A ROMANCE OF THE LAW COURTS.

Patea Mail, Volume XII, Issue 55, 5 June 1899, Page 3

A ROMANCE OF THE LAW COURTS.

— A curiously romantic little case was dealt with at the London County Sessions. A nice looking young girl named Clara Hanson, was indicted foxstealing a watch, purse, and two rings, valued at £7, from a cabinetmaker* named John Lewis. He declared that the girl Ixad come from Liverpool to London to live with him, and that one day while he was at work she suddenly vanished, taking with her the things alleged to be stolen. Ho informed the police, and they fetched her from Liverpool. She was charged and committed for trial.

This seemed simple and straightforward enough till the girl gave hexversion, which she did in the witness box, with many tears. She unfolded a strikingly different situation. The man she said had told her “ a lot of lies,” which she was foolish enough to believe, and had persuaded her to come with him to London, giving to hex- as presents the articles referred to in the charge. But when ho once got her there his xnotivo quickly appeared. He insisted upon her going intoßxe streets to earn money for him by disreputable means by trading on her good looks, and when she refused and said she would return to Liverpool, he threatened her with a revolver, and swore ho would ruin her life and make her suffer. So she ran away in terror, taking the things he had given her. He had written to a friend in Liverpool asserting that he w’ould win the case as he knew a lot of people, and she had no witnesses, “But Cod knows I axn not guilty,” she continued, sobbing bitterly. Now came a complete transformation scene. Evidently the judge and jury were convinced of the beauty and simple pathos of the fair Clara and hexstory, and were strongly influenced against the prosecutor, John Lewis, who is described as a “ miserable looking foreigner.” So they instantly acquitted Clara, and the judge refused the prosecutor his costs.

Next the jury clamoured to he allowed to pay, out of their own pockets, Clara’s expenses back to Liverpool, and the judge consented on condition—sternly insisted upon —that lie should pay his share. “I want to be in this, too,” said the judge, Mr McConnell, Q.C., and ho was. A sum of £1 12s lOd was subscribed.

Then the Court ordered the jewel levy to be restored to her and not given hack- to prosecutor. Finally a letter was read in Court from a very respectable young man in Liverpool, who had long "been a devoted admirer of the accused, declaring his conviction of her innocence, and offering to marry her immediately on her arrival at Liverpool, and promising “ to work for her as she deserved.”

So the pretty Clara was taken care of for the night by the St. Giles’s Christian Mission, and next morning was forwarded to Liverpool, whore she will he met by the nice young man who will marry her. Could there have been a prettier or more romantic outcome to what at first seemed a sordid case of the most common pelt}' larceny i