Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

2 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

THE FUNERAL OF THE LATE MR.…

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THE FUNERAL OF THE LATE MR. ADAMS. The funeral of Mr. Llewelyn Adams-a notice of whose lamented death, and a short biographical sketch appeared in our last issue-took place last Monday, at Llan- fair churchyard. In accordance with the wishes of the deceased, more than once expressed, the funeral was of a strictly private char- acter. Had it been otherwise, no doubt, a very large number of persons would have attended. There were present Dr. J. R Jenkins, of Ruthin Mr. and Mrs. Stanley J. Weyman, Plas Llanrhydd; Mr. George Blezard, Pool Park; Mr. J. Watkin Lumley, chairman of the County Council; Mr. R. Lloyd Williams, Denbigh, county surveyor Major Conran, county treasurer Colonel Mousley, of Nantclwyd; Mrs. Jones Mortimer, Plas Newydd Mr. Jones Morti- mer; Mr. Henry Forder, of the Castle estate; Sergt. F. Woollam, Mr. R. G, Joyce, Mr. J. E. Morris (from the office of Messrs. Lloyd and Roberts), M s. John Roberts (Mount Street), Mr. R Lloyd (Borthyn School House, and Mr. Christmas Jones. Carriages were sent by Colonel W. Cornwallis West, who intended to attend in person, but could not, owing to the early hour of the cere mony, reach the church in time; the Lord Lieutenant, Mr. Robert Blezard, Pool Park, and the Hon. Edward Hewitt. Owing to illness, Mrs. Cary, daughter, and Mr. Arthur Adams, son of the deceased, were unable to attend the funeral, and the mourners present were General Cary, Miss Adams, the Rev. Chancellor Bulkeley Jones, Warden of Ruthin, and Mr. John Roberts, managing clerk to the deceased, and the clerk to the County Governing Body, with the other clerks employed at the office, Messrs. R.Williams, J. H. Jones,and Thomas Edwards, and the servants from Ty Mawr, the residence of the family. No flowers vere sent, by request, but one wreatn was placed upon the coffin, and a basket of flowers was carried by one of the mourners, the contents being strewn upon the coffin at the close of the service. The coffin plate bore the plain inscription Lie welyn Adams, born June 21st, J 821; died December 29th, 1898.' Three tenants of the late Clerk of the Peace, Messrs. William Williams, Caegwyn, Llanfair; Lewis Jones, Cae Coch, Llanfair; Cornelius Roberts, Park Farm. Llanarmon, and an old coach- man, Mr. Daniel Roberts, Pentre coch, Llanfair, acted as bearers. The Rev. Bazil M. Jones, vicar of Llan- fair, D.C. officiated at the service, and his son, Master C. Bazil Jones, performed on the organ for the Psalm and hymn, Now the labourer's task is o'er,' and also played the Dead March in Saul' as the body was borne from the church. The remainder of the liturgy for the dead was read by the vicar at the graveside, amid the preliminary blasts of a fierce storm which prevailed during the remainder of the day. Mrs. Cary and Miss Adams, finding it impossible to reply to the mapy letters of sympathy they have received since the death of their father (the late Clerk of the Peace), Major General Cary desires to express for them, their sincere thanks, and also for the kind enquiries of friends during his long and painful illness, trusting they will accept this method of expressing their gratitude. Letters of sympathy from the following were received by Mr. J. Roberts, in addition to the numerous letters addressed direct to the family:—Col. CornwaPis West, Lord Lieutenant; Captain Griffith-Boscawen, chairman of the Quarter Sessions, &c.; Col. Col. Arthur Mesham, deputy chairman Sir R. E. Egerton, K.C.S.I.; Col. T. E. J. Lloyd, Col. Cooke, Col. Sandbach, Messrs. Samuel Moss, M.P., Ellis J. Griffith, M.P., T. P. Jones Parry, R. H. Venables Kyrke, Wil- liam Thomas, William Coward, James Spar row, J. R. Burton, E. O. V. Lloyd, Edmund Peel, E. D. Evans, S. Gregson Ellis, J. Black- wall, R. Myddleton Biddulpb, James Dar- lington, J. A. Theobold, Evan Morris and Co., Thomas Bury, Richards and Sons, J. Parry Jones, Oliver George, Llewelyn Ken- rick, E. Foulkes Jones, J. Oswell Bury, J. C. Bull, Mrs. Jones Parry, Mrs. Price Morris, Major Leadbetter, Chief Constable, Mr. Edward Jones, Deputy Chief, Mr. Josiali E. Jones, manager of the North and South Wales Bank, Liverpool; Mr. J. T. Millward, and others. TOWN COUNCIL. The monthly meeting of tha Town Coun- cil was held on Monday evening, present, Aldermaa Ezra Roberts, presiding, Coun- cillors Theo. Rouw, T. J. Roberts, T. H. Roberts, E. Tegid Owen, with the Town Clerk, Mr.William Lloyd, the Deputy Town Clerk, Mr. Baldwyn Griffith, the Borough Surveyor, Mr. Price Morris. THE LATE MR. ADAMS. he following letter was read :— 5, Castle Street, Ruthin, Dec. 31st, 1898. DEAR ME. MAYOR, I very much regret that in consequence of the funeral of my dear old faithiul master, the Clerk of the Peace for this county, under whom I have now had the honour and privilege of serving for close upon 