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1866.]ssss sabots265tTHE EXTRAORDINARY IMPOSTURES OF “MISSALICE GREY.”(4NMLmms%ntasVvA short time since, at the Wolverhampton Borough Police-court, four boys were charged with stealing a purse and its contents from Miss Alice Grey, in Stafford-strcet, two of them, who had several times previously appeared in tho dock, and were well known to tho police, being committed to take their trial on the charge at the sessions. The prosecutrix was the solo witness .vguinst them ; but she gave her evidence with an apparent modest artlcssness that seemed to stamp every word with the impress of truth. Dressed with a simple neatness that approached elegance, with a fjee whose freshness seemed to have lost nothing by a long journey from some more sylvan scene than Wolverhampton, and with a correctness of speech rendered interesting by an accent which puzzled one to say whether it was Scotch,Irish, or Swiss, or a pretty combination of them all, she seemed all she represented herself to bo — the nursery governess of a seminary in Flintshire, who had come to Wolverhampton in charge of two children, whom she had delivered up to a relative that had met her in the town for that purpose. In a tone that belied suspicion of the tale it made musical, she told how that having performed her mission, she took a lodging for the night, and then having written a letter, went out to post it. She missed tho chief office in Quecn-street, and dropped the missive into the box of the branch office in Strafford-street. She had found the post-office, but had lost her way.She inquired it of one of tho four urchins;* and, while looking at them and looking at her, an observer could scarcely doubt but that their town-bred wickedness and cupidity had resolved to make her country simplicity ’ and ingenuousness “fair game; and that, as she swore, one of them, while she was looking for a penny wherewith to reward him for having directed her on her way back to her lodgings, snatched her purse from her hand, and that the other heldher while his companions made good their escape. It was all in vain that the young urchins protested their innocence.•They were committed; and then Miss Grey, with a wavering modesty which seemed to own a misfortune for a fault, pointed out to the magistrates, who needed no such prompting to be generous, the strait she had been placed in by every shilling having been taken from her on a spot many hundred miles from her friends and relatives. They immediately presented he r with money from the poor-box, and in the belief that such artless simplicity needed protection, di- ' rccted a well-conducted policeman to watch over her in the town, and accompany her to the sessions. The officer conscientiously discharged his duty, and Al ee Grey appeared at the Nisi Prins Court, at Salford, to prosecute, where her language and manner making as deep an impression on the jury as it had done on the committing magistrates, the boys were found guilty, and each sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment; and the good-natured clerk, commiserating her seemingly unfortunate situation,augmented the amount of costs due to her to 2/. 10?. She was waiting on the platform for the train to Wolvcilmmpton, when she was passed by a reporter from Wolverhampton, in company with a brother professional from Birmingham, who were going by the same train. The former called the attention of the latter to Miss Grey, and was‘about to retail her interesting story when his Birmingham brother of tho quick pencil told him he knew all about it, and immediately began to tell a story that was entirely new to the gentleman from Wolverhampton. It was to tho effect that, in the name of Alice Christie,Miss Grey had, on the previous Wednes-day, appeared at the Birmingham policc-eourfc against a man whom she charged with having robbed her of 71. and a quantity of wearing apparel, whilst, as • she alleged, in company with a female who was conducting her to respectable lodgings in the town. The magistrates patiently heard the case, and the man charged was dismissed, an alibi having been in their minds satisfactorily proved on his behalf. The same feeling which impressed the minds of the persons above-mentioned was evinced by the Birmingham bench. When she related her misfortunes, when she told of her late position and education, andmentioned the names of families in whose service she had lived, and when she represented her then distressed situation— having little chance of supporting herself by her own industry in Birmingham, and no hopes of being able to pay her fare to Liverpool, where her friends resided—they liberally presented her with fifteen shillings for the purpose of returning home, and directed the superintendent of police to give the prosecutrix, who it was supposed had only been mistaken in the identity of the man who had robbed her, every informationand assistance she required. The two reporters having 44 compared notes with a third gentleman of tho “fourth estate, residing in tho town, drew up “ a case which appeared rather black against Miss Grey, and which case they represented to her police guardian, who at first treated it as a joke, and tho more so when Miss Grey denied to him most positively that she had ever appeared in Birmingham under the name of Christie. Further argument was .summarily .ended by. the arrival andstarting of the train. On arriving at Wolverhampton tho doubting officer again confronted his charge with two of her accusers, and, being again assured that the word of their brother was not to bo doubted, and further that what ho related wouldiffl %if®V■«... •»* jSP OPs.- '2«ii#rAkcsssf J!iaprtxi.it it'iillll.l,• !lt;!'lt; MHI M MIMihIa;III H Mill I 111 ii 111 0 ■ *(•'oinui iiit••i iII#titlllltlMlll I II IIHI• • *\» • I | | II • | |iniiiiiitiMiniiitui'.....•••Hit• •*•■::::r*»»■• mII4ik%• * .vi• •1»II..4•A •• *»*v*.« V.'VaV hi.