EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE AGAINST LADY GOOCH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5358, 18 January 1879, Page 7

EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE AGAINST LADY GOOCH.

At Marlborough-ftreet Police Court, on Nov. 13, before Mr. Newton, Lady Annie Louisa Gooch and Mrs Annie Walker, appeared to answer to a summons charging them with having, at the Grosvenor Hotel, unlawfully combiue-1, conspired, confederated and agreed together to palm off on Sir Francis Robert Sherlock Lambert Gooch, of 'ienacre Hall, Whangford, Suffolk, and Charles-street. Berekeley-square. as his own child, b -rn of the body of the said Lady Gooch, a Btrange child, with intent to defraud and deceive. Miss E. Garrod, Benacre Hall, Suffolk, housekeeper and companion to Lady Gooch, said : 1 entered into the position of housekeeperin 1577. In August of that year Lady Gooch told me she was in the family-way. Shu said she expected to be confined in the following May. I had no reason to disbelieve her. Iu April last Sir Francis, Lady Gooch, myself, and a young lady went down to Brighton. Sir Francis in my presence insisted that Lady Gooch should be examined by a doctor. I did not accompany her to the docker. She said the latter stated that if she was in the family-way it was at a v»ry early stage. I noticed something peculiar in her clothing the first evening we arrived at Brighton. ! Sbe was very much padded. In April we returned to (.-rosvenor-street, and Sir Francis insisted on her being examined by Dr. Laking. He said, as the result of his examination, that he feared she would never have a child. 1 have hem present when Sir Fraucis has spoken on the subject, and told her she was not in the family-way. He warned me not to loso sight of her, and said he knew she was up to some scheme. She vowed that she was enceintr, and related circumstances to try and make him believe it. She did not pretend she was to me— she knew I knew all about it. She said she was determined to have a child, as Sir Francis could not live very long, and she would be left in a terrible position at his doath, as there were already two dowagers. Sir Francis Gooch came up to his mother in London about this time. A week previously I was present at the interview he had with his wife. He then beyged her to leave off this deception, aud said that if she did not do so he would never return again. But she replied that she was sure that she was in the family-way. 1 received instructions

from Sir Francis never to lose sight of her. Lady Gooch and myself came up to London oil Friday, Oct. IS, and telegraphed to Sir Francis where we were going to stop. We

went to Batt's Hotel, and it was while we were staying there that we went to an Infants' Home in Great Corem-sfcreet. We there saw Mrs. Palmer, who is now present. Her ladyship asked Mrs. Palmer if she remembered her having called two or three mouths before, and after a Jitfcle consideration Mrs. Palmer said she remembered her ladyship. Lady Gooch

said she had called respecting the child which was promis d to her in September. She stated that she was not able to come up then, but that she desired to have a child

now, or wanted to know when she could have one. Mrs. Palmer told her that the oue which had been promised to her had been given away, but that there was another, that a lady had just been confined of a child,

and that she thought she might have it. Mrs. Palmer added that the child was about a week or ten days old, and was born at Peckham ; but that .3he could do nothing without consulting the principal of the institution. Lady Gooch told Mrs. Palmer that she wanted the child for herself; that she had lost her own little boy four years ago, and must have another. Mrs. Palmer informed Lady Gooch that the husband of the lady had taken away the child, which was removed a few days before; and I then said to Mrs. Palmer, 44 You cannot do that