24 years, taking place on Monday next, it will be impracticable for me to at- tend the meeting of the Town Council on that day, and I have to tender to you and the members of the Council, my apology for my absence. Yours faithfully, JOHN ROBERTS. The Chairman said: The reading of that letter from Mr. John Roberts, suggests to me that we ought to take cognisance as a Council, of the loss which the town has sustained in the death of Mr. Adams, and that we ought now to pass a resolution of condolence with his relatives. In doing so I believe we shall tie performing a very sad but proper duty. Mr. Adams, as you all know, was a very prominent figure in the town of Ruthin, and has been for a large portion of this century. He did not reaide in the town, and did not take a very active part in the interests of the town, but at the same time he was a gentleman whom everybody, I believe, highly respected. His character was irreproachable, and his man- ners, as we all know, were most affable, while bis wit and humour, and his abilities generally as a lawyer, are well known throughout the whole of Wales. In fact, he was an ornament to his profession, and as such we felt proud of him within the town of Ruthin. There is a great gap to fill un- doubtedly after his departure, and I am sure that you all feel thac to a great extent all have been losers by the death of such a frominent and able man as Mr. Adams was. I beg to move that a resolution of condolence with the family be passed, and that it be communicated to them. Mr. Rouw: I beg to second. In Mr. Adams we lose one of our Ruthin land- marks, as an old Ruthinian, I suppose the oldest old boy of the school; he was actually educated in this very town. I shall per senary miss him, because I do not think I there was a day in the year, including Sun- days, except when he was on his holidays, that I had not the pleasure of seeing him. The motion was carried unanimously, in silence. THE RECORDS OF THE BOROUGH. The Town Cletk read the following letter, referring to the records of the borough :— Public Record Office, Chancery Lane, 15th Dec., 1998. DEAR SIR, I beg leave to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 13th inst., referring to previous correspondence between us, and lorwarding a copy of a resolution passed by the Ruthin Town Council. In reply to this resolution, I am directed to state that the number and variety of the documents pre- served here is so enormous, that the labour of searching through them, or even through such indexes to them as are to be seen in the pubiic search rooms here, in order to make a list of those which relate to any particular place, would occupy one or more persons many months, if not years, and could not possibly be undertaken by this department. Yrurs truly, J. J. CARTWRIGHT. W. Lloyd, Esq, Mr. Rouw remarked that it was a highly unsatisfactory state of affairs, that the Public Record Office, who removed these documents thirty years ago, should ba unable to give the borough at least a list of them. The Chairman said they knew that these records had already been examined, and that a book had been published containing por- tions of them. and he should say that Mr. Gwenogfryn Evans would know all about them, and would have the numbers of the records and all references to them, and if the Town Clerk at the request of the Council would communicate with him, asking him to give the Council any assistance that he could in obtaining what they wanted,! he had no doubt but that such assistance would be readily given. He was the commissioner appointed by the Government to inquire into the Welsh documents. Mr. Rouw Might I also suggest that you should add the name of Mr. Vincent Evans, the ecretaiy of the Cymrodorion Society. Mr. Rouw also said he bad heard that it was intended by them to publish another volume of the Court Records of Ruthin. Hence he bad no doubt that Mr. Vincent Evans would have some valuable informa- tion. It was suggested in a letter which appeared in one of the local papers that the corporation should purchase now some works containing indexes of something of the kind appertaining to the records of the town of Ruthin, and which could tbe pur- chased at a very cheap rate. They might instruct their town clerk to purchase them. They were gradually going out of print, and unless the opportunity was grasped, they might have to pay very dearly for them. The Town Clerk said he noted that the corporation of Cardiff were moving for ob- taining copies of the records belonging to that town, and they were spending a lot of money upon that work. The Chairman moved, and Mr. Rouw seconded that Mr. Gwenogfryn Evans and Mr. Vincent Evans, be applied to for such information as they might be able to afford with the view of being able to find out with as little search as possible, the records ap pertaining to the borough of Ruthin now in the, record office. Mr. Rouw said there was a letter in the Free Press from Mr. R. J. Wynne