SCANDAL IN HIGH LIFE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1659, 12 November 1887, Page 3

SCANDAL IN HIGH LIFE.

The new acandal case, which is on everyone’s tongne at the present moment, has some special interest for Australians, becau;e the young lady so unfortunately implicated in the same is a niece of Bishop Selwyn, the first Bishop of New Zealand. For soma time before Parliament rose there had been a rumor of a scandal in which a Conservative r member of Parliament was concerned { ,but the Pall jlall Gazette was the first to publish J all the details. ... ’ r- SEhe London Evening News, m giving an' authorised version of the discovery of the • scandal, says i-“ It was during the summer of the present year that Mife B-.atrioe Salwyn stayed with Colonel Hughes-Hallet at several places in the southern counties of England. How often Hiss Beatrice Sal wyn met Colonel Hughes-Hallet it is needless to narrate. Suffice, it to say that they did meet repeatedly 5 and let us pass on to the moment when the intrigue was discovered It was on (he 6bh of August that Colonel HughesHallett, following an invitation from Mr Henry Smith, went down to stay at Bilingham Hall, Norfolk. Some time in last July, Colonel Hughes Hallett had appointed Mtsr Beatrice Selwyn to be the guardian of hie Ohildren by Lady Selwyn, and Mr Henry Smith, an old friend, co-guardian with her, and executor of his will. On accepting this .(rust Hr ;Henry Smith naturally _ enough wished to know who his co-guardian was, and accordingly invited Miss Beatrice Selwyn • to his homo. She arrived atEllingham Hall on Monday, August 8, two days later than Colonel Hnghes-Hallett. Now (continue? the Evening News) we come to the n'ght of the 15th August. Mr Smith’s suspici ns, it seems, bad already been awakened. At any sate on this night he went round the house to assure h.mself that his guests were ah safely in bed. On' coming to Colonel Hughes Ha'lett’s room at ab ut I o’clock Mr ’ Henry Smith avers that he found it empty Be thereupon tried M:is Scat ice Selwyn’* dour, and finding it looted saw all hi. suspicions confirmed, and forthwith pro oeeUed to wake hie servants. In a lew minutes he gathered round hiia his houseket ptr, a oouplo othousem.ido, Miss Selwyn's rO xnaiaj and the ! coachman. Thus accompanied, Mr Henry Smith : returned to the floor ot Miss Selwyn’* room and forthwith burst it open. Ihen followed a scene which it is diffipul to describe. jOolonel HughesBallet, taken oompleiely by surprise, had do means of escape, and had to submit to a palleet storm of abuse hum the whole gang.

As no abuse was levelled at the lady it may be said to his credit that he bore it all in perfect silence. In contemptuous quiet be dressed himself while Mr Henry Smith kept repeating with an emphasis impossible to render in words, ‘ I suspected something of this; that this thonld have happened in my house—at Ellingham Hall, Well, it shall be known all over the country by to-morrow, that I can promise you.” To do him justice Mr Henry Smith was as good as his word. He requested Colonel Hughes* Hallett to leave Ellingham Hall forthwith within half-s,n-hour. The dogcart was brought to the door, the portmanteaux, eto. piled upon it, and Colonel Hughei-Hallett was soon upon bis way towards Beocles, the nearest town and railway station. Before leaving the invaded bedroom however Colonel Hughes Hallet found an opportunity to say to Miss Beatrice Selwyn, in French, ‘ Follow me to Loudon in the morning, and wire me where I shall find you.’ “ After reaching London, Colonel Hughes* Hallett occupied himself for some 48 hours in watching the trains, believing that Miss Beatrice Selwyn would hasten to place herself under his protection, but all in vain, The lady did not appear. Two days later, however, Colonel Hughes-Hallett received a letter from Lewis and Lewis, folioitore, who, ia the name, and by the authority of, Miss Beatrice Selwyn, requested him to at once refund the £SOOO which she of her own free will had entrusted to him for investment under the covenant that she would not require its return within five years. Forthwith Colonel Hughes-Hallett paid over the sum, with interest up to date, into the hands of the young lady’s lawyeru. Therewith this monetary part of the business closer, without any possible reflection upon Colonel HugherHallett,

“On the 22cd of August Colonel HugherHallett sent a distinguished officer to call upon Captain 0. Selwyn at his house in Lowndes square, and offer him the usual satisfaction acootded by one gentleman to another, but even this did not All the measure of Colonel Hughw-Halbtt’i willingceis to make all possible reparation. His eavoy was further instructed to tell Captain C, Selwyn that Colonel Hughes-Hallett was prepared to go away with Miss Beatrice Selwyn to enable Mrs Hughes-Hallett to obtain a divorce, in which case Colonel Hughes-Hallett asserted his entire willingnssa to marry Miss Selwyn, and to allow Miss Selwyn’s advisers to settle her money upon her in any way they wished. This arrangement Colonel Hughes Hellett felt him l self bound in honor to propose. These proposals, as well of satisfaction as of reparation, Captain 0. Selwyn received in silence. It only remains for us to add that Mrs HughesHallett, with the self-abnegation and generosity of which some women seem to possets the monopoly, has consented to condone her husband’s fault. She is acquainted with all the circumstances of the case, and knows all the actors in the drama. She has suffered the greatest injury, and if she is content to forgive and forget who shall here dare to bear malice or cast the first stone ?”