The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 213: what you’re looking at

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purse the fifty sovereigns which she had kept back —and ther, while Lettice still continued in a state of unconsciousness, deposited the purse in the young woman’s pocket. _This being done, Mrs. Webber opened the front door of the house and began screaming out, “ Mur- der ! help!” with all her might and main. The alarm spread like wildfire along the street—several per- sons rushed in—and as Lettice Rodney was startled back to life by the woman’s cries, she found her- self the object of execration and abhorrence on the part of a dozen individuals surrounding her she was accused of murder! No pen ean describe the confusion, the horror, and the dismay which now prevailed in the miser’s house. The neighbours were flocking in; and the spectacle of the corpse, bent motionless over the table, with the weapon sticking in the back, pro- duced a fearful sensation. “Murder!” cried Lettice, flinging around her wild and almost frenzied looks: “Z commit mur- der! No, no—that abominable woman”—pointing to Mrs. Webber—“and the two villains who were with her : “ Wretch !” exclaimed the housekeeper; “you know that you killed the poor old gentleman be- cause he found out that you were a cheat—and you fell into a fit avhen, alarmed by the noise, ft came down and discovered the dreadful deed.” Lettice was overwhelmed with the accusation: she strove to speak, but she could not—a faintness came over her—and she would have again fallen, had she not been supported by the arms of two police constables who now took her into custody. In this piteous condition, bordering upon uncon- stiousness, she was borne away to the station- house, followed by a concourse of persons, all under the influence of dread horror at the deed which had been committed, as well as of amazement that one so young, so beautiful, and so genteel-looking should have committed such a stupendous crime. On reaching the station-house, Mrs. Webber preferred the charge—but was continuously inter- rupted by the passionate, frenzied, and vehement ejaculations of Lettice Rodney. The latter was searched; and the purse, containing the fifty pounds, was found upon her. This was proclaimed to be the old miser’s purse, not merely by Mrs. Webber, but by the butcher, the baker, the grocer, and other tradesmen, with whom the deceased had been accustomed to deal, and who were now pre- sent while the charge was being preferred. Asa matter of course no one believed the unfortunate Lettice Rodney’s vehement averment of innocence and counter-accusation in respect to Mrs. Webber: she was consigned toa cell, where she passed the remainder of the night in a condition of mind bor- dering upon utter distraction. In the morning Lettice Rodney was placed before » the magistrate, charged with the murder of Anthony Pollard. Meanwhile her boxes had been taken possession of at the-railway-station by the police; and some letters were therein found, proving that her name was Lettice Rodney. On her own per- son not merely the murdered man’s purse was dis- covered, but also the packet of papers belonging to Mrs. Rayner. The evidence given by Mrs. Web- ber before the magistrate was to the following effect :— “The late Mr. Pollard was guardian to a lady ~ MYSTRIES OF THE COURT. 207 named Louisa Rayner, whom he had not however seen for many years. This lady recently attained her majority, and was expected by Mr. Pollard to pay him a visit and receive the funds that were due to her. and she was at first believed to be what she thus represented herself. She had a long interview with my poor master; and about ten o’clock I went up to bed, leaving them together in the room where Mr. Pollard habitually sat. -I did not immediately retire to rest, hgving needlework to do. Upwards of half-an-hour elapsed, when I heard the sounds of voices speaking very loud. I opened my door, and listened. My ears distinctly caught my master’s voice bitterly upbraiding the prisoner as an impostress, and insisting upon knowing how she came to personate Mrs. Rayner, and how she got possession of her papers. There was a great deal of this language on my master’s side, and much intercession on that of the prisoner. I heard Mr. Pollard threaten to give her into cus- tody; and then the door of the room, which was previously open, was closed. I presumed it was for fear of alarming me; and I thought to myself that-Mr. Pollard meant to forgive her if she would confess everything. Presently it struck me that I heard a cry—or rather a deep moan;—then the door was opened again—and feeling a certain degree of uneasiness, I hastened down stairs. The prisoner was in the passage: she looked dreadfully confused on beholding me—and as I glanced in at the door, I was filled with horror and dismay on beholding a dagger sticking in my master’s back. T seized upon the prisoner, calling her a murderess; and she fainted. The dagger belonged to my master: he was afraid of thieves and kept it for his defence. When sitting in that room at night- time, he generally laid it on the table near him: so that I have no doubt the prisoner snatched it up and used it suddenly.” While Mrs. Webber was making this deposition, Lettice Rodney passed through all the extremes of feeling of which the human heart is susceptible,— at one time crushed down by the weight of fearful consternation, at another giving vent to the most passionate declarations of innocence, as well as of accusations against Mrs. Webber herself,—now im- ploring heaven to interfere in her behalf, then ap- pealing to the justice of man,—now confessing herself to be guilty of the intended cheat, but repudiating with abhorrence the graver and blacker charge,—then bursting forth into a paroxysm of the wildest anguish—and then sinking down into a numbed stupor, until suddenly starting up again in a fresh frenzy of words, looks, and gesticula- tions. When asked, with the usual caution, whether Lettice had anything to say in her defence, she spoke with so much incoherence, that it was scarcely possible to unravel her words and obtain therefrom a continuous narrative. The magistrate was however patient; and after much trouble, her story was elicited. She told how she had fallen in with Mrs. Rayner, and explained the circum. — stances under which she was led to undertake the imposture: she told lkewise how she had dis- covered the murder, and seen Mrs. Webber with the two men ;—but no one believed this portion of her tale. The purse had been found upon her> Last evening the prisoner came to, the house, announcing herself to be Mrs. Rayner; : Se NS ee ee ee COMIC OOO (€ S (C©)