Page:English laws for women in the nineteenth century.djvu/183



,—who afterwards, in a private letter to me, and publicly in the "Times" newspaper, disavowed all share in advising the trial (though compelled to fulfil his duty as counsel, by conducting it),—early in his opening statement, made the following declaration to the jury:—

"I believe I shall be able to call before you every servant who has lived in the house during the time; who will tell you that, however much their suspicions might have been excited, they never did communicate to Mr Norton any of the facts or grounds of their suspicion, until inquiry was made, and they were compelled to disclose the truth. Mrs Norton was a kind and indulgent mistress; they had no wish to say anything that would injure her; they did not; and Mr Norton had no reason for suspicion until Mrs Norton had left his house in March."

The witness, nevertheless, who deposed to a sinful intimacy, was a groom of the name of John Fluke; who had been discharged two or three years before,—by Mr Norton himself,—for drunkenness and street-riot, on the occasion detailed in his evidence. I give those portions of his cross-examination which decided the case: (as far as his credibility was concerned). He was cross-examined by Sir Frederick Thesiger at great length: I give extracts —

"Are you a married man?" "I am."

"Have you any children?" "Three living out of ten."

"They lived, then, over the stables in Fleece-yard and Bell-yard?"'

"Yes."

"Where did you remove to?" "To Monmouth-street."

"What did you do there?" "I sold second-hand shirts and gowns."

"Then you kept an old-clothes shop?" "Yes."

"Had you the whole house? "No."

"You lived in the cellar?" "Yes."

"Hive you lived there with your wife ever since?" "Ever since, till lately."

"Mending shoes? " "Yes; and dealing in women's old apparel."

"Have you been in good circumstances?" "I earn my bread by my own honest industry."

"Have you been embarrassed?" "I was, when in Mr Norton's service, before I left."

"Have you ceased to be in embarrassed circumstances?" "It has not been in my power to pay my creditors all I owe them; but I have paid them as far as I was able."

"When were you found out as a witness in this case?" "I believe about six weeks ago."