Edwards, who suggested that the town clerk should at once obtain copies of certain books issued by the record office. The Chairman: Would it be not better for the, town clerk to communicate with him ? Mr. Rouw He has stated what the books are already, and named the price, and he recommends the town clerk to obtain them at once. The Chairman said it would be better for the matter to stand over in order that it might be put on the agenda. THE RECREATION GROUND. The report of the Recreation Ground Committee, which was mostly in reference to details, was read, and offered for confir- mation. Mr. Rouw asked whether the Council had before it the plan which had been pre- pared by Mr. Henry Forder, the local agent to Col. Cornwallis West, for the laying out of the Recreation Ground. The Borough Surveyor said that the Mayor had had the plan, and that it was his intention to present it to the next meet- ing of the Recreation Ground Committee. Mr. Rouw said he was glad to hear that. He thought, if they could carry out Col. Cornwallis West's ideas in connection with the Recreation Ground, they wonld convert it into a most excellent public resort. THE QUESTION OF FOOTPATH OBSTRUCTION. The report of the committee of the whole Council was read, in which the Countil was recommended to proceed after notice, against any person in the town causing ob- structions of footpaths, and this was unani- mously agreed to and confirmed. The Chairman remarked that there were serious complaints in the town about ob- structions, but it was their duty to be as fair and just, and as generous as possible in the matter. THE CHRISTMAS SHOW. The Town Clerk read a letter from Mr. W. T. Brocklehurst. the secretary to the Christmas Show, enclosing dopy of a resolu tion passed by the Executive Committee of the show, thanking the Council for the im- provement they had effected in the accom- modation of the Market Hall. VOLUNTEER ENCAMPMENT COMMITTEE. The report of this committee was read, in which the Council were recommended to pay out of the rates, the balance of £17 odd remaining unpaid in respect of the encamp ments of volunteers which took place in Ruthin last summer. It was recorded that Mr. John Roberts voted against this re- commendation. The committee recom- mended further that invitations be given to the Denbigh Hussars, and the Denbigh and Flint Militia, to spend their next trainings in this borough and that a letter explain- ing the advantages of Ruthin as a camping centre be sent out to the commanding officers of all other volunteer regiments. The report was unanimously agreed to. MEDICAL OFFICER'S REPORT. The following report by Dr. W. D. Jones, the medical officer, was read:— Dunns the present month, seven births (four males and three females) and three deaths were registered, the deaths being due to natural causes. Still Hovse.-A nuisance supposed to exist at this place having been reported at your last meeting, I visited these premises in company with Mr. Forder. I failed, however, to detect anything to complain of. The house is sub-, stantially built. The walls are quite dry, and he rooms are lofty, and well lighted. Of its class, I should consider this a model dwelling house.-The nuisance in the yard adjoining H.M. Prison, which has been frequency repor- ted by your Inspector, has I am glad to state. been effectually disposed of. The yard has been ievelled and thoroughly drained. The borough appears to be quite free from infectious disease. BOARD OF GUARDIANS. The fortnightly meeting of the Board of Guardians was held at the Workhouse, Ruthin, on Monday. Mr. Henry Williams presided, and the other members present were :—Messrs. Thomas Jones (Plas Coch), R. Davies-Jones, John Evans, Evan Davies, E. Powell Jones, John Garner, T. P. Roberts, John Foulkes, E. Rogers Jones, the Rev. J. F. Reece, Mrs. E, Roberts, Mrs. Lumley, and the Clerk (Mr. R. Humphreys Roberts). OLD AGE PENSIONS. The Board then proceeded to consider a cir- cular letter from the Parliamentary Commit- tee on Old Age Pensions, adjourned from the previous meeting. Mr. John Evans: Before we discuss the mat- ter, I should like to know where is the money to come from ? The Clerk It is proposed .that half should ccme from the Treasury and the other half from the county funds. Mr. Thomas Jones: It will all come from the pockets of ratepayers in the long run. If the scheme is adopted, it will mean more officials and more expenses, and nobody will be any the better in the end. I propose that the letter be laid on the table. Mr. John Evans seconded. Mr. Evan Davies said he was in favour of the scheme, although he had not yet had time to study the scheme sufficiently. In his opinion, it was most desirable that the old people should be provided for, if such a thing could be car- ried out without making a very large addition to the officials, who were nowgetting the cream in the matter of sinecures and pensions. If a scheme of old age pensions were agreed upon, it