The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-09-19 00:00:00

A PHENOMENON.

In a country ramble yesterday afternoon in the
Vail& de Chevreuse —(writes the l'aris correspondent
of the Daily Neirs on Sunday) I came across a curious
spectacle. When passing by a village school, a
carriage of peculiar construction drove up to the door,
where an expectant crowd had gathered. A strong.
built woman, fashionably dressed, alighted, and without
further parley lifted ,cut her companion, who at the
first glance had struck me as an able-bodied man in the
prime of life. But I presently observed that he had
neither legs nor arms, and the skirts of his frock coat
lapped over the awns of the lady who carried him, like
a baby's mantle over the nurse's. Happening
to know the schoolmaster, I asked him who
this phenomenon was; he replied, a professor of
mathematics and arithmetic from Orleans, who
had been authorised by the council of public
instruction to give lectures in the primary schools
during 'the summer months. The schoolmaster also
informed me that the lectures were gratuitous, but
that the hearers would be expected to buy some
arithmetical works at a franc each, written by the
"professor." lat once entered the elass-room—a
wide chamber of irregular form, with joisted ceiling,
whitewashed walls, blackened with smoke and fly.
stains and at the opposite extremities a plaster
crucifix, and a bust of Louie Napoleon. The front
row of benches was occupied by a score of boys, who
were all that had come to :school, though the commune
includes six villages. Some looked intelligent, but
the majority lumpish. There were a couple who were
evidently gentlemen's children; the rest wore the blue
smock donned always in the country by workmen
and smsll farmers. Behind, thsre were upwards
of 150 adults, and a stream of country people
pressed about the dom.. The phenomenon had
been seated on a platform behind the school-
master's desk, and made himself !mite at home. He
authoritatively ordered the four windows to be thrown
open, and whistled at am: 'scolded the rustics who
showