THE TWISS LIBEL.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1187, 18 May 1872, Page 3

THE TWISS LIBEL.

Since the termination of the Tichborne case, that word "collapse" has been aired in our street placards in a quite wonderful manner. We have had more "collapses" within the fortnight than I can (For contimiation\of JSews sea 4th Page.)

remember in years before— "collapses" of various kinds— of course iho "collapse of the app'icauion for bail," as rci^jht be oxpected when tho Kt!gO3 hs?sied on substantial mon. But the most serious " collapse" has bpen in a libol case affecting the reputation" of a well-known nameOne A. Chaffers, an attorney advanced in yeara, in 18(59 declared before a magistrate that the wife of Sir Travers Twiss, tho Queen's Advocate-General, and chancellor of tho diocese of London, had fa 1858 been a prostitute in Regent street under the name of Marie Gelas, and that ho had himself lived with her, and forwarded this declaration to Sir Travers, adding that unless it were denied he would make the declaration public. It was made public, being sent to the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lord Chamberlain, and others, and Sir Travers indicted Chaffers for a malicious libel with intent to extort money. In court the accuser defended himself, and for days subjected Lady Twiss to the torture of filthy questions, which she met a, frank and bold denial. Witnesses came forward to prove her parentage, her history, her marriage to Sir Travers, her total want of identity with Marie Gelas, and bribes offered by Chaffers to procure evidence. It seemed certain that he must be committed for trial, but one morning the counsel employed by Sir T. Twiss svnnounced that he could go no further ; thai Lady Twiss had refused to appear in court again, and had left London, and that the prosecution had ended. No explanation was offered as to the ground for this decision, which may have been caused by Lady Twi3s's inability to endure f nrther torture. The magistrate was therefore compelled to let Chaffers go. Another prosecutor, whom he had accused of bigamy, also withdrew, and it is still therefore doubtful whether he is a criminal in the law, or only "au object of contempt," as the magistrate said, "to all honest men." The Morning Post now states that Sir Travers has resigned all his offices — retired, that is, we presume, into private life. It is a pitiful scandal. Whatever the facts, most Englishmen would like to see this Chaffers in the pillory.