would meet the wants of a large section of the community which were in real need of assistance. At present, there were in the country a large number of farmers, who, al- though hard-working people, were, through no fault of theirs, in impecunious circumstances, and in their old age would have no alternative but to seek parish relief. A small pecuniary assistance by the Government to meet this class, would, in his opinion, be a source of com- fort to the recipients, many of whom, perhaps, had been heavy ratepayers in their respective unions. At present, pensions on a large scale were provided for officials of all kinds, and why should they, as a Board, not record their votes in favour of a scheme which had for its object the levelling up of the masses to the position of the officials in this matter? Mr. John Foulkes suggested that Mr. Davies should propose the adjournment of the dis- cussion, so as to afford the members a further opportunity of considering the scheme. Mr. Davies said he would do" so, and pro- posed a formal resolution to that effect. Mr. John Foulkes seconded, and the amend. ment was carried THE HOUSE. The Master reported that the number of patients in the House was 78, as against 80 the corresponding period last year, Forty seven vagrants were relieved during the fortnight, a decrease of 10 on the corresponding fortnight 12 months ago. CHRISTMAS DINNER AT THE WORKHOUSE. The Master also reported that all the in- mates had their annual Christmas dinner of roast beef, plum pudding, and a pint of coffee, on Monday, the 26th ult., for which they de- sired to return their best thanks to the Board. The children were also presented with oranges and buns by Col. Saxon Gregson-Ellis, Plas Clough, Denbigh. POLICE COURT. SEQUEL TO A PRACTICAL JOKE! SEARCH FOR THE WAITRESS'S SHAVING TACKLE! EXTRAORDINARY DELUSIONS OF A LAUNDRY MAID. SCENE ON THE BENCH. On Monday afternoon, the Ruthin Bench of Magistrates spent a considerable time in hear- ing evidence in support of a charge of larceny preferred against Mary Bevan, widow, who was recently in the employ of Mr. Algernon Potts, J.P., Glan'rafon, Llanferres, near Mold, as waitress. The case had been remanded from a previous court, prisoner having Ibeen released on bail. The magistrates present on the bench were —The Rev. Chancellor B. 0. Jones (presiding), Dr. J. R. Jenkins, the Mayor of Ruthin (Dr. Hughes), Messrs. George Blezard, W. Rouw, and J. Watkin Lumley. Before proceeding to business, the magistrates retired to the judges' room, accompanied by Mr. Algernon Potts, the prosecutor in the case before the court, and who is himself a magis- trate for theRutliin Petty Sessional Division. The object of the magistrates' retirement did not transpire, but there was evidently a very lively altercation taking place between them. High words were distinctly heard, but the nature and subject of the discussion did not transpire. In about ten minutes, their worships returned into court, and the Chancellor took his seat, Mr. Potts, owing to his being the prosecutor, retiring to the furthest end of the bench, and had evidently no intention of sit- ting with his colleagues to decide the matter. The subject matter of the discussion in the re- tiring room had clearly not been finally settled, and no sooner had the Chairman taken his seat than Mr. Lumley, placing his elbow on the desk. brought his face perilously near that of the Venerable Chancellor. Holding his pince- nez in his haed, Mr. Lumley pointed it to the Chairman, and defiantly asked,' Is this going to be an open court or not ?' A few words ensued, the purport of which it was impossible to make out, but the Chairman said. We will retire.' 'Very well,' quoth Mr. Lumley, and when their worships were again on the point of retiring he said, I will have no impertinence from anybody in this court.' The Chancellor, Mr. Lumley, Dr. Hughes, and Mr. Rouw, then retired, but for a short time, Dr. Jenkins, Mr. Blezard, and Mr. Potts remained in court. The latter two, however, followed their colleagues, and invited Dr. Jenkins to accompany them. He, however, refused, and remained the sole occupant of the bench. In a few minutes afterwards, the justices made their re-appearance, having evidently succeeded in settling their differences, aDd peace again prevailed. The Chairman im- mediately called upon the solicitors engaged to proceed with the case. Mr. Bradley, Mold, appeared for the prose- cution, and Mr. Edward Roberts, Ruthin, for tha defence. Having opened the case, ex. plaining that the prosecution had been under- taken by Mr. Potts, Mr. Bradley called upon Elizabeth Roberts, who said she was a laundry maid at Glan'rafon Hall, near Mold, the residence of Mr. Potts. On the 22nd of December last, the prisoner was a co-servant with her. Thac night, the prisoner went to a concert at Llanferres. While she was away, witness went upstairs and opened a small box in her bedroom. The box was the property of the waitress. The