, "I think I will make it a little fancy dress affair," and that some of them would come in drag "—a slang term for ladies' dress. Mr. Flowers: This is the first time the meaning Df the term has been given in evidence. Cross-examination (continued) He then ordered the programmes to be printed; they were printed a few days before the ball. I sent him the proof. I think the invitations were posted from my house. One was to an address in Edinburgh. The sending out of invitations was not done in private at all. The number of friends originally intended was twenty-five, but they came near fifty. My difficulty was to arrange the supper for the extra persons, and that was the only thing which took me out of the ballroom for an instant. I heard the observations about these young fellows, such as How well they're acting!" "What fun it is!" I never saw any improper gesture or action. I do not think they were as long as an hour at supper. I heard Boulton sing very charmingly. It was his popular song, "Fading away." He sang it twice or three times or even more. Every one was delighted with it. I got them the best piano I could, according 10 my own view. I believe everybody thought they were men in women's clothes. There was no con- cealment. His voice was a perfec" soprano. One person said. It is a lady," and I told him it was Mr. Ernest Boulton, and he said it was the best ladv's voice he ever heard. I believe Mr. Boulton arrived with his luggage on the 7th of April, the dav after the boat race. To my knowledge he was not in London till then. I understood he had been pLiying ladies' characters in good society. I ex- pected him on the 7th of April. I fancy I saw a cri- tique on Mr. Boulton's periormance a" Scarborough. Mr. Gibbins t)ld me he himself had played at L^ug- ham Had! for the benefit of some charity. They were all young men—mere boys. By Mr. Straight: The ho'el was full when these things were being carried on. There was not the slightest impropriety; if there had been, I would have turned them all out. Park always came to my house as a man, then dressed as a woman, went out in the brougham, came back and dressed as a man again. I was surprised to hear the grave charge against them, and was very much hurt. Un- til convicted, I would never believe they were guilty. By Mr. Poland: I told Mr, Gibbins that there was no harm in going in ladies' dress to masquer- ade or fancy parties, but I said, If you go to pri- vate boxes depend upon it you will get into trouble. I advise you not to do it." I am willing that all my books should be examined. I never heard any person use the term drag," and I understood him to say it meant going about in women's clothes. I undertake upon my oath to say I believe everybody at the ball knew the "ladies" were gentlemen dressed up. I see that gentleman (Mr. Shaen, who was called into court) I don't re nember him at the ball. Mr. Gibbins talked of giving another little party in May. I heard there was a lady who fainted at the ball. By Mr. Besley: The lady fainted after supper. I sent a medical gentleman who was in the roomtc attend to her. He said she was a little overdone with the supper, and would soon be all right. Mr. Straight: It always is the supper, and 1101 the champagne. The steward of the Berkeley Chambers, 13 Bruxon street, said Mr. Gibbins took rooms in the chambers from the 1st of April. He had not been there for a out a fortnight, although he had given no notice to quit. He had been introduced by Park, who was a yearly tenant at the chambers. Park generally slept at home. Park took chambers in December, but did not enter upon possession till the midd'.e oi January. At the time he wore a moustache. Peter B iberts, one of the warders in the House of Detention, put in a list of the articles of clothing worn by the prisoner when first brought up at Bow- street. By Mr. Besley The prisoners have had friends to visit them s nce their arrest. I do not know that Mr. Cumming, has visited them. I do not know the names of any of the visitors. Mrs. Agnes Dickson said she let lodgings at 118, Princess street, Edinburgh. Boulton lodged with her from the latter end of October in last year to the beginning of April. Mr. Louis Charles Hurt took lodgings for him. Mr. Hurt lived in the house during the time Boulton was there ard paid all his exp-nses. Hurt had a bedroom and sitting room, and when he was away on business, ashe frequently was, Boulton occupied his bedroom. Sometimes, when Hurt was at home, they forgot to order a bed for Boulton and then he and Hurt slept together. The witness identified the handwriting in the three letters read in court on Saturday, and signed "Louis" as being that of Hurt. She also identified to the best of her belief other letters handed to he]; ns being in the handwriting of a person named Fish who used to call to see Hurt and Boulton, in Princes-street. At the co-e of the evidence Mr. Poland proposed to read the rest of the letters. There was one, how- ever, he said, which, containing a number of pri- vate names, ought not to be read in court.—Mr. Flowers agreed in that opinion, unless the defen- dants' counsel desired it.—Mr. Besley said he should ask to have all the letters read in court, if the Trea- sury continued to refuse to give him copies of all the letters which the police had seized.—Mr. Poland said that, his case being substantially closed his Learned Friend had a right to copies, and should have them. He would have to ask for the committal of the prisoners upon the evidence adduced.—Mr. Besley: On what charge?—Mr. Poland said he should ask that they be committed—firstly, for a general conspiracy to commit an abominable crime; secondly, conspiring with other persons to commit an a ominable crime; and thirdly, by conspiring to incite other persons to commit the same crime. And there is also a question whether it would not be to commit an offence against common decency, for which they would be amenable at common law. Also, with reference to Park, there would be evi- dence before the jury to show that an offence had actually been committed by him. Mr. Besley: But it is necessary to state with whom, how, when, and where ? Mr. Poland I should fall back upon the legal charge, as—with oivers persons, at divers times, between such-and-such and a time and the present. The prisoners were then remanded for a week. The Birmingham Festival, it is announced, will begin on the 30th of August, and end on the 2nd of September. The novelties are Mr. Benedict's St. Peter," and two cantatas by Ferdinald Hiller and Mr. Barnett the large works being Mendels- sr) hn s Elijah, Sir M. Costa's Naaman," Handel's "Messiah and Samson,' and Mozart's "Requiem." We learn (says the Musical Standard) that the Three Choirs festival is exposed to far greater danger of extinction than has hitherto been sup- posed, a "cold fit having suddenly supervened after the preliminary attempts made to arouse re- sidents to a sense of the necessity of collecting JB8,000 on the part of the city and county within three years. RISK ALLAH BEY.—This person, whose trial in Belgium caused so much interest some time since is about to appear again before a law court in the character of a plaintiff. It appears that H-.sk Allah took passage on board the steamer Teverino for Bey- rout but the vessel was wrecked and his baggage was lost. He has made a claim to a large amount upon the Messageries Imperiales and has com- menced a suit in the First Chamber of the Civil Tri- bunal of Paris.

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