CONVICTION OF COUNT BORROMEO.

Evening Post, Issue 78, 10 May 1865, Page 2

CONVICTION OF COUNT BORROMEO.

Dr.' Henry Charles Smethwick, alias Tucker, alias Borromeo, 32, described in the calendar as a surgeon, was arraigned at the Surrey Sessions to answer several indictments found against him for obtaining goods an<l money from various persona under false and fraudulent pretences. He had no counsel engaged for him, neither were any learned men engaged for the prosecution. On the indictment being read over to him, the prisoner in a faint voice pleaded guilty, and handed up a small document to the Bench. The letter merely set forth that he was very ill, and that, as he did not wish to put the court or the jury to any trouble, he pleaded guilty to all the charges. Some time ago the prisoner took lodgings with a widow at Reigate, and there managed to secure the affections of her daughter, a girl 16 years of age. Under the pretence of marrying her and purchasing some goods, he induced her to accompany him to London. He took lodgings for them both in Westminster road, and visited the shop of Mr. Harvey, linen draper, of whom he purchased goods to the value of £48. This was on a Saturday night; and he gave a cheque in payment on the County Bank at Reiyate. As the goods were to be packed on the Monday, the prisoner only took away with him a few things. In the meantime, Mr. Harvey sent a young man to Reigate, to see if the cheque was all right; but at the bank it was repudiated. When the prisoner presented himself at Mr. Harvey's shop on the Monday morning, he was given into the custody of Police Sergeant Odell. That officer now gave the following history of him: — "On the lith of May, 1858, the prisoner, under the name ot Alexander Borromeo, alias Dr. Tucker, who described himself as an Italian count, was apprehended at Reading, Berkshire, while delivering a lecture on Electro-Biology, by one of the Howstreet officers, charged with obtaining money under false pretences from the proprietors of the morning Star newspaper. The charge was of a peculiar nature, and caused considerable sensation at the time. At the period of the Bernard and Orsini trials, on the charge of conspiring against the life of the Emperor of the French, the prisoner, who described himself as an Italian count, named Borromeo, furnished a detailed and able report to the various morning papers of a meeting of an Italian conference held in London, at which some of the leading Itulians in this country were present. The report appeared with lending articles in some of the papers, and caused considerable excitement among the public. A few days afterwards, however, it was mentioned that the report from beginning to end was a fabrication. The manager of the Morning Star prosecuted him, and he was sentenced to one year's hard labour. These proceedings being made public, brought to light three other charges of a heartless character against him — that of marrying not less than three ladies. In consequence of that the Associate Institute for enforcing the laws for the protection of women and children prosecuted him, and on the 17th of August, 1858, he was brought up to the Central Criminal Court by habeas corpus, and placed at the bar to answer the charges. He then gave his name as Alex. Borromeo, aged 29. The charges being fully proved against him, he was sentenced to four years' penal servitude. One of the young ladies eloped with him to Gretna Green, and he married her in the name of Maria Angele de St. Hilaire. Another he married four years afterwards in the name of Dr. Tucker, and obtained £250 with her. After he had squandered that away he discarded her. Sergeant Odell further stated that the prisoner was an adventurer, and he was very fond of saying that he had been in the Crimean war. He, however, had never been there, but was well known at some of the continental wateringplaces as a cheat and a gambler. At Florence he was compelled to fight a duel with a gentleman he had cheated, and he was wounded in the ankle. Since the prisoner's committal from the Lambeth Police-court he, Sergeant Odell, had received letters from ladies and tradesmen in different parts of the kingdom complaining of the prisoner's frauds and heartless conduct." The following is a copy of the letter handed by the prisoner to the bench ; — " Sir, — I beg leave respectfully to plead guilty to the charge for which I am arra'gned, and to throw myself on the merciful consideration of the court. All that I can utter in extenuation of the charges would be but assertions without proofs, and therefore I abstain from making any, simply reminding the court of what cannot be denied — for the testimony ol the medical officer of the prison in which I am confined will fully bear out my words— that my health is exceedingly precarious, and my body is covered with wounds received in military actions. I will solemnly promise the court that the moment I am released I will leave England for ever. Again praying for the merciful consideration of the court, I remain, sir, with

respect, your penitent servant, H. C. Smethwick. P.S. — I have been confined to my bed ever since the 12th of last xnontn." The Deputy-Chairma'i told the j/risoner that, notwithstanding his letter re-pec iag his penitdice for the lioai tless rnct wicked crimes he had been guilty of, it w 8 the duty, of the court to punish him •with some severity. Alter full consideration, they could not pass a less sentence than five years' penal servitude. — The prisoner was about to address the court, but he was remo\ed by Mr. Reeve, the governor, to the cells \ clow.