box was opened by a key belonging to Miss Margery Potts. This occurred at about 8 o'clock at night. She found in the box some needlework, two hock glasses, a coffee cup, silver pepper castor, ivory grater, silver mounted scent bottle, two glass balls (one only produced), and an engage- ment book. That was all she found in the small box as far as her memory went. The policeman came to the house about 12 o'clock on the same evening. She and Miss Potts accompanied him to the waitress's bedroom. The latter returned home that night about 10 o'clock, and went up to change her dress. I Prisoner remained in the bedroom three quar- ters of an hour. I In searching the room they found in the big box a clock, pocket book, and nursery rhyme book. Prisoner was asked to open the box, and pulled the things out In addition to those articles already mentioned, there was also sateen ribbon, smokers text book, candlestick, a little ornament, painted flowers, beaded necklace, cigar ash tray, picture frame, and tortoise-shell sugar tongues. Cross examined by Mr. Edward Roberts: Witness entered the services of Mr. Potts not quite four months ago, and prisoner came there about two months later. Prisoner acted as butler as well as waitress, and had charge of all the valuables in the house. Witness thought prisoner a woman of high temper, but she had had no serious difficulty with her. Prisoner had complained of the washing of her clothes, and of the delay in ironing the same, but passed it off as a joke. There had been no words be- tween witness and prisoner, and no quarrel of any kind. Prisoner had said she lost an apron, but there had been no ill-feeling over the mat- ter- On the night of the concert they were very friendly. Mr. Edward Roberts: Oh, you think it was a friendly act on your part to go upstairs in the absence of the defendant, and open her box without permission ? Witness: I thought it was only a little practical joke. Mr. Edward Roberts: Do you mean to say that you did this as a practical joke? Witness Yes, I did. Mr. Edward Roberts: Did you consider it a very nice joke to play upon a fellow-servant in this manner ? Witness: When I opened the box, sir, I did it as a joke. Pressed by Mr. Roberts to give her reasons for acting in this manner, Witness replied: I had a suspicion that she was a man, and I went to her box to see whe- ther she had shaving tackle (sensation and laughter in court). Mr. Edward Roberts: Good gracious You washed her clothes, didn't you? Witness: Yes. Mr. Edward Roberts Had you any suspicion from that, that she was a man ? Witness: She was always talking about joinery and shotting, and I thought this very funny in a woman (laughter). Mr. Roberts here put a series of questions to the witness, as to whether she knew that ladies attended carving classes, &c., and whether the Misses Potts did so, to, which witness re- plied that she did not. Replying to other questions, witness said thit her only and sole reason for going into the bedroom and opening the box was, to see for the shaving tackle, but immediately supplemented this reply by say- ing that she wished to know whether there were any spirits hidden in the box. Prisoner acted so funnily that she thought she was in the habit of taking something. In reply to the bench, witness said that she obtained the key to open the small box from Miss Margery Potts, a young girl between 13 and 14 years of age, to whom she said that she intended to have the practical joke in opening the box. Asked whether Miss Margery Potts was in court, witness said that she was not. She did not take the key without Miss Potts' know- ledge, but told her that she was going to open the box for a bit of fun. The Bench Did you tell Miss Potts that you had any suspicion about the sex of the pri- soner? Witness: Only what I have said before. Mr. Edward Roberts: Did Miss Potts know that the defendant was at the concert at the time? Witness Yes. Mr. Roberts: And do yon mean to say that you went to ask for your mistress' keys in order to open the box ? Witness: Yes. I remember saying to her that I was going to open the box. Miss Potts was with me when I opened it. Mr. Roberts And she is not here ? Witness No. Mr. Roberts: Very strange, indeed. Did you open this box on your own account en- tirely ? Witness Yes. Mr. Roberts Were you told that anything had been lost from the house ? Witness No, nor had I any suspicion that anything had been lost. Mr. Roberts Did you try to open the other box? Witness: No, but Mrs. Potts did. Mr. Roberts: Why didn't you try this box? Witness: I had suspicion that the shaving tackle was in the small box (laughter). Mr. Roberts: And when you failed to find the shaving things in the small box, it never struck you to try the large one ? Witness No. Mr. Roberts: Were you, therefore, satisfied that tha waitress was not a man ? (laughter). Witness: I don't know (laughter). I didn't find the shaving things which I went there for. Continuing her