LONDON GOSSIP.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4671, 15 June 1893, Page 2

LONDON GOSSIP.

O'KOM OUB LONDOH COEEESFONDENT.J London, April 21. The weather prophets predict that we shall pay dearly for this phenomenal spring and long drought by experiencing a wet summer and autumn, and an early winter. Certainly, such a long series of ideal days in March and April has been ■ unknown within middle-aged men's i memories. The authorities at Greenwich ■ declare the last spring drought occurred in 1 1852. It was followed with heavy rains throughout June, July and August, and : hard frosts and enow in October. •■ THK DUCHESS OF SUTHBBLAND. The Dowager Duchess of Sutherland enjoys the questionable distinction of being the first English Dn chess ever Bent to prison for a non-political offence. Her Grace retired after hearing the judgment to her villa' on the Thames, and, with a good deal of tact, became extremely ill. AU Tuesday night a doctor was in attendance, and on Wednesday morning a Eecond medical man had to be called in. THE HASTINGS APPEAL. As was anticipated by everyone who knew the inner history of the case, Lord Hastings' appeal from the decision of the stipendiary who fined him £00 for an act of iromodeßty (not; immorality) in Begent's Park a fortnight ago, has proved entirely succeßßful. On Saturday last, before Sir E. EJlin and a bench of some thirty magistrates, the case was again gone into and the conviction quashed, Lord Hastings leaving the Court without a stain upon his character. Whilst one is heartily glad of this result, it must be confessed the affair excites exceedingly uncomfortable reflections. It seems only too probable that had the deaf invalid charged with so incomprehensibly misbehaving in a public place at mid-day been anybody else but a wealthy noble, his character would have been irrevocably blasted. A poor, or eren middle-clasß person, could not have afforded to employ Sir Henry Jameß, Sir Edward Clarke and George Lewis to appeal, or even to have had the antecedents of the witnesses for the prosecution ferreted out. At the Police Court the little nursegirl of fourteen, whose susceptibilities Lord Hastings was accused of shocking, seemed an angel of modesty — so much co that she was hardly cross-examined at all. Eaquiry into her antecedents, however, elicited that the damsel's pastors and masters considered her a confirmed little liar, and deposed to her having been sent away from Bchool for improper conduct. The story the young lady related on Saturday, pressed thereto by Sir Henry James, simply confirmed Lord Hastings' own version of what occurred. The publicspirited gentleman who (without interfering) watched Lord Hastings commit the alleged impropriety, and led to bis arrest, proved to be a worse than dubious character, on whoae word one would not hang a dog. After medical evidence had been tendered, the Duke of Portland, Lord Randolph Churchill, Sir Henry Hawkinp, and a long string of the accused's friends deposed to the utter monstrosity of supposing such a notoriously modest-minded man could be guilby cf the absurd offence imputed. The moral of this case is that Magistrates all over the world ought to take extreme pains to enquire into all the circumstances of every Buch charge before condemning any man to what amounts to social infamy. Experience tends to a general suspicion of such accusations, even where there is no specfal reason for doubting their good faith, for in this regard good faith too often means a morbid or vicious imagination. The protection of men from a terrible and ruinous danger is not less important than that of women from insult ; and there is far too much reason to fear that the necessity of the former is very inadequately realised. THE END OP THE M'KERROW CASE. After occupying the Divorce Court for thirteen days the M'Kerrow case came to an end on Friday last, with the result that tbe voluble Jewes3 ia tied up just as tightly to her good-looking husband as Bhe ever was. Against three of the ladies whom she accused of "carrying on" with M'Kerrow there proved to be not a tittle of evidence. Mrs M'Evoy, Mrs Gray and Mrs Corbett Singleton dropped out of tbe case one after another, until the Court and the petitioner were left face te faca with Miss Shepherd. That lady undoubtedly benefits by the wild injustice of the charges against the others. It seems only fair to conclude that an accueer who has been wrong three times may be wrong a fourth, and Miss Shepherd gets the full benefit of the doubt. She was certainly very far from discreet, indeed, outraged tbe tcftvenances in scandalous style. There are, however, many girls in her class of life who will go to great lengthß with a man, and yet stop short of immorality. Unquestionably what gave piquancy to Miss Shepherd's relations with M'Kerrow was the knowledge that it exaspf rated beyond bearing her enemy, bis lawful spouse. That lady had no difficulty whatever in proving her husband and Jlis3 Shepherd called each other "darling," or that Mr M'Kerrow had been s?en with h'*B arm round Miss Beryl's waist, likewise squeezing her hand, likewise kissing- her. ! Mrs M'Kerrow argued that adultery was a j necessary corollary of these proceedings, ' but Mjbs Shepherd showed that Bhe had never — at least hardly ever — been with Mr j M'Kerrow under circumstances when immorality was possible. In fact, whilst seem-

