THE ACTRESS AND THE M.L.A.

Evening Star, Issue 3921, 17 September 1875, Page 3

THE ACTRESS AND THE M.L.A.

{Abridged from the ‘ Australasian.'

At the Melbourne City Police Court on the 26th ult., before Messrs Sturt, P.M.

Wilton, Noonan, and Harcourt, J.P.’s, Miss Lucy Chambers, well known as having been a contralto singer in the Lyster Opera troupe, was charged with having assaulted Mr Francis Conway Mason, M.L.A. for South Gipps Land. Tie defendant, who had been released on 110 deposit bail immediately on the charge being entered on the previous night, was accommodated with a seat in court. Inspector Ryall conducted the case for the prosecution in the ordinary course, and Mr Read appeared for the defence. In reply to the usual questions, Mr Mason stated : lam a gentleman. Yesterday evening myself and my wife were travelling from Simpson's road in an omnibus to the Hobfon’s Bay railway station. The omnibns had the number inside it was en titled to carry, viz., twelve, and before the defendant got in the omnibusman stopped and to k up another passenger, making thirteen. ~ This passenger stood up. One of the other passengers got out, and left twelve in as before. 1 his lady (defendant) and a gentleman stopped the omnibus iu Albert street, near the Parliamentary Reserve, and she made a thirteenth. The gentleman did not come in. There were already in the omnibus twelve adults, ©ne with a baby in her arms. This lady (defendant) sat between my wife and myself, partly on me, and I endeavored to make as much room as I could, bhe addressed herself to the ladies opposite, and said, “If you sit down a little further you could make more room,” I said, “ I don’t think it would make any difference on this side of the omnibus, whatever it might do on the other,” She sneered at me, saying, “You fellow, what are you talking tome for?’’ I said, “We have more passengers now than we are entitled to.” She said, ‘ ‘ It’s not so; he is entitled to carry fourteen and has only thirteen.” I said that if she understood the English language she could read the notice in the omnibus She sneered at me in a sort of theatrical manner. It was a very unnatural manner, and not even good acting, and she said that she perfectly understood the English language. 1 stopped the omnibus and called the driver’s attention to it. We were well down Bourke street then, and the driver said, “ We’ll soon be at the offLe, and I will get the man at the office to order her out.” Two passengers-.hen got out, so tbat there was no necessity to order hi r out. The driver, however, was not aware of this, and the man at the office came and said, “What’s up here?’ I called attention to the behaviour of this lady. I related as far as 1 could what happen d, and told partly the conversation I have told the Bench. I told the Omnibus Company’s servant that this person was most offensive and very rude, and that her conduct was not at all becoming a female or anybody else, and asked him to remove her, on the ground that she was misbehaving herself. She said, “ Oh, do you know who 1 am ?” and he said, “Yes.” She said, “Goon, then,” and this seemed to give her new courage, and she i-aid, “ Such incivility as people have to experien e in travelling with fellows like this.” I said, “ I will give you to understand that you are travelling with the public, and not associating with those with whom you are accustomed to associate on the stage and elsewhere, and it is not for you to be rudely referring to the people you are travelling with. You are the first to violate the law. The omnibus man was only entitled to carry twelve.” t'he said, “You’re a liar ; he is entitled to carry fourtefn.” I said, “Since you have used the expression, more suitable to a strumpet of the town than a person professing to bo a lady, I decline to have anything more to say to you.” i-bo then struck me in the face, and raid© a rush to the door. That is the assault. I allowed her to escape, and then followed, and gave her in charge. Mr Read: Did you say “I will have none of your stage tricks?” —I don’t know that I used that word. I did not say that word. Did you say she was diunk ?—No, Did you call her a strumpet, and a common woman of the town ?—:* o, I have already told the Bench that I said her language was more becoming a strumpet than a lady. There were two or three men there. Were you ever a schoolmaster?— Yes, At what place?— Has this anything to do with it?

Mr Sturt, P, M. ; I don’t see that it has anything to do with the case. Witness (t® MrlL ad) : No doubt it would be better for others to acquire a little more educational accomplishments. It would not be any harm to you. Mr Read : Was it after you said “ Your conduct is more like a strumpet of the town” that she struck you ?—Yes. W ill you swear the constable did not refuse to take her into custody ? —I can’t answer it in that way. Oh ! the schoolmaster’s abroad in this case. —lt is a pity he was not abroad in your time. I will answer it now. He did refuse, but I must explain. He did not absolutely refuse. He said he did not think he was justified in taking her into custody. He seemed to be in a difficulty, and explained ebmething to me, but that was the substance of it.—Did the officer say: “I know this lady, and can give you her adddress ”? He did not. He asked if I knew who she was. —Did he say “ I will not take her into custody without you give her into custody No ; but he suggested that I should give her into hie custody, and then said, walking on

with me, to a gentleman who was with her, “ Well, the better way would be for you to tuke this lady on your arm up to the watchhouse, and let her be charged.” I did not take her by the arm and give her in custody, noi take hold of her at all. I pointed her out to the constable as she was going on ahead. I signed the charge. 1 have no witness.

John Sullivan, police constable, deposed : A boat ten minutes past eight last night I was «n duty at the corner of Bourke and Swanston streets, when Mr Mason came to me, caught me by the cape, and said he wanted to give a party in charge. The lady came out of the omnibus, and be said, “This is the party.” When I saw who it was. I waited a bit. I said, “ Would not a summons meet the case ?” and he said, “ 1 would have her locked up ; do you refuse to lock her up?” I said, “I do, except on condition that you arrest her and give her in charge.” Near the Town Hall he went up to her and tapped hr r on the shoulder, and said, “ This is the lady,” and I asked the gentleman who was with her to take her up to the watchhouse, which he did, and there the charge was entered. There was a gentleman there who said he (Mr Mason) ought to be locked up instead of the lady. Mr Read commented on the enormity of a gentleman, though a member of Parliament, daring to address a lady by saying that her conduct was like that of a strumpet, especially a lady who was well known in the Colony for years. If there had been a man there he had no doubt he would have knocked Mr Mason’s head through the omnibus window. Miss Chambers would no doubt seek her remedy iu the proper place, and he was sure there were persons who would show that an M L. A. for South Gipps Land, or anywhere else, could not* insult a lady with impunity. He asked the Bench to dismiss the case.

Mr Sturt, P.M., said the Bench considered that the defendant made use of somewhat irritating language, or was irritating in her manner towards the complainant, hut nothing could possibly justify any man using terms so opprobrious as those applied to defendant by complainant. The complainant more especially showed a want of judgment in not following the advice given by the policeman as to summonsing her. The language used by Mr Mason oid not absolutely justify the assault, but the Bench must take into consideration the irritating language—not only irritating, but abusive and insulting language—which provoked the assault. The defendant was fined in the penalty of Is. The fine having been paid, Miss Chambers left the Court with a large number of friends who had como to hear the case.