MADLY IN LOVE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12609, 25 June 1904, Page 2 (Supplement)

MADLY IN LOVE.

' , } : - "-.'if; i ~":I v>;t GENTLEMAN'S INFATUATION FOR, .. • AN- ACTRESS. ' ' Ax extraordinary, story of a, gentle main a infatuation for m actress was told at Marl-borough-street, ■ London, when Allen ;Gordon,' living at Pimlico, ; was charged: on' a warrant with using threats towards Mary Josephine Beverley, an actress, whereby she apprehended danger to her life or serious bodily harm. Prosecutrix, a young lady of prepossessing appearance, dressed in black, deposed that;' she had lived at Cfoaring, Cross Mansions. She had know:n Mr. , Gordon, .. for about five months. He asked her some time back to marry him, but she declined. He said, "Why not?" and she replied^' "I do not want to marry yet."

Some weeks ago, in. response to a letter j [which she received, she, accompanied by a ' lady friend, went to his rooms. He ; said, I "I want to , see' Molly alone.":; Her friend j went out, and ' she.;; (prosecutrix) disked, j "What do you ! want with me?" lie rej plied, "I want to ask •if ( you will marry i me. '' : \ She answered; " No: -J I ; cannot marry yon." He then becamej very excited f locked I the door, arid exclaimed, "I'll shoot you." She was very frightened, and she ""hami mered" at the door' until the housekeeper arrived. She ran out of the house, jumped i into a cab, and drove home, making up her : mind to have nothing more to do with, him. \ The following, day he vr«te, returning her ! fur boa, which, iin he* hurry, she had left at y. his . place, and apologising j for his < conduct.' She afterwards wrote telling him they had better c part, and received \ three more letters from him, ! in" which there wet 1 © no threats. ' • ,„ Miss Beverley, continuing, said i she next saw Mr. Gordon I outside n Charing; Cross: Mansions. -He said, " Will you marry me?" She had a feeling of sorrow for him, but she replied, v"I can't ; marry you," having: previously told him that they could'only,-.be friends. He then informed'her that he had sent her ah invitation to dine with him at the Cafe Royal, and to get rid of him she promised to do so. ; Next day.' she wrote to ham saying that marriage wiith him was out of the question, and asking him to refrain from trying to see her again. She did; not see him again until he ;was] in' custody, but he called on the Sunday about two o'clock. ? i Fearing that he would "call she had hidden in her bedroom^ with her; lady friend. The servant said >they; had £one to * Richmond. He then forced his way in in an exeitbd state, wrote a letter, and left. She went to Richmond, and returned in the evening. About nine o'clock there was a loud knocking at the door, and SHE KID IS THK PANTET. It was defendant who had knocked, and he remained talking for two hours to others. She remained in the pan try all the time and heard everything that wis said. He said lie loved her (Miss Beverley), and.would have her, and wanted her to marry him. He took a solemn oath that if she 'didn't marry; him ha: would ! shoot , her ,; and* himself too. She never had such an experience in her life, and never got into such & state before, leafing every minute he would break in. arid shoot her. She heard him pay. he loved her very much and would marry her. '.<' At the time he had a revolver in hi» possession. Mr. Denman: Do you bay you are afraid he will do you some injury? Beverley: J am really afraid. I thought :of leaving. Lbiit- : don through it. Cross-examined by Mil'. Barrington Matthews, $liss,Beverley- said that Mr. Gordon had paid her a great denl of attention, and had journeyed to the pn>-. vijiecs to see her. He had asked her to marry him in Liverpool,, but she declined, Mr. Matthews staled that Mr. Gordon al> solutely denied threatening to shoot Miss Beverley," but frankly "admitted threatening to shoot himself. Mr. Denman. remarked that any talk of firearms at all would be very alarming to a woman. Mr. Matthews said that it undoubtedly would be, and pre - bably Miss Beverly," bearing him vow t> shoot himself, thought he might the same* to her. Mr. Gordon, however, was a gentleman, and now saw iliac'he had acted in it, foolish ■ manner in allowing bis feelings l*.ib carry him away, and wished to express,hi i' regret for having- 1 caused any annoyance to Miss Beverley. • Mr. Goirdon: 1 loved her very much. lam very,sorry. ' Miss 5 Beverley : All I want is protection, so that I can 1 walk about without fear. Mr. Matthews observed tint Mr. Gordon was prepared t»} say'that he would not press his suit upon Miss Beverley again in, any way. Mr. Denman said' that , being; so, :, he; thought- then* had been no serious intention on the part of Mr, Gordon to-harm Miss Beverley. : He had allowed ■ an unsuccessful i unit to \ worry him until he had gives way to uttering, foolish things,' but he' had now given hi* word as a-■ gentleman that nothing; mora should occur, and would be bound over in his own recognisances of £200 to keep the peace "j for v six f' months, "j t Sergeant Wests •;• What about the revolver, your Worship!. Mr. Matthews: Let it remain in the hands of tfa<. police.