“George Frederick Jennings, third footman in the establishment of Lord Bareacres, stated to our employe as follows:—­Lady Angelina had been promised to Mr. De la Pluche for near six weeks.  She never could abide that gentleman.  He was the laughter of all the servants’ hall.  Previous to his elevation he had himself been engaged in a domestic capacity.  At that period he had offered marriage to Mary Ann Hoggins, who was living in the quality of ladies’-maid in the family where Mr. De la P. was employed.  Miss Hoggins became subsequently lady’s-maid to Lady Angelina—­the elopement was arranged between those two.  It was Miss Hoggins who delivered the note which informed the bereaved Mr. Plush of his loss.

“Samuel Buttons, page to the Right honorable the Earl of Bareacres, was ordered on Friday afternoon at eleven o’clock to fetch a cabriolet from the stand in Davies Street.  He selected the cab No. 19,796, driven by George Gregory Macarty, a one-eyed man from Clonakilty, in the neighborhood of Cork, Ireland (of whom more anon), and waited, according to his instructions, at the corner of Berkeley Square with his vehicle.  His young lady, accompanied by her maid, Miss Mary Ann Hoggins, carrying a band-box, presently arrived, and entered the cab with the box:  what were the contents of that box we have never been able to ascertain.  On asking her Ladyship whether he should order the cab to drive in any particular direction, he was told to drive to Madame Crinoline’s, the eminent milliner in Cavendish Square.  On requesting to know whether he should accompany her Ladyship, Buttons was peremptorily ordered by Miss Hoggins to go about his business.

“Having now his clue, our reporter instantly went in search of cab 19,796, or rather the driver of that vehicle, who was discovered with no small difficulty at his residence, Whetstone Park, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, where he lives with his family of nine children.  Having received two sovereigns, instead doubtless of two shillings (his regular fare, by the way, would have been only one-and-eightpence), Macarty had not gone out with the cab for the two last days, passing them in a state of almost ceaseless intoxication.  His replies were very incoherent in answer to the queries of our reporter; and, had not that gentleman himself been a compatriot, it is probable he would have refused altogether to satisfy the curiosity of the public.

“At Madame Crinoline’s, Miss Hoggins quitted the carriage, and A gentleman entered it.  Macarty describes him as a very clever gentleman (meaning tall) with black moustaches, Oxford-gray trousers, and black hat and a pea-coat.  He drove the couple to the Euston square station, and there left them.  How he employed his time subsequently we have stated.

“At the Euston Square Station, the gentleman of our establishment learned from Frederick Corduroy, a porter there, that a gentleman answering the above description had taken places to Derby.  We have despatched a confidential gentleman thither, by a special train, and shall give his report in a second edition.