of the birth, and that Mrs. Salisbury had previously gone to him and inquired for a child to adopt. He had been asked for ex act details, in order that inquiries might be made by those representing Mrs. Salisbury. He had however refused to give any details beforehand, the result being that plaintiff's counsel did not call him. His evidence was therefore taken at the instance of the de fendants, who did not however know what the details of his evidence would be. The girl whom Dr. C. attended, and her mother also, gave evidence, and it appeared that on the evening before Mrs. Salisbury's alleged confinement a woman had come to the door and asked for the child, whereupon the girl's mother brought it downstairs and gave it to the woman. She could not how ever identify or describe this woman in any way. The result of the doctor's evidence was that Mrs. Salisbury's leading counsel threw up his brief. His junior however continued to conduct the case alone. Mrs. Ashe was another important witness for the defendant. She told how Mrs. Salis bury had asked her if she knew anyone who was going to have a baby and would like to have it adopted. Mrs. Salisbury wanted her to pretend to be the nurse, and to be in the house when Mrs. Pike arrived with the child, so that she could let Mrs. Pike in and no one else would see the baby. Mrs. Ashe however would not allow herself to be mixed up with anything of the kind. Dr. R. told how Mrs. Salisbury had re fused to be examined after her alleged con finement. The last witness gave some interesting
testimony. She was a Mrs. M., who had apartments in the house where the illegiti mate child was born, and who had charge of it while it remained there. When it was taken away, she went out and watched. She saw a woman in a loose garment leave the house. The witness followed and the woman took a hansom. The witness took another and gave chase. The hansom con taining the unknown woman drove round and round the squares on the east side of Edgeware road, and ultimately reached Praed street by a devious route. There the woman got out, and the witness, being weak and tired, lost sight of her in the crowd. The baby got a sleeping draught that evening, the witness added; and this would account for the silence in the early part of the night at the house in Kensing ton road. The learned judge certainly did not sum up in favor of the defendant, but the jury after consideration gave him their verdict, finding that Mrs. Salisbury was not the mother of the infant plaintiff. So ended one of the most extraordinary cases tried in England in recent years. Few or none of the incidents relied on by the plaintiff were in themselves incredible, and considerable ingenuity had been displayed in concocting a plausible story. But while each of the main facts might have been accepted, had it stood alone, the occurrence of all of them was a coincidence too remarkable for belief. It is true that the identity of the supposi tions child was not absolutely traced, but no one who has read the evidence can doubt that the decision of the jury was a sound one.
