Extraordinary Accusation

Extraordinary Accusation. - It will be remembered, that in the month of May last year, a charge of a criminal nature was preferred before the Lewisham magistrates by Mrs. Elizabeth Simpson Boyce, widow, against Mr. John Frederick Parker, solicitor, who for many years had resided at Lewisham, where he filled the office of clerk to the district magistrates, and held other official appointments. Mr. Lester, solicitor, of Blackheath, appeared on behalf of Mrs. Boyce, and an information was exhibited, charging Mr. Parker with having, in the spring of that year, administered certain drugs to Mrs. Boyce, to procure abortion, she then being pregnant by him, and with having subsequently taken her to the house of a German surgeon in London, where, in a darkened room, an operation was performed upon her, which produced the intended effect of causing abortion.

Upon this information, a warrant was issued, and Mr. Parker was brought before a magistrate, when time being asked on behalf of the accused to rebut the charge, the magistrate consented to grant it, and without then entering into an examination, fixed a day when the inquiry should be gone into before a full bench, and, in the interval, consented to take bail for Mr. Parker's appearance.  Two gentlemen of known property and character immediately became sureties for Mr. Parker's appearance on the day appointed, each in 500l., and Mr. Parker having entered into a personal recognizance of 1,000l., he was liberated.

The day appointed for the hearing arrived, and there was a very full bench of magistrates assembled. Mr. Lester appeared as solicitor, and Mr. Bodkin was in attendance as counsel, for the prosecution. Mrs. Boyce and Mr. Tanner, her  father, were also present as witnesses to support the charge, but the accused was not forthcoming, and on inquiry, it was ascertained he had quitted his residence at Lewisham, and was gone, no one knew where. He was in the usual form called upon for his recognizances, and, not answering, they were ordered to be estreated.

Large placards offering a reward of 50l. for his apprehension, were, a few days afterwards, posted about the towns of Greenwich, Deptford, and Lewisham, but they led to nothing. Notwithstanding the disappearance of the accused, the magistrates deemed it their duty to take the deposition of Mrs. Boyce, as to all the details of her accusation. A long narrative was given by her of the circumstances out of which her acquaintance with Mr. Parker arose,the illicit intercourse which followed, her becoming pregnant,and giving birth to a child. A subsequent renewal of the intercourse, and her becoming a second time pregnant, upon which occasion she alleged the attempts to have been made to procure abortion, by administering drugs, and these failing, that she was taken by Mr. Parker to a German surgeon in London, where, by an instrument, the end was accomplished. Mr. Tanner, her father,was also examined as a witness upon some collateral matters of minor importance. The depositions of the witnesses were carefully reduced to writing by the clerk of the magistrates, and having been read over to Mrs. Boyce and Mr. Tanner, they subscribed their signatures to their respective depositions.

Orders were given by the magistrates, to estreat the recognizances of Mr. Parker, against which, an appeal was lodged by the sureties, and, upon argument before the quarter session, the recognizances were declared invalid, a single magistrate having no power to admit to bail when the charge was of felony.

The affair, as might be expected, caused much excitement and conversation in the neighbourhood, but, like all other things, at length was forgotten, till it was most unexpectedly revived, by the accused himself challenging inquiry into his conduct.

About ten days since, a formal notice was served upon the clerks of the magistrates, informing them that Mr. Parker would forthwith surrender himself to meet the charges which had been preferred against him. Similar notices were served upon Mrs. Boyce, Mr. Tanner, and Mr. Lester the solicitor.

On the day appointed, the magistrates met in the assembly room of the tavern, for the purpose of entering upon the examination of the prisoner.

The accused, John Frederick Parker, was produced by Atkins. He is a good looking man, of middle stature, and apparently in the prime of life. Several respectable friends accompanied him.

The information was read by the clerk of the magistrates. It contained the charges before stated, to which Mr. Parker pleaded not guilty.

Mr. Bodkin said, he was now instructed to say, that when Mrs. Boyce preferred her extraordinary charge, she was labouring under great irritation and excitement of mind, and had been improperly urged on by others to make statements which she could not, now that she had regained her self-possession, possibly attempt to substantiate, and which, therefore, she wished to withdraw. He had only to add, that he had received a letter from Mrs. Boyce, in which she admitted the charges preferred by her against Mr. Parker, to be altogether untrue.

The room was ordered to be cleared, and the magistrates continued in private deliberation full half an hour, when the doors were re-opened, and the prisoner, the counsel, and other parties resumed their places in the room.

The Chairman asked if the witnesses whose depositions were taken on the former occasion were in attendance? - Mr. Bodkin said, he believed not.

The magistrate's clerk asked if Mrs. Boyce was there? - Mr. Bodkin said she was not.

Mr. James Lester, the solicitor for Mrs. Boyce on the first investigation, was ordered to be sent for.

Mr. Lester entered the room and was asked by the clerk if he had anything to say in respect of the charge? - Mr. Lester saiid he had nothing of himself to offer. He was no longer the professional adviser of Mrs. Boyce.

The Chairman said, that under all the circumstances of the case the magistrates had determined to remand Mr. Parker to allow an opportunity for a full investigation.

Mr. Parker was accordingly transferred into the custody of Fisher, the high constable, who received a warrant for conveying him to the county gaol.