BEAUCHAMP IN THE WITNESS-BOX. 235 



screamed Wrangler ; " I won't condescend to ask you another 

 question." 



William Beauchamp was then called, who related in a clear, 

 straightforward manner all that passed under his observation 

 on the night of the attempted abduction, for which, having 

 been thanked by Mr. Whalley, he was then addressed by the 

 Serjeant. 



" Pray, Mr. Beauchamp, will you oblige me by stating from 

 whom you obtained the information which directed you to 

 Marston Common on that night ? " 



" That question, sir," replied Beauchamp, " I believe you 

 cannot legally insist on my answering, although I should not 

 hesitate in giving a reply to any other counsel except Serjeant 

 Wrangler." 



"And why not to me, Mr. Beauchamp 1 " 



"Simply because you have adopted a coarse, bullying 

 manner towards the witnesses placed in this box to-day, to 

 which I give you fair notice I shall not submit." 



"I am not responsible to you, Mr. Beauchamp, for the 

 course of examination I choose to pursue towards other wit- 



nesses." 



" I am not quite sure of that, Mr. Serjeant Wrangler, when 

 you attempt to take away the character of a poor man whom I 

 have known from boyhood, and whose daily bread depends upon 

 his honesty." 



" And do you call Thomas Carter an honest man, to betray 

 his master 1 " 



" Yes, sir, and a virtuous one too, to incur the risk of losing 

 place and character in his attempt to save an innocent girl from 

 a fate worse than death — from being made the victim of a dark, 

 villanous conspiracy to rob her of her fair name and fortune, 

 and consign her to the power of as unprincipled a scoundrel as 

 ever trod the earth." 



A murmur of applause ran through the court at this manly 

 speech, which having subsided, Mr. Serjeant Wrangler continued 

 in a subdued tone : " I did not ask you for the expression of 

 your own particular opinion on this subject, Mr. Beauchamp, 

 with which we are well acquainted, and the motives which 

 suggested your remarks." 



" My opinion, sir, will be the opinion of every disinterested 

 person in this court at the conclusion of the trial, and I warn 

 you to address no further impertinent language to myself, or 

 question my motives, or " 



