A ROMANCE OF THE LAW COURTS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 11536, 29 May 1899, Page 1

A ROMANCE OF THE LAW COURTS.

A£ curiously romantic little ' case was dealt with at the London County Sessions. A nice looking young girl namr.d Clara Hanson, was indictedfor stealing a watch, purse, and two rings, valued nt £7, from a cabinetmaker named John LowK He declared that th« girl had come from Liverpool to 1 ondon to live with him, and that one day while he was at . work die suddenly vanislicrl, taking with her tho things alleged to lo stolen. Ho informed the police, and they fetched her frc-m Liverpool. She wa3 charged and committed for trial. Tais seemed simple and straight-forward enough till the girl gave her version, which she did in the witness box, with mai.y tor?. She unfolded a strildngly dillerent a-iuition. The man s'->n said had told her " a lot of lies," which she was foolish enough to believe, and had persuaded her to come with him 'o London, giving to her as presents tho articles ivferred to in the charge. But when he once got her there his motive quickly appeared. Ho insisted upon her goinj? into the streets to earn money ■for him liy disrei utable means by trading on h»r good lo )ks," and when f>he refused mill said slie wou'd return. to Liverpool, lie threatened her with a revolver, and swore he would rnin her life and make her suffer. So she ran away ia terror, taking the things he had given her. He had written to a friend in Liverpool asserting that he would win the case as he knew a lot of people, and she had no witnesses. " But Oiod knows lam not guilty," she continued, sobbing bitterly. Now came a complete transformation scene. Evidently the Judge and jury were convinced by the baauty and simple pathos of the fair Clara and her stnry, and were strongly influenced against the prosecutor, John Lewis, who is described a " miserable looking foreigner." So they instantly acquitted Clara, and tbe Judge refused the » prosecutor his costs. Next the jury • cianioured to be allowed to pay, out of tbeir own pockets, Clara's expenses back to Liverpool, and the Judge consented on "condition — sternly insisted upon — tbat he should pay his share. ''I want to be in this too," sail the Judge, Mr McConnell, Q.C f , and he was. A. sum of £1 12s 10 J was subscribed. Then the Court ordered the jewellery to be restored to her and not given back to the prosecutor. Finally a letter was reai in Court from a very respectable young man ia Liverpool, who had long been a devoted admirer of the accused, declaring his convinction 01 her innocence, and offering to marry her immediately on her arrival at Liverpool, and promising '' to work for her as ahe deserved." So the pretty Clara wns taken ca~e of for tho night by the St, Giles's Christian Mission, and next morning was forward to Liverpool, I 'where she will be met by the nice young I man who will marry her. Could there have been a prettier or more romantic outcome to what at first Beemed a sordid case of the most common petty larceny ?