ing to take no account of the convenances the girl had, iv essentials, been most careful. With all her ingenuity Mm M'Kerrow . failed to prove more than two occasions \ when tbe turt'e doves (aa the styled them) had been alone for any. length of time together. Tro Judge, not, he admitted, without hebitancy, gave Miss Shepherd the benefit; of the doubt, and pronounced*, there had bean no adultery betwitt herself aud sM'Keirow.5 M'Keirow. He ordered thelatter, however, to pay all bin wife's casts,, whiuh mitigates to a great extent tbeeloquent lady's failure. WHAT THK MKBEBOW CABK ILLUBTRATBS. Besides introducing many of the public for the first time to novel types of up-to-date damsels like Miss Shepherd, the M'Kerrow t rial has shown the preposterous wast? of public time and private money which may occur when a notoriety huntress,, like the petitioner, insists on conducting her own case. Had Mrs M'Kerrow instructed a solicitor and counsel, inttead of mismanaging her own affairs, the trial would have occupied at most two days, and Misa Shepherd would, have been the sole intervener. Instead,, the trial, which began before the Easterholidays, keted over several weaks, and actually occupied Sir Pranciß Jeune's Court thirteen days. During the greaterl part of this period three perfectly innocent ladies (one of whom aa you know came all the way from Melbourne) were harried in the witness-box and pilloried in the Prees. And all for what ? Woll, just to gratify a jealous woman's spite and' give iclat to her case. It ought not, as several papers have pointed out, to be posßiblo for any jealous or ill-tempered husband or wife to inflict so much toes and damage on innocent people. The threeinterveners, it seems, will nob even get tbe cosfs given agaiutt Mrs M'Kerrow,. that lady being, aa she frequently intimated, moneyless. Both Mr and Mrs M'Kerrow are indeed absolutely impecunious persons... Yet, to arrange their contemptible matrimonial squabble, the couple have been permitted to utilise one of the High Courts for a fortnight, and to put ft* number of innocent persona to great expense. For Mrs M'Kerrow the business was excellent sport. Whether she got rid - of her good-for-nothing husband, or whether she did not, was a trifling detail. The main thing was to conduct her case brilliantly. Moreover, the end is not yet. Mrß M'Kerrow has appealed. Before the Mabtor of tbe Bolls and his colleagues we shall not improbably be privileged to hear all over again the thrilling story of M'Kerrow's matrimonial misdemeanours. THE BBSVIAN COUP D'KTAT. The coup d'etat by which the seventeen* year-old Alexander of Servia has emancipated himself from tutelage and proclaimed himself a full-grown full-blown monarch, reads like a scene from an Offenbachian comic opera. lb seemß His Majesty suddenly discovered "the constitution of Servia was in sore jeopardy, and that the rights of the people were being imperilled." There was literally nothing for it but revolution. The brave lad laid bis plans with the Bid of Dr Dokitch (now Premier) and asked the three wicked Eegents to dinner. After the final course when toasts are generally proposed, His Majesty arose and addressed them. He said that lately the Constitution had too often been trampled under foot, and that as he wished to keep it unßullied, and to pacify the country be would take the reins of Government into his own hands. At first; tbe Eegents affected to believe a post-prandial joke was intended, but perceiving from the fact of the room filling with soldiers it was to be a practical one, thoy grew grave. When called upon formerly to resign General Belimarkovitch refueed, observing, " Tour Majesty is too young to reign alone." "And you are too old," retorted the j monarch, sharply. Thereupon M. Belimarkovitch clapped hia hand upon hie sword. Instantly the King's faithful aide-de-camp drew a pistol, pointed it at him, and shouted :— " Back, General, not a step further !" The General backed precipitately, commenting wrathf ully on the folly of pointing loaded firearms. And His Majesty, turning to the soldiers, cried " Officer, do your duty." Thereupon the Eegents were arrested aud walked off to prison. In comic opera the King would then have Bung " Voici lo Sabre," or some such inspiriting ditty. Instead, he paid a midnight visit to the barracks, receiving the homage of the troops, and such of his subjects as were still awake, and next morning he was up betimes to join in a "Te Beum" celebration in the Cathedral. Presently, I suppose, his exchange of small clothes for a purple mantle will be celebrated by the Skuptschina (the Servian Parliament) in a sneezing chorus appropriate to the name of that body,, for whose re-election writs have already been issued. Underneath the farcical aspect of this revolution in a teacup, which affects a population hardly greater than that of East London, lie one or two important questions requiring answers. The first of these is, "Who pulled the atriums ?■"' Dr Dokitch declares he urged the King to the ' step, and that it is a mistake to suspect the influence of either Russia or ex- King Milan. The general impression, however, at Belgrade seems to be that the primemover was Queen Natalie, who now that her eon has proclaimed himself of age, is at liberty to return to Belgrade whenever she likes. The King has dismissed none of his tutors, and announces that he means to continue his studies as heretofore.