lieview of Reviews, 1112113. 



MY FATHER. 



Q73 



with the utmost celerity and dispatch. 

 It was one of the greatest achievements 

 which any journalist, single-handed, had 

 e\'er accomplished in the coercion of an 

 unwilling legislature and a reluctant 

 Ministry. Of this premonition he said : 



It was even more remarkable and en- 

 tirely precluded any possibility of any 

 premonition having any influence what- 

 ever in bringing about its realisation 



. . When the trial was drawing to 

 a close, conviction being certain, the 

 question was naturally discussed what 

 the sentence would be. Many of ni}- 

 friends, including those actively en- 

 gaged in the trial on both sides, were 

 strongly of opinion that under the cir- 

 cumstances I should only be bound over 

 in my own recognisance to come up for 

 judgment when called upon. 

 The jury had found me guilty, but 

 strongly recommended me to mercy on 

 the ground, as they said, that I had been 

 deceived by my agent. . . . But I 

 was never a moment in doubt. I knew 

 I was going to gaol from the moment 

 Rebecca Jarrett broke down in the wit- 

 ness-box. This may be said to be 

 nothing extraordinar}' ; but what was 

 extraordinary was that I had the most 

 absolute conviction that I was going to 

 gaol for tzvo vwntlis. I was told b\' 

 those who considered themselves in a 

 position to speak with authority that I 

 was perfectly safe, that I should not be 

 miprisoned, and that I should make 

 preparations to go abroad for a holida\' 

 as soon as the trial was over. To all 

 such representations I always replied by 

 asserting with the most implicit con- 

 fidence that I was certain to go to gaol 

 and that my sentence would be two 

 months. 



For more than a week the dock at 

 the Old Bailey had been the centre of 

 interest throughout the whole country. 

 The dock itself is an inspiration. Man}- 

 of the men who have made history, from 

 William Penn downwards, have faced 

 hostile judges from that coign of van- 

 tage. The well of the court was 

 crowded with counsel. The leaders of 

 the Bar were there, and, on either side, 

 gathered the friends of the opposing 



parties. The jury were absent for a con- 

 siderable time, and the crowded court 

 buzzed with eager conversation as every- 

 body canvassed the possible verdict with 

 his neighbours. I think that I was about 

 the most unconcerned person , in court. 

 When )'0u know what is going to hap- 

 l.)en you do not get so excited as those 

 who are still in suspense. In the dock 

 with me were Bramwell Booth, chief of 

 the staff of the Salvation Army, and 

 another devoted member of the Army, 

 ]\Iadame Combes, who had rendered 

 yeoman service in the enquiry. With 

 them also was an old war correspondent 

 of Greek descent, who had aided me in 

 my excursions into regions where he was 

 much more familiar than myself. The 

 remaining occupants of the dock were 

 a Frenchwoman of infamous repute, 

 who was convicted and died in gaol, 

 and a converted procuress who had 

 aided me in exposing the traffic by 

 which she had formerly made her liveli- 

 hood. Our friends, legal and otherwise, 

 were crowded round the dock, con- 

 fidently expressing their belief in our 

 acquittal. 



" Suddenly there was a thrilling whis- 

 per : — ' They are coming, they are com- 

 ing!' Everyone hushed his talk. Those 

 who had seats sat down. Those who 

 crowded the corridors craned their necks 

 towards the jury box. The twelve good 

 men and true, headed b\' their foreman, 

 filed back into the box. Then the judge, 

 in a silence profound as death, asked 

 if they had agreed upon their verdict. 

 ' We have,' said the foreman. Everyone 

 held his breath and waited to hear the 

 next fateful words. It was a verdict of 

 ' Not Guilty,' against Bramwell Booth 

 and Madame Combes. Of ' Guilty ' 

 against the Frenchwoman and the ex- 

 procuress, ' Guilty ' also against the 

 Greek war correspondent, and ' Guilty ' 

 against me. But in my case the jur\- 

 added an extraordinary rider. The}' 

 found me guilty of being deceived b}- 

 my agents. They recommended me to 

 mere}', and they wished to p?ii on record 

 their high appreciation of the services I 

 had rendered the nation by securing the 

 passage of a much-needed law for the 

 protection of young girls. 