cross-examination, witness said she opened the box about 8 o'clock, and then identified the articles she found there from amongst several others produced before her in court. When the large box was opened Miss Margery Potts, Miss Cecil Potts, and Mrs. Potts, were present. It was opened by Mrs. Potts with her own key. The articles found in the large box were a clothes rail, medal case, piece of velvet plush, stone dish, and engagement card case. The latter article was in the little box when she first opened it, but when the policeman came later in the even- ing, it was in the large box. Of that she was positive. Mr. Roberts: How do you account for this? Do you suggest that prisoner had changed it from one box to the other when she came from the concert ? Witness: I suppose it must be so. It was in the small box when I first saw it. To the Bench Nobody said a word to Mrs. Bevan when she came home. The boxes had been carefully rq-packed, and prisoner could have no suspicion that anybody had been in them unless she opened them. After remaining in the bedroom for three quarters of an hour, prisoner came down, with the velvet plush tinder her arm, and another article wrapped up in it. She did not see prisoner hiding these away, but they were subsequently found in.the butler's pantry. The policeman arrived before 12 o'clock, and he did not find in the boxes all the articles that Mrs. Potts and herself had found there previously. witness here was asked to pick out the articles that were not in the box when the policeman made a search, and did so, putting aside the following :-Clothes rail, medal case, the plush, handbag, fox tail brush, and a stone china dish. These, she said, were found hidden away in other parts of the house-some of them being in the prisoner's bedroom, and a dish in a cupboard close by her bedroom door. Mr. Roberts further cross-examined witness with reference to her relations with prisoner. Witness admitted that she had left Mrs. Bevan's clothes on one occasion without being ironed from Tuesday to Saturday. She did not do this purposely, and Mrs. Bevan was not angry. Prisoner was not as sociable as the other ser- vants. She' did not possess an angelic temper' (laughter), and when her meals were finished she would go away. Mr. Lumley: Let me ask youabout the little key you had from Miss Margery Potts. Did you ever borrow it before this ? Witness: No, sir. Mr. Lumley How came you to ask a little girl, 13 years of. age, to play this practical joke? Witness: Therp was no other one to ask. Mr. Lumley: I It% you played many practical .1 jokes ? Witiu^ oI. never. Mr. LMUII- V This is. therefore, the first, and it 110> d. very serious one! Witness: I didn't int,-n(I it to be .serious when I opened the box, but I suppose it has turned out serious afterwards. Re-examined by Mr. Bradley: She had no spite of any kind against prisoner. Mr. Bradley: The suggestion is that you put these things in the prisoner's boxes. Now, is I there any ground for the suggestion that you, from spite, did this? Witness: No, there is not. Mr. Bradley here asked the bench to adjourn 1 the case until the following morning. It was evident that the case would last for a long time, and as he had brought his wife with him, and had made no arrangement to stay, he ap- plied for an adjournment. Mr. Edward Roberts said it would be much less hardship for Mr. Bradley and his wife to stay at a Ruthin otel over night, than that Mrs. Bevan should be locked up in a police cell for the night (applause in court). The magistrates decided to proceed with the case. P.C. Williams, Llanarmon, was then called. He said that the message came to his house at midnight, on the 22nd, and that he did not arrive at Glan'rafon until close upon one o'clock. He went to Mary Bevan's room, ac- companied by Mr. Potts, Miss Pottg, and Eliza- beth Roberts, the laundry maid. Mrs. Bevan was also present, and opened the boxes with her own keys. Witness then read out from his note-book the articles which he found in the two boxes, saying that the engagement card case which the previous it ■•<>«.« 'stated had been tound by the constable in the big box, was found by him in the small box. h Witness » as severely cross-examined by Mr. Roberts with reference to the dish, the water bottles, and other small articles, which were amongst the other articles in court, but which the constable said h" had nor, seen in the boxes. These, he said, were the artic'«« found in the boxes by Mrs. Potts and ElizibM.li Roberts on their first, insection, but Iv-id been removed by the time lie arrived at the house. Mr. Roberts: Did you hear how the box had been opened tirst ? Witness Yes. From whom? From Mr. Potts or Mrs. Potts. I really don't remember, as they were all together. And they told you that they were opened by the laundrymaid ? Yes How? By the aid of the keys. Mr. Bradley here interposed and asked whether it was fair to cross-examine the witness in this manner. The Chairman