REMARKABLE MASQUERADE. AN ACTOR ARRESTED IN FEMALE ATTIRE. SINGULAR CONDUCT IN THE COURT.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 307, 13 October 1888, Page 3

REMARKABLE MASQUERADE. AN ACTOR ARRESTED IN FEMALE ATTIRE. SINGULAR CONDUCT IN THE COURT.

An actor named Lawrence found his way into the hands of the police at the Melbourne Exhibition on a recent Saturday evening under circumstances of a most r e markable nature. Loungers in the Avenu c of Gabions on the night in question found the monotony of the " block " somewhat varied by the conduct of two ladie-s — one middle-aged, the other seemingly yet in her teens — whose appearance wa& sufficient to excite the interest of the whole promenade. The elder — portly, buxom, and grave, as befitted her yeara — extended the countenance of her matured age to her younger companion 3 whose slender figure, set off bo advantage by a stylish costume, and aided by an occasional coy glance, made her the object of a good many admiring glances. Unfortunately an unexpected incident disfciu bed the haimony of the scene. Detective Sexton, whose curiosity had been aroused by the little gathering which followed the ladies on their way, tapped the younger on the shoulder, and suggested that she should accompany him quietly to the police office. The damsel, however, was not disposed to accept this friendly advice with a good grace. She expostulated, and protested amid murmurs of sympathy from the crowd that she was being insulted, and flatly refused to budge. It became necessary to use stronger arguments, and something like a struggle occurred, in the midst of which the young lady's fashionable hat was knocked off', carrying in its fall an ample coiffure of golden locks and disclosing to view a remarkably masculine looking head, covered with close cub black hair. This unexpected discovery changed the feeling of the crowd in a moment, and, finding the spectators disposed to become aggressive, the elder lady seized a favourable opportunity to vanish, while Detective Sexton took his prisoner to the police office, where the mysterious individual confessed to being a male actor named Gordon Lawrence. The Police Court on the following Monday was crowded, andthe police had the greatest possible difficulty in keeping the avenues, and even the reporter's box, clear from intrusion. Finally, after the usual lisfc of police charges had been completed, the case was called on, and the prisoner was placed at the bar. His appearance caused a decided sensation. Dressed in a red skirt, and a close fitting jacket of blue, striped with white, the outlines of his figure wonderfully resembled those of a

iwoman, and the deception was still further ncreasod by a flaxen wig, surmounted by a jaunty hat. The costume was, perhaps, a trifle loud ; but, even in the nervousness of the moment the prisoner displayed no awkwardness in his woman's garments, which, indeed, ho wore with the unconscious ea&e of a person long accustomed to their use. As he lent easily upon the bar, his eye? modestly downcast, and one silk-gauntletted hand fingering with the imitation diamond cross, which rose and fell perceptibly at Ins breast, there was nothing whatever to betray his sex. In every look, in every motion, in every line of his iiguie he was a woman. The momentary mistake of the presiding magistrate in asking what "she" was charged with was an unconscious testimony to the oxcellence of the impersonation. And when, a moment later, the prisoner uttered a brief denial of bhe charge, in a voice that, despite all its affectation, was yet a woman s voice, a thrill mn through the Court. It was evident that hero was something more than mere acting, and that the portrayal was wonderfully assisted by nature. The evidence was decidedly of an unpleasant character. A lew words served to detail the circumstances under which tho arrest was made. Then followed the mute testimony of the articles found nt tho piisoner's lodgings, and finally came tho pi oof, anticipated by eveiyone, of a long caieer of nameless immorality. Now and then, apparently for form's sake only, the prisoner asked a lew questions, always in the same piercing sopiano, but he mado no attempt to contradict the horrible assertions made against him. Witness followed witness without check, and (ho charge giew steadily blacker against the prisoner. In half an hour tho case was concluded, and the accused was sentenced to six months' imprisonment. And now came another proof of Laurence's histi ionic powers. The sentence had scarcely been pronounced when he thiew up his arms, uttered a wild shiick, and foil headlong to the ground. Two stout policemen fished him out fiom behind the lail, and carried him rigid and senseless into the outer corridor. Then he quietly slid to the ground, leant against the wall, and winked at the constables. A few minutes later he had divested himself of the borrowed plumage, and stood levcalcd as a sallowfaced and unpleasant looking young- man of rather vulgar type. His woman's clothing were taken into the police station, where a portion of it was identified by Dr. Heniy, of Brunswick, as having been stolen from him a fortnight, betore, while the piisoner was employed by him as boots.