RECOVERING A LADY'S LETTERS.

Extraordinary Charge Against a Baronet. Sensational Proceedings. [From our London Correspondent.] London, Oct. 4. The prosecutor in the following proceed- • ings is a member of the chief AngloColonial Club in London — the St George's, in Hanover Bquare— and known to me by sight. I have not heard the version of the story current there yet, but shall no doubt be able to tell you all about it next week. Sir Thomas Preake is the son of Sir Charles James Freake, the contractor, who began life as a bricklayer and ended it a ' millionaire. Sir Charles left the present : Baronet but a small slice of his great wealth, most of which was willed to Sir Thomas' eldest son, Tom Maitland Freak, now a lad of eighteen. At Westminster Police Court on Wednesday afternoon Sir Thomas George Freake, Baronet, of 87, Onslow Gardens S.W., was brought up in custody, before Mr d'Eyncoutt, charged with stealing a key, a number of letters, and boxes containing photographic negatives, the property of Mr Edward Cousens Gibson, gentleman, of 13, South street, Thurloe square, South Kensington. Mr Crook appeared for the prosecution, and Mr George Lewis for the defence. Mr Crook said he had to open facts of a very extraordinary nature, and he thought that after hearing the evidence it would be seen that an outrage of a serious character had been perpetrated. Sir Thomas Freake and the prosecutor had been intimate friends, and there was no doubt that both had had immoral relations with a lady, whose name it would be needless to mention. He would not go into all the circumstances of the intimacy, but it was necessary to explain that the defendant had the strongest motive and desire to obtain at all hazards, from Mr Gibson, certain letters, which in the time of her friendship the lady had written to him. Fair measures were unsuccessfully taken to get these letters given up, and then the foulest means were resorted to. On Sept. 29 the prosecutor took the letters to the St George's Club, Hanover Square, and deposited them in his private locker there in the presence of a Mr Hodson, who subsequently said that Sir Thomas Freake wished him (prosecutor) to lunch at his house. The prosecutor unsuspectingly went to luncheon there, and afterwards Sir Thomas suggested that they should view some theatre scenery in one of his houses. They went to a mansion m the neighbourhood, Xo. 1, Cromwell Houses, which had at some time or another been fitted up for private theatricals, and the prosecutor was decoyed into the basement. Sir Thomaa said the scenery was there. ' Once downstairs the prosecutor waa confronted by Mr Eodson, and a Mr Walker, as well as the lady in the case, and a demand was made for his private keys, and all letters. He refused to give them up, whereupon the three men set upon him, threw him on the ground, and held him, while handcuffs were put on him by Mr Hodson, and his pockets were rifled for his keys. These obtained, the prosecutor was left manacled, while Sir Thomas Freake went off with the keys to the St George's Club, and asked to be shown the prosecutor's locker, and opening it took away two boxes and a bundle of letters. Since the outrage a tin box had been returned empty. Mr Lewis : It was empty. Mr Crook : The bundle of letters stolen were from this lady to Mr Gibson, and we do not know what has become of them. It appears that afterwards the prisoner thought that he had left behind him at the Club what might be useful to him, and not content, therefore, with this robbery with violence he resorted to the forgery of a telegram. From the Brompton road office he wired to the hall porter at the St George's Club : " Send wooden box in my locker by messenger in cab to 37, Onslow Gardens. I have sent key.— Gibson." The Club officials, who will be called on another occasion, believing the telegram to be genuine, gave a box to the cabman full of photographic negatives, and these the defendant received. Mr Lewis: Both boxes have been re-« turned. Mr Crook : But the letters have not been, and the theft remains all the same if the thief repents. Mr d'Eyncourfc : JYou have certainly opened a very gross case of assault, but it is hardly a case of felony. There is a lady in the case and an outrage to get possession of letters. You may have the strongest ; ground for action, assuming your state- i ment is correct, but is it a case sufficient to charge a gentleman with felony ? i Mr Crook : Tes, I think ao. Mr Lewis: I hope the case will be judicially decided by you, sir. I prefer to put it that this man (the prosecutor) has committed a most scandalous outrage on Sir Thomas Freake. Let me read his letter to show his blackguardly conduct. This is his own letter to the man who has been his friend (the defendant) :— •• My dear Tom,— First let me thank you for the kindness with which you met me on Friday. I can naturally never expect such forgiveness to continue after all my blackguardly behaviour. I wish you to ; thoroughly understand there is nothing I have not done to serve one who at least I thought would be true to me. I have followed you, and watched you, and read papers which I have had no right to, and 1 in fact I have lost my honour in every . way." ' j This is the man who dares come into this ! Court and make this charge. ■ Mr Crook : All this comes from two men going after one woman. (Laughter.) Mr Lewis : Sir Thomas has received this man into his house for over a year, and then he finds out that he is on terms of intimacy with this lady. Mr Crook : And your client is a married man. Mr Lewis : You can't have anything stronger than the prosecutor's own estimate of himself in his letters. I ask that this case may go on, that this man may be thoroughly exposed. Sir Thomas baß acted as a man of honour, and the prosecutor as a blackguard. We don't shrink from the ; fullest inquiry. Mr d'Eyncourt suggested that the case might be one for a Civil Court, or better still, for the arbitration of private friends. , Mr Crook said if an apology had been j offered, perhaps that course might have i been possible, but it was not now. j Mr Lewis : The defendant will notapolo- j giae or express regret to the man who , betrayed him. He got the letters, re- i turned them to the lady, and they were at once destroyed by her. Mr d'Eyncourt: But that sbouM not have been done. They were the prosecutor's property. Mr Crook : She is a worthless woman. Mr Lewis : I should like to see whst damages twelve men would give such a , man as tke prosecutor. j Mr Crook declined to withdraw any of j the charges, stating that Mr Lewis had aggravated the wrong done to Mr Gibson by hiß belligerent language and disgraceful accusations. That was all very well, but it would not get the prisoner out of this charge. Mr d'Eyncourt : I agree with you that vrimd facie it is a very violent proceeding. Mr Crook : Unless there is a public apology I will not withdraw the charge. The Post Office authorities must prosecute for the forging of that telegram, and that is a most serious matter. Eventually the case was adjourned.