I don't think it is import- ant. Mr. Edward Roberts said the suggestion of the defence would be, that the boxes were not opened in the way that the prosecution said that they were, and it was for him to examine thia witness in order to test the credibility of the laundry-maid. The Chairman Then you say that the sug- gestion of the defence is, that the evidence of the first witness is false ? Mr. Roberts: Yes. A long discussion ensued on this point, but Mr. Roberts was ultimately allowed to pro- ceed. Mr. Roberts: Were you told how the laun- dry-maid had opened the box? Witness: They merely told me that she opened it as a joke. Mr. Potts told me I believe. Nothing was said to me as to how the box was opened, only that it was done in a joke. Mr. Roberts: Was there any other reason given ? Witness: Yes, that they thought the prisoner was a man (laughter). In reply to another question, witness said that when he went there, he told Mrs. Bevan that he wanted to see her boxes. She hesita- ted for a time, and then agreed. Having made the examination, Mrs. Bevan denied that there was anything else in the boxes, and it then came out that they had previously opened the boxes. Mrs. Augusta Potts, prosecutor's wife was the next witness. She said that at 8 30 p.m. on the night of the 22nd, she was writing a letter, when her youngest daughter came down with a message asking her to go upstairs. She pro- ceeded to the schoolroom, where the small box belonging to prisoner was. It was opened and contained various articles, such as the hock glasses, which she identified as her property. Having seen these things in the smaller box, she felt it her duty to search the larger one. She found her china dish in the middle of the box, which had been packed most carefully and nicely. The articles had been placed under- neath the clothing belonging to Bevan. Replying to the bench, witness said pri- soner had given her notice to leave, and that would have expired on the 27th. Cross examined by Mr. Roberts: There had been no misunderstanding between them as regards wages, but prisoner had asked for her wages before the end of the month, so that she might pay the registry office. She replied I cannot give it to you to-day, come to -morrow.' Prisoner didn't come the next day, nor had she come since. Mrs. Bevan had given the notice to leave, on account of the disagreeableness of the servants. It was a case of temper. Pri- soner had not got an angelic temper' (laugh- ter). There had been some dispute with the servants, but it was not with the laundry- maid. Mr. Potts then gave evidence as to the value of the articles, most of which he said were family heirlooms. Mrs. Bevan behaved in a most disgraceful manner, when confronted with the articles and snatched things out of Mrs. Potts' hands. There was something very peculiar about her, and it was very seldom that she attended at table, without her hands shak- ing so much, that one had to be kept steady with the other. This caused them to suspect that she was drinking. Mr. Lumley said this had nothing to do with the matter. Mr. Potts could have given her notice to quit if he was not satistied with her services. Mr. Potts replied that he had given her notice to leave even then. Mr. Lumley, said that he had not, according to the evidence. Mr. Potts, said that if he didn't, Mrs. Potts had given her notice. Mr. Lumley again pointed out according to the evidence previously given that it was not so, but that the prisoner was the one who had given notice. Cross-examined by Mr. Roberts: Witness said he had missed nothing whatever from the house, not even the engagement card case. Mr. Roberts: Then you did not miss what apparently you perpetually used ? If this card had been removed from your desk, would you have noticed it ? Witness: No, I don't think I would have noticed it, because I had not used it for some days. This closed the case for the prosecution. Mr. Edward Roberts in addressing the case for the defence contended, that there was not sufficient evidence to put prisoner on trial. To put this poor woman on her trial upon the evidence tendered would be an exceedingly serious undertaking, and he was sure that the court would consider the f-><ss very carefully, in every possible aspect before doing so. He therefore hoped that th" bench would exercise every possible circumspection and care in order to satisfy themselves Ltiat she was guilty of the offence. He was sorry not to be in a position to put her in the box, because if so she would have given evidence as to showthatthe case had I. been trumped up against her. He suggested nothing of course against Mr. and Mrs. Pott*. Mr. Bradley here infcerpased and said that ■Mr, Roberts could put the prisoner in the box, iMr, Roberts could put the prisoner in the box, if he chose to do so. Mr. Edward Roberts said that he could not* The Magistrates' Clerk, upheld this view of the case, saying that when a. court held an inquiry with a view of a