•*.r.'VO:' •vVlsViII®•■S'% 'I•t *•ImmmmWMAiiSlilllliliiS$AYi.XETJAX POIXT LACK COLLAIt.be found set forth in full in the Birmingham papers, lie took Miss Grey to the station-house, where she was placed “in durance vile. Last week she was herself brought before the magistrates at Wolverhampton, when her position being changed from that cf a prosecutor to that of an accused, she was examined at considerable length, and answered the questions in a very acute and ready manner. One of the bench expressing his belief that the boys had been convicted upon tho evidence of the woman improperly, Miss Grey, in a warm and somewhat excited manner,punish me, but not without.” At the conclusion of tho examination, she was remanded for u week to Stafford, on a charge of perjury, upon which she exclaimed, 14 I'm not afraid if you remand me for twenty weeks.A likeness of tho prisoner having been found in her box, a number of copies were immediately taken from it, and forwarded to police officials in different parts of the kingdom. In tho box there w«ro ulso found two letters from a gentleman at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, who, from their contents, appeared to have taken great interest in tho person to whom they were addressed—a Miss Anastatia Huggard, at Liverpool—having, os ho stated,been seeking to get a situation ns cook for her with a lady at Newcastle, but who declined taking tho young woman into her service until she was better acquainted with her history. A likeness of Alice Grey and a letter of inquiry were accordingly forwarded to ilio writer of these letters, and a copy of depositions made by that gentleman has been sinco received, which leaves no doubt that Alice Grey and Anastatia Huggard are one and the same person. The account ho gives of his first meeting and subsequent acquaintance with her is somewhat romantic. He says that ho and his brother left Dublin for Liverpool on board a steam-ship on the 2nd Aug. Inst. The deck was so crowded with cattle, and men, women, and children, that tho poop, which is usually reserved for cabin passengers, was literally crammed with people prostrated with seasickness, and the cabin passengers wero compelled to sleep below. Drawn to the head of the cabin stairs by a more than usual uproar, the writer noticed a female crouched under tho ship's boat. She was as pale as death, careworn, and emaciated, and from her meek and guileless expression of countenance ho concluded that she had seen better days, and he wus moved with compassion towards her. She turned ' round, and in a most delicate and simple) manner asked him how she could get a glass of water, for she was dying with thirst, ilo obtained a glass of water for her, and could not help admiring the resignation of one so young under such trials as a sight truly edifying. Ho spoke with her a few minutes, and foundher conversation 44 a strange medley of religious ideas. On landing at Liverpool he saw her standing on the quay surrounded by a number of low lodging-house keepers. lie took her to an eating-house close at hand, and ordered some tea for her. While there, she told him she was going to emigrate to America, and she added that she had a Iricnd in Liverpool, named Mrs. Kelly, who resided at No. G, Gallcn-pLicc, Clarcnce*strcct. After some difficulty,* they found Mrs. Kelly, in whose care he left his strangely-acquired charge. Calling three or four days afterwards, he found her assisting Mrs. Kelly in the business of washing, and then learnt from the lips of Anastatia that she had given up her intention of going to America, and wished to obtain a situation. In answer to the question why she had left her home, she said she found she could not live with her stepfather and his young family, adding that when she was otdy four or five years old, her father was shot at Limerick, ami her brother, about three years old, was taken bv sbmo relation, who had since sentw *him to college. She wished to gain her own livelihood, and would and could do any kind of work. Giving her good advice us to the avoidance of temptation, and telling her ho was going to the north of England, and would endeavour to find a situation for her, he left her.Inquiries being made at Liverpool, the Superintendent of Police hastened to corroborate the suspicions entertained, lie says in his letter 44 Several officers in this office recognised her photograph, and also traced out her residence in this town in the year 1850—namely, nt Mrs. Settle's, Prince’s-strcet. We also find that in May of that year she reported at this office having entrusted her trunk to a man to carry it to her intended lodgings, having just arrived from Ireland, the contents of which, including two one pound Irish notes, amounted, according to her valuation, to GI. Our officer, Griscnthwaite, was sent with her arouml the town to see if she could find him, and whilst thus employed they came to a crowd of people listening to street music, when she pointed out Joseph Stanton as ;lie man to whom she entrusted her box, and he was tried,i.. «• *■ -.....• •• •. ■ »• M * • ■• •••■■Hub.along with one Owen Brogan, and a woman named Keighley. Brogan was acquitted and {Stanton got nine months, and the other six months’imprisonment. In the interval between committal and the sessions ohc was allowed 7s. per week for her board. The evidence entirely rested upon a piece of gimp, some buttons, and some plush velvet found in the house where the prisoners lived. The prisoners loudly protested their innocence, and accounted for the possession of the things, which she swore to with so much gravity and artlesssaid, “If you can prove that I did net lose the money you can simplicity, that the jury and recorder gave full credence to her
Newspaper Details
London Ladys Newspaper and Pictorial Times
London, Middlesex, GB
Sat, Oct 27, 1855
Page 9
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
UK 16 Nov 2018
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