The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-06-20 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY STORY BY A
" GENTLEMAr HAWKER.

On Tuesday, at the Marylebone Police-court,
William R. Carr, 29, of gentlemanly appearanco,
giving the address of 33, Regent-square, Gray's-inn-
road, was accused of hawking pictures from house to
house in the Grove-end-road, St. John's-wood, with-
out a license, and attempting to obtain money of Mr.
William Yeames, of 4, Grove-end-road, of Mr.
David Wynfield, 14, Grove-end-road, and of Mr.
Philip Calderon, R.A., of 16, Grove-end-road, by
producing letters purporting to come from Princess
Louise, Lord Derby, and others, to enable him to
leave the country. Mr. W. F. Yeames, 4, Grove end-
road, said he was an artist. The prisoner called on
him on that morning and showed him several letters,
which he asked him to read. He also said he had
the reproduction of a picture by an old master for
sale. He was in great distress. He had been in an
asylum, but had recovered, and his friends had
advised him to make an effort to collect Rome
money to enable him to emigrate to Aus-
tralia. The prisoner then produced several other
letters which he told him had come from the
Princess Louise, Lord Derby, and others. Witness
told him he was sorry for him, but he never gave
assistance in such cases unless he received a letter
from a personal friend recommending the case, and
the defendant left the house.—Cross-examined, the
witness said the prisoner did not ask him for money;
he only asked him to purchase a picture.—Mr. Philip
Calderon, artist, of 16, Grove-end-road, said his ser-
vant came to him that morning and said that a
gentleman from Mr. Norman Shaw, the architect,
had called and wanted to see him. On entering a
sitting-room he found the prisoner, who in the
course of conversation said that he had been in
an asylum for two years, and that in consequence of
that he found it difficult to get a livelihood. His
friends, he said, had advised him to go to
Australia, and with the object of raising funds for
that purpose he was selling some pictures. He pro-
duced a letter which contained the names of many
professional gentlemen known to witness, who
represented to have purchased pictures of him,
and added that Mr. Yeames had that morning
bought of him a photograph. The prisoner
did not ask him for money, and he did not purchase
anything of him. The prisoner, addressing the magis-
trate, said this was an attempt to mak-, a catspaw of
the police, so as to interfere with a peacable and
struggling citizen bent on earning a honest living. For
the last two years he had been suffering from the
effect of the loose state of the lunacy laws. The fact
was he was kidnapped. Under the pretence that he
was entitled to some property he was asked to meet
two solicitors at the house of a well-known member
of Parliament. These solicitors, who turned out to
be doctors, just signed some papers, and then be was
told that it was necessary that they should all go to
an estate office to settle the business. They got into
a coach and pair, and when he reached an establish-
ment at Peckham he was told that it was a private
' asylum, and he must remain there. Owing to com-
munications he made to persons outside he was
removed to Stratford, where he was for two years.
During that period he made his escape twice, and
, when taken back the last time the authorities, in order
to make him mad, put him into a place occupied by
the worst of lunatics. But he kept his mind engaged,
and so escaped the baneful influence. Knowing that
he would be sure to escape again, they got him away at
three o'clock one morning, and took him to Liverpool,
with the object of smuggling him over to America.
But they made a mistake by getting him on to the
wrong vessel, and on coming ashore again he was
rescued, for the White Star Line Company declined
to convey him—they refused to lend themselves to
any such proceedings. He managed to secure his
liberty, and since then he had had the greatest pos-
sible difficulty in getting a living to the best of his
ability. The sale of these pictures was one of his
honest endeavours. Her Majesty the Queen—God
bless her—had bought five of his pictures, and so had
other great personages. It was his only means of
getting a livirrg. Mr. De Rutzen remanded the
accused for a-week, and offered to admit him to bail
in two sureties of ..E5 each, or one surety in .ElO.
The prisoner said he had four guineas with. him,
which he was prepared to deposit if the magistrate
would allow him out on his own recognisances.. He
would be sure to appear next week. The application
was refused, and the prisoner removed.