with this latly, for her husbaud does not know of it " I think m}' words were, "In this case the husbaud does not know of it," —meaning the application for the child which had been made by Lady Gooch. I shook my head at Mrs. Palmer on leaving, to let her know that she should not provide the child. Lady Gooch was very angry with me, and said I had no business to interi fere, and that I should not go out tvith her . again. Subsequently, Dr. Laking came to ' the hotel on Tuesday, October 21 or 22. In Lady Gooch's presence he said, "Do you know what her ladyship wants?" He then told her it was a very absurd and wicked thing for her to do, and if she carried it out, it would be a wor;ie case than the Tichborne or the Bagot case. She told him she was determined to have the child, as it would not only bring her fortune but bring back affection to her. She said she was determined to carry it on ; she must have something to love. After Dr. Laking was gone, she said if she was sure she would be hanged to-morrow, she would do it. She took fearful oath's she would do it. I communicated with Sir Francis, and kept her in sight as much as I could. I accompanied her in a cab to Mrs. Main, of Ladbroke Road, Notting Hill. At the Grosvenor Hotel she had a suite of apartments,—a drawing-room, a diningroom, and two bed-rooms. On the following Monday, October 28, her ladyship went again to great Coram-street, but I cannot remember whether I was with her on that occasion. On the Friday preceding she purchased some baby-linen at a cost of £18. On the 28th, when her ladyship started for Great Coramstreet, I went to try and find Sir Francis. I returned a little before eight, and her ladyship came back about ten. Lady Gooch immediately said to me, "Oh, I have got a nurse and a child, and they are both close by, waiting at the station ; but I feel so very ill myself that I must go to the doctor." About ten minutes afterward she went downstairs. The woman Walker returned with her. She had a great parcel with her, and seemed very much laden. It was a bitter cold night when the child was produced,—wrapped up in a shawl. I thought it was dead. I was very much frightened. Next morning I found Lady Gooch in bed with the room darkened. The blinds were drawn down. When Walker came on the previous night she went straight through the dining-room I to the bed-room with her ladyship, who . went immediately to bed. In the morning I the curtains were drawn round the bed,, and ! the baby was in bed with her, lying on her I arm. Walker Baid Bhe had made it all right | with the chambermaid, that she had told her I that the lady was confined about three ! o'clock in the morning. I was waiting at \ the time for instructions from Sir Francis as to what I was to do. Lady Gooch asked me to telegraph to Sir Francis that she was confined of a son. I said I would not do so. Cross-examined : While Mrs. Walker was there, and you were staying at the hotel, was there a syllable said between the Monday and the Thursday evening about the property of Sir Francis Gooch or the persons who might afterwards become entitled to it ?—No ; I did hear Lady Gooch tell Mrs. Walker she was anxious to regain her husband's love. I do not remember anything being said about the death of another child. I did hear her speak of Sir ! Francis having treated her kindly-when he thought she was in the family-way.

On November 21, the case came on again, when Elizabeth Garrod deposed :—When Sir Francis left Benacre before we did he said he was going to town to see his mother, who lives at 42, Charles-street. I was directed to telegraph there or to the club at Albeinarlestreet. Sir Francis left on a Monday and we left on 'he following Friday. Sir Francis i-ad said something about not coming back to Benacre. He said he should not come back to live with Lady Gooch again, he had heard such dreadful things about her. I do not know where he west; he went to Brighton for one place, but nothing was said about his going there. I heard he had been there on the Tuesday after we came to Lrradon. Sir Francis said he had been there when I saw him at Georgo'ssquare. He did not tell me with whom he went. I saw only Sir Francis, and did not know then who lived at St. George's-square, but I know now a Miss Shippey lives there. I first knew this about a fortnight after this interview. Sir Franc-s told me. I had seen her at Benacre, and 1 saw her yeßterday. She lias been staying there during the past week The first time I saw Mies Shippey was the Wednesday or Thursday when I left Lady Gooch. I saw her at-St. George's-square with Sir Francis. She came into the room while I was talking. I saw her on tho Wednesday when the summons was served. Miss Shippey has stayed at Benacre two or three times. She is known there as Mrs. Shippey, a widow lady.

On November 23, the case was resumed. Dr. James Teevan, F.R.C.S., deposed:—On the 29th October I weni to tho Grosvenor Hotel, at the request of Sir Francis Gooch's solicitor. I was conducted by Mrs. Garrod to the first floor. A communication was made to me before going upstairs. I went into a bed-room where Lady Gooch was. I saw a male child. I can state it was more than a fortnight old. 1 found her ladyship in bed with the child in her arms. It was between two and three. Mrs. Walker was present. The room was very dark when I went in. Lady Gooch said she had been confined. I asked when, and she said a few days ago, and when I asked her how many, Bhe said she would rather not say, as she

