"THE GAY LORD WILLIAM"

NZ Truth, Issue 106, 29 June 1907, Page 7

"THE GAY LORD WILLIAM"

A Prostituted Coat-of-Arms.

NOBLEMAN AND— CONVICT.

passed a sentence of tweivc r.iont.i.i Imprisonment.

The latest sleig-ht-ofc-band trick practised by that aristocratic and accomplished profpssor of legerdemain, Lord William Nevill, has cost him twelve months' imprisonment (says a London newspaper). This sentenoe has been passed upon him by Mr Robert Wallace, K.C., at the Clerkenweil Sessions, where the jury (lid not find much 'difficulty m deciding that the bluet-iblooded and imma-culateiy-attired prisoner an the dock was "Guilty" of stealing jewellery, the propebty of. "the late Daniel Robert Miller and Alfred William Fitch," valued at £350. Mr , Montague Lush, one of the ablest King's Counsel at the Bar, and Mr Harqld Morris did everything m their power to save the ; , \ GAY LORD WILLIAM froni durance vile, 'but tbere was mo getting away from the facts presented! to the jury hv Mr C. L. Attenborough. So Lord William Beauchamp Ngvill bas.ibeen aSprded an opportunity of adding supplementary chapters to his .'jwfell-kniown. work on prison life. Worn. - "' Lord William's olittle- trick, which toe performed wdtbi£h<j. /aid of some : jewels; boxes, aa<cr.,-; two pieces of jcoai, was expsaamecl ; 'to. the crowded Couirt by counseL /o Lord William" •having pawned' with Messrs Miller and Fdtcfr a 'quantity -of jewellery on which lie. received £200, wrote on October 30 to tho.firni a/tbat they should bring, his . four -pledges and a new contract form.' to his house m Eaton-plaoe on the follqwaittg day. Mr Fitch , did as requested, ahid was shown into a small room on the ground floor by Liord William him- ■ self. The latter said be wanted to consolidate has four pledges, and m order to ensure privacy, sealed them up m a small box with a seal beartog' the family coat-of-arms,. Lord William>^«n made a pretext to go to a bureau #b Mr Fitch's back for an envelope, aiuHjook the box with him. He came straight back to 'the table with an envelope and a box, whTibh, Wsdng exactly similar externally, 'was, of course; supposed by the pawo>broker to 'be the one oon.taining the jewellery ; but it was not, bowevet. Mr Fitoh loft the, house ' ; WIT&OUT A SUSPICION that anything was wrong. It was noli until March 8 last that he thought it advisable to open the box, and then discovered that it contained no jewellery — only two lumps of coal ! That was all the security tabe pawnbroker had got for his £200. Inquiries disclosed that fisve pieces of jewellery, the description of which, corresponded with some of the articles pawned with Mr Fitch, \ had been pledged with "another pawnbroker on February 26, L/qnd William was arrested and committed for trial. . Mr Attenborough informed the Court that since his commi'btal, Lord William, , with Ms solicitor, called, without iawi'tation, upon Mr Fitch, amd refunded to Mm the money ! he had received upon the pledges and the interest due. "It .is -only, just to the prisoner to tell you this," said counsel. f 'lt was paid without any understanding between them- The money was thrown at My Fitoh, and be was obliged to take' it, and there is no reason that I know why he should not take it. But it does not affect m the least this only question that has to be decided— whether Lord William Nevill committed this larceny or not" Counsel allowed that mi case of A CERTAIN EVENT, / the Judge might tajke into consideration the paying of the money. Amongst the witnesses was ChiefInspector Drew, who made the arrest. He reminded the Court that Lord William said, "Don't lock, me up. It will mean twenty years' penal servitude for me-" It will 'be . seen be was wrong. .... : A smile flitted across Lord William's countenance as the Judge