LADIES, GENTLEMEN AND OTHERS

NZ Truth, Issue 483, 19 September 1914, Page 4

LADIES, GENTLEMEN AND OTHERS

Fred Duval, who is probably thd best-known man m the theatrical world, with the' exception of Tom Pollard himself, has fallen upon evil days. He recently underwent two operations In Greymouth for an abscess of the ear, and although he recovered admirably from the, knife, it has affeoted hia general health. But his brain still works with aU the old ready wit. At a recent patriotic festival m the Greymouth theatre, «Fred had the audience packed like sardines from ceiling to cellar when along happened the stout sergeant, whose duty it is to see that only one blade of grass should be allowed to grow where there is room for two, Fred saw him coming, and announced, m a loud tone of voice, "M any man says that the theatre is overcrowded to-night he's a lying German." To the credit of the patriotic sergeant he passed by on the other side, with the shouted comment, "All right; Tm not so Irish that I can't take a hint." . ■ ♦■■.■■.*. - • ■■-• Auckland "Costs* W. Craycroft Wilson, who formerly hung out his shingle m. Wellington and Petone, seems to be well m the hunt for "Costs" m the northern city, and signalised his first appearance m the Auckland Supreme Court on Saturday week, when he successfully defended a young man charged on -five counts of forgery and false pretences. Defence was an alibi, and, as the jury took less than half an hour to consider the verdict of "Not guilty," apparently the alibi was; a clear one. Lawyer Wilson, it will be remembered, successfully defended the Tier brothers In Wellington, when the pair wore charged with lifting that work of art, Southward, from the Wellington Art Gallery, such as it was and is, and the defence, successfully raised m that case, was an alibi. From that case lawyer Wilson evidently picked up a point or two, particularly the point of being clear and accurate on the question of time, and the question of time played & part m the Auckland Supreme Court on Saturday week. For instance, "Costs" confounded a witness, who swore, or Imagined, that he had been m the witness-box about a quarter of an hour, whereas he had been there about four minutes, and when Judge Cooper wanted to know how Mr. Wilson knew, "Costs" mentioned that he had timed the witness and knew, Then Crown Prosecutor Tole wanted, to know at, what time Lawyer Wilson had arisen that morning, and, with the Impudence of a Wilford, Wilson coldly observed that he was up early, and had to got up very early m order to beat Tole, K.C. These lawyer chaps, can say some very nasty sort of things m a nasty sort of way. . '■■■;' • ■ ' •-. . ' • ■ ■ A great figure has been removed from British legal circles by the recent retirement of Sir Edward Clarke, who has completed his fiftieth year at the bar. Before relinquishing practice he was .entertained at dtnner by the Bench and Bar. *Qhe Lord Chanior presided at the gathering. Only twice before has an English barrister been so honored. ' The first occasion was m 1883, when the late Judah P, Benjamin, the' famous Q.C., was entertained In the Inner Temple Hail, and the second when Mr. Aequith, the present Premier, ' was feted m celebration of his appointment to tho highest executive' office m the land. The commercial annals of tho Brltlßh Empire contain few stories of selfmade men to match the hundred and one that havo come, from the United States of America, but that of Sir Edward Clarke certainly may be claimed as one of, these fefr. We have, for example, one picture of him as a boyasslstarit who slept under the counter of his father's shop, bringing down upon his head the paternal wrath because ho avowed his intention of quitting the business. In this same shop he was employed all day m cleaning tho silver and looking after a customer, now and then. To one of these young Clarke confldod that he hoped to be a lawyer one day. Tho customer held up hia hands m horror, "I've been a lawyer for twenty years," said tie. "and it's a starving game." Soon after Clarke had started tho legal game, chance ordained that he and his former customer should bo on opposite sides m an important cose, and Clarko won. After the verdict, tho elder man came up and said, "I told you onca that you would starvelf you went m for law. But I havo changed my mind. Tou will make your fortune." And so, indeed, he did. During hia Qrst twolve months as a barrister h6 made Juat one hundred pounds. In. less than thirteen years ho had brought his income up to the three thousand mark. Incidentally, ho is tho only K.C. who has, refused a judgodhlp. It was he who defended Sir William Gordon Cunnings In tho famous "Baccarat case," m which tho late King Edward, then Prince of Wales, was said "to have perjured himself like a gentleman." Among his othor famous cases have I>eon tho "Pongo Mystery," "Tho Great Splnk Pearl Caso," and the /"Plmllco Mystery," In tho last of which, by a speech that has rarely been surpassed, he secured tho acquittal of a woman named Bartlott • • • Tho news of tho sudden death of Stuart Richardson,' tho City electrical engineer, came as a shock to his troop of friends on Friday night of last week. It appears that he was taken suddenly ill Jn the afternoon and died of heart failure tho same night. By his modesty and unaasumlnsmesH he had endeared himself to all with whom ho came Jn contact, cither In ofllclal or private life. Ho had a reputation not only In the Dominion, but m England and, during his career In Wellington, ho earned .tho c«teem of successive Mayors and Councillors. Born In Swansea. Jn 1863, ho took up tho study of law In London. Early m life the spirit of adventurer seized him and he came out to Australia whoro ho twiw many sides of colonial Hfo. Returning to England' He took up electrical engineering and won tho City and Guild* gold modal on that subject. He nerved for some time with tho Brush Company at Loughborough and was then appointed electrical engineer to tho City of Leicester. On leaving to become manager and electrical engineer of the New Zealand Electric Syndicate m 1890, ho wa« presented with an illuminated address. After throo yftors he was appointed asalutant tramway engineer undvr Mr. Wright for tho nowly-utarted Wellington Tramway*, lie was i ho do»lcm«r of the trnm powerhouse and plant. On Mr. Wright's retirement, ho was promoted io «nglnwit and, when tho Council took over the electric lighting business, that department \vi\h placed under hi* charge. Vory graceful wn« tho tribute paid to hl» memory by Mayor J.*jk Luk«, who had ample opportunity Ing Mr. Rlchurdflon, both prWmUonnlly and privately. The Mayor said: "We fool vory deeply tb* pacing- awuy of ono who haa iwrwd th<s city ?<> «"U, so loyally and to oinr.lently. As an elvciHcal engineer, Mr. Richardson wm ono of the leading men «" Nfl *"/'?i*: land, indeed m Au«tmla»lft, and the CHy Council han always had ili«n» unbounded confidence In his u l ch "K abllliy and judgment." A«^ a m«n|»«J of the Trotnwnyn Board, ho fndoorcd himself to every amployco Inj ww; vice. Ono conductor, HpeaHlng of hU death, durln*? tHo w?«k, wild: We nil looked upon Him more n« ti »»tn« r *™ n !». a chloC. Ho waa uhv»y« ■ympftthfilc In bin censure, mow ready to praiiio lhan to blamn. The «<«£ «3 Itul.biort to him for much <-xcell<<nl