wighed it to appear that she was confined at three that morning in tbe hotel. 1 said "What, with that child?" and she s*id " Yea." I examined the baby, and told Lady Gooch the cnild was more than a fortnight old. She said I knew too much, and I told her she had better tell mo all. She said she wa* estranged from her husband, that she had lost her child about four yearn ago, that she was very anxious to be restored to her husband, and that she had made up her mind either to adopt or procure a child. She said she wished to procure a wet for the child. I asked her why she should not uurse it herself, and she said she did not wish to do so. 1 said, 44 Perhaps you are not ah]* to nurse,"and she paid she was not I said I was the best judge of that. I told her thie was an awkward case. 1 examined her and found that she had not been recently confined. She said she first saw the child the previous day. I asked her where the I child was born, and she said "At Peckham." She said it was the child of a lady who had escaped from school and been contined at Peckham. I asked Mrs Walker if she had been engaged to attcud Lady Gooch, and she said no, and that the first time she saw the baby was the previous day, when a lady brought the child. Lady Gooch said Mrs. Walker brought the child, very cleverly wrapped up, to the hotel, the previous evening. I asked Lady Gooch if she was quite well, and she said she was, and 1 then said I had nothing to prescribe for her, and left the room. 1 had ordered the blinds to be pulled up. Mrs. Jane D. Main (a blind lady), of Ladbroke Grove, dotting Hill, deposed : I call ' the Home my own home. On the 2Sfch October a male child was handed to Lady Gooch and Mrs Walker. The child was born at Peckham. I do not wish to say where. I keep all such matters secret. The child has uot been baptised. but I believe it has been registered. I know the mother and her name. I kuew Lady Gooch by the name of Mrs. Gooch, and that she was staying at thcGrosvenor Hotel, and lived in the country. She told me she was married. I only asked if she had sufficient means to support the child, and she said " Yes.'* She was very anxious to adopt I a child, but did not say a male one. I told her that I had had a great many children adopted from the Home, and that I believed it had caused a deal of happiness. Lady Gooch came agaiu in a few days, and a similar conversation took place. At the first interview she gave me her address, "Grosvenor Hotel." I have never known any other address but the Grosvenor Hotel, and not Ogle's Hotel. I had several other interviews, and similar conversation took place. It must have been at the end of September. When I said it was August I meant October. I told her a child was born, if she liked to adopt it. She said her husband was away yachting. She said nothing about her busbaud's fortune. I had no letter from her on the subject. I did not at any time know who she was but Mrs. Gooch. I took no receipt from her for the child. There is au entry in the book respecting the child.

After the evidence of Dr. Laking, Mr. Lewis made a request on behalf of Sir Francis, that he might be allowed to withdraw from the prosecution. All the mischief was now at au end.

Mr. Clarke having addressed the Court.

Mr. Lewis earnestly asked that the prosecutor might be allowed to withdraw. The imposture was now at au end.

Mr. Newton : The question is, ought not the impostor to be punished ? Mr. Lewis hoped that he would accede to the application now made.

Mr. Newton said that he would think the matter over, look through the depositions, and give his decision on Thursday at twelve o'clock.

On Thursday, Lady Annie Louisa Gooch and Mrs. Ann Walker again surrendered in discharge of their recognizance.

Lady Gooch, who appeared in a semi-faint-ing coudition, was assisted into Court by her solicitor, Mr. Gedge, and a warder.

Both defendants were accommodated with seats at the solicitors' table.

In the absence of Mr. E. Clarke, the counsel for the defendants (Mr. Gedge) addressed the magistrate for the defence. He had only just commenced his speech when Lady Gooch fell from her chair in a faintiDg fit. She was removed from the Court and a medical man sent for, and throughout the whole hearing her screams and hysterical cries were distinctly heard in Court.

Mr. Newton said he felt it was hia imperative duty to send the ease for trial. He had read over the evidence very carefully, and be could not come to any other conclusion. It was well known that a Police Court was not the place to bring a question of private right such as Mr. Lewis had endeavoured to establish. The imposture charged against the principal defendant was no doubt carried out as far as she could, and the question was whether the other defendant conspired with her. She might have been tmwittingly drawn into the case in the first instance, but he was of opinion that she had lent herself to the plan, and it must then have been known to her that she was assisting in a fraud, although she might have been ignorant of the position of the parties concerned. At all events, she became an accomplice. Under those circumstances, he thought the evidence quite sufficient to put the accused on their trial. That was his duty, and he was powerless to adopt any other course. Both defendants were accordingly formally committed for trial, and were released on one security each in the sum of £50. Lady Gooch was unable to be present at the conclusion of the hearing. At the trial, the Grand Jury ignored the bill.