committal, section two of the Act did not permit the prisoner to be l>ufc in the box.. life. Edward Roberts then referred to the excellent character which the prisoner bore. The police had made every inquiry, and he would challenge his friend Mr. Bradley to ask the police for that character. Prisoner was the widow of a small freeholder in the vicinity of Wrexham, through whose death she was thrown on her own resources, but she possessed a thoroughly trustworthy character. She had never before been in a court of law, and was well known to Sergeant Woollam, as a respect- able person. Adverting to the evidence, Mr. Robert said that the whole case turned upon the evidence of the witness Roberts. Every. the evidence of the witness Roberts. Every. hing tha:. M and Mrs. Potts, aim the Police Constable 1J'\d said was outside the real issue of the case. The point, was, did the prisoner take the articles, am! put them in ner boxes. It would have b en q-iite e.'sy for the prisoner to take things of much greater vp.lue than those produced, had she so wished. Mr and Mrs. Potts had admitted in evidence that she had charge of articles of considerable value, but some of the articles produced in court, if taken to Liverpool, would not, fetch 5s although they would have been looked upon as of much greater value, by the tangly of Mr. Potts. That was one point in favour of the prisoner. There was another point. VIr. Potts' engage- ment card case, had been produced a-* one of the articles which the prisoner had placed in her box. Unless she was a fool. it would have struck her at once that this would be the very first thing that would be missed from the house, and even had she taken it would she be such a fool as to submit the handwriting of Mr. Potts himself as a proof of the ownership of the articles she had stolen? As to tho way the box was searched by the woman Roberts, he could not very well find language strong enough to express his contempt of her conduct. h was, something awful--the surreptitious way she went about it, with keys that did not belong to her. In doing this, the laundry-maid was in this difficulty. Nobody had complained that anything was missing, and in support of her conduct, she wa,-1 hound to trump up some kind of story, and she did find some story—an extraordinary one-an incredible story." She wished the court to believe that she doubted the sex of M n; Bevan. Such a story as that, he had never heard, during the whole of his life. The IH'He suggestion of it was outrageous, and no jury in the world would believe evid- ence of that kind. Another point was, that during the whole of the tine prisoner was absent, the laundry-maid had control of the boxes. He should like to ask, was it possible, was it conceivable, that the woman Bevan, after having discovered (if one story of the laundry maid was true) that somebody had interfered with her boxes, would have taken some of the articles away, and put them in the places described, while at the same time leaving others in the box? The Chairman: Then your suggestion is, that someone else put the articles in the boxes ? Mr. Edward Roberts Yes, the woman Ro- berts. Mr. Bradley here interposed and "aid this was an absolute change of front on the part of the defence. Mr. Roberts said it was not. Proceeding, he said that the prisoner claimed some of the articles, and that this was an important fact in her favour. It would be much easier for the prisoner to say that the whole of the articles had been introduced into her box, than that a few of them had been put there. The Chairman agreed with Mr. Roberts, and said that the whole case turned upon the laundry-maid's evidence. She (the laundry- maid) had said that it was a practical joke and that she wanted to get the sex of the prisoner. Mr. Edward Roberts: Which is a complete absurdity sir. If it waa a practical joke, I must say it was a very wicked one. The Chairman stopping Mr. Roberts in the midst of his ddress, thought the case had been sufficiently argued, unless some new facts could be brought forward for the defence. Mr. Edwar < Roberts said that he had no new facts to brin;" forward, but intended to call Mr. Joyce, jf < .-Her, to prove that the articles produced wei mt offvery trifling value. The bench ii retired, and in a few minutes afterwards ri rned into court. The Chairman said the magistrates had given the maUer their most careful considera- tion, and had decided to dismiss the case. » This announcement was received with loud applause, by th" •- in the body of the court. Mr. Bradley thei; applied for the costs of the prosecution, as Ali-, and Mrs. Potts who were no party to the aflair, had been put to heavy expense in connection thereto. The Chairman said they could not certify for costs, and no order was consequently made. There wassome argument with reference to the articles, and it was decided to return the same to Mr. Potts, on his giving an indemnity to the police,

MR. LUMLEY ON THE FUNCTIONS…