THE LOKD AND THE BOOKMAKER.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1514, 23 March 1887, Page 2

THE LOKD AND THE BOOKMAKER.

A lord and a bookmaker have fornlshed the Distriot Court habitues of Melbourne with a day's amusement and the whole city with a week's gossip. The lord is.Viscoußb Deerhurat, eldest ion of the Earl of Coventry, Aid de Camp to Sis Henry Loch, Governor of Victoria. The bookmaker was Robert Sutton, whose proper name is Senior, and who has re* volutionlsed bettiug m Australia by introducing the oi«h system on racecourses since his arrival from England, four or five years ago ; be has also gained public notoriety by being divorced . from his wife. Lord Deerhurst some time ago went to a pigeon shooting match at Hurlirjgham, near Melooume, and there, m wsgera, lont £281 to Sutton. He could not pay for a time, and Sulton re* ported the debt to the Victoria Olob, the Tatteraall's of Melbourne, and wrote his debtor, threatening to post him. To this Lord Deerhurat replied by letter that ho could do what he pleased. On receipt of remittances Lord I)*>erhurat paid his debt into the Olub, from whioh Button received it. One nipht recently the Visoount and a friend were m a baok parlor of a Bouike street hotel, when Sutton and one or two of his oroniea came m. They started an altercation about the letter, which contained much more forolble language than Id given above. Sutton oalled on hia Lordßhip to apologise, Lord Deerhuret refused, and saying " I am an officer of police and arrest you," brought his hand heavily down on Button's shoulder. Sutton retaliated by drawing hiß open hand across the other's mouth, not Btriking him, however. After some more words the thing ended. Lord Deerhuret reported the matter to the Viotorlan Olub, who expelled gut ton for ! oonduct unbecoming a member. Smarting under this Sutton summoned Lord Deer* hurst for assault, and the Visoount replied by a cross -summons. The Beach ,wii lined with Justices, presided over by Mr PantoD, S.M., and theO.urt was crowded with the aristocracy, among whom was the Earl of Dudley, and with bookmakers from Joe Thompson downwards. The oase against Lord Deerhurst was dismissed, but on Sutton the Ben oh inflicted a sentence of fourteen days' imprisonment without the option of a fine. The verdict, which was not a unanimous one, has been universally oondemned. Sutton has appealed, and it Is almoßt certain the Ben* tenne will be set aside. The osao bjs excited a vast deal of comment, and much curiosity is expressed as to how Sir Henry Loch will take the exposure his aide-de-camp has received.