THE PRINCE AND THE CHORUS GIRL.

ALBERT VICTOR SAID TO BE IMPLI-

CATED WITH THE SUICIDE.

London, Oct. s.—Considerable interest is being taken in the echoes of the inquest on Saturday last on the body of Lydia Miller, or Manton, to use her stage name, a chorus girl of the Gaiety Theatre, who recently committed suicide by drinking half a pint of carbolio acid. At the inquiry on Saturday, it will be remembered, Lord Charles Montagu, brother of the Duke of Manchester, testified to having been on very intimate terms with the deceased and. to having been late in keeping an appointment to lunch with her on the day of her death. This failnro to keep an appointment promptly is said to have greatly annoyed the chorus girl. Since tho inquest mysterious allusions have been made in tho newspapers to a certain high personage, understood to be Prince* Albert Victor, eldest son of the Prince of Wales, who also is said to havo hud intimate relations with the dead girl. As in the case of tho death of the Duke of Bedford, who shot himself in a fib of temporary insanity on January 11 last, and vhose death for a considerable period afterward was said to be due to natural causes, attempts have been made by the coroner, who is tho same otliciivl who acted in tho case of the suicide of tho Duke of Bedford, to hush up tho real facts in connection with the death of the Gaiety girl, whose portrait has been displayed among those of the fashionable beauties of the day. This anxiety to conceal facts in the case is paid to be on account of the dead actress' noble and royal protectors, but it is only serving to attract further attention to the case.

The coroner to-day still refuses access to the depositions taken, and it is openly stated that the members of the coronor's jury were called upon to sign a blank paper instead of the usual record of tho proceedings. The St. James' Gazette, the Globe, and other papera denounco tho coroner's secrecy. Lydia Miller resided when in town at Burlington Mansions, Cork-street, just off Bond-street. The building is an imposing edifice, with elevators, liveried porters, and numerous other attendants.

At the inquest the manager of Burlington Mansions testified that nt ten o'clock on themorning of her death Miss Miller ordered luncheon to be served in her dining-room at two o'clock. At four o'clock she rang for a ■waiter and gave the latter two letters, one addressed to Lord Charles Montagu and the other addressed to her sister.

Lord Charles Montagu during the inquest testified that he hadan appointment to lunch with tho dead girl, but that he was an hour late. He said that Miss Miller, when he finally appeared, tlew into a violent passion.' He added that they parted upon friendly terms and that there was nothing in her manner to intimate that she intended to commit suicide.

The latter to Lord Montagu, produced at the inquest, read :— Dear Cuaklik,—l feel very low and depressed at your leiunug me in the sulks. Shall go and stay with ray sister for a few days. The coroner did nob show Miss Miller's letter to the jurymen, but he read it to them after consulting with Lord Montagu. Tho maid of the dead girl deposed that she entered Miss Miller's bedroom about seven o'clock in the morning in order to draw up the blinds. She found her mistress in bed and wearing a tea gown. Thinking that she was asleep the maid left Miss Miller's bedroom, not wishing to disturb her. The maid, however, returned later in themorning, and noticing something strange in the attitude of her mistress took hold of her hand, found it to be terribly cold, became greatly alarmed, and then sent for a docjtor and for a policeman. The doctor who ivai sent for and who afterward examined the remains and the room of the dead girl gave evidence at the inquest to the effect that Miss Miller was dead when he reached her bedside. After assuring himself of this fact he noticed a tumbler upon a table near the bed. Upon examining this glass, the doctor said, he found that there was about a spoonful of carbolic r.cid remaining in it, and that an empty bottle, which had evidently contained carbolic acid, was on the table by the bedside.

The Gaiety girls are greatly depressed at the suicide of Miss Miller. They declare there was never a more general favourite in the company. They add that though the girl lived in the smartest style that she was careful of her money and that she had already saved several hundreds of pounds. The Star to-day, commenting upon the ..ffair, says that the truth as to the mystery will never be known, and that it is obvious that another inquesthasbeen hushed up without good cause. Continuing, the Star says : — "A number of honourable and highly estimable gentlemen hushed up the Tranby Croffc affair for the sake of society, and the circumstances of this death are said to have been kept dark for the sake of society. " But society does not mean Lord Charles Montagu. He is an amiable young aristocrat and the brother of a duke, but dukes are cheap in Coroner Troutbeck's district. His friends never suspected Lord Charles Montagu of great wealth. Moreover, there never was much secret about stage door jeunesse doree. To be on good terms with a smart chorister is so much the correct thing that a young swell is more likely to flaunt than to disguise it, while being on Christian name terms with a lord would be swaggered about by the smart chorister. " But no one suspected Lord Charlee Montagu and Lydia Manton to be more than the merest acquaintances. There is one young man whose name is closely connected with hers, and it is the name of a young man whose position would authorise much effort to hush the matter up for the sake of 'society.' It was at his request or his command that she left the Gaiety Theatre, so it was said on her authority at the time. A little house at Broadstairs could toll stories about Miss Manton. It wae there she passed the summer, and Broadstairs had at the same time a distinguished visitor, whose presence, if it had been generally known, would have given the place excellent advertisement. This may give some idea as to why people are calling Lord Charles Montagu chivalrous and He came forward at the inquest and assumed the role of the 'particular friend,' in order to screen another.

" The gxrl livod in great style, had a large quantity of diamonds, and used to drive to the Gaiety Theatre in the smartest of dogcarts with a tiger , behind her. She was at the Gaiety on Wednesday. She went behind the scenes, where her appearance created a sensation. She bad just returned fromßroadstairß,.full of merry reminiscences of her holiday. " When questioned as to the probability of her rejoining the chorus she laughed and declared that it ' wasn't good enough' and that she had no need of work. But it was noticed that there was a suspicion of hy« steria in her flow of spirits and that there wore tears in her eyes when she bade an unusually affectionate farewell to her friends. "When it was found that she wore a diamond bracelet as a mark of princely favour it was quite certain that everything that money could do would be done to prevent publicity at the inquest. " Was it because there was a crime to conceal ?

•• Or was it because some exalted personage was involved whose feelings could nob endure the penalty of exposure ?"

In an interview with Mr. George Lewis, Q. 0., who watched the inquest upon the body of the dead Gaiety girl, that distinguished lawyer says :—" I know nothing of any attempt to suppress testimony. No motive for the girls suicide has transpired, excepting that she was highly strung and Bubject to fits of depression. She had previously threatened to commit suicide. Thero was no suggestion at the inquest that Lord Charles Montagu was not the real person involved. The girl's relatives were very angry, and if there had been anyone behind Lord Montagu tlioy would have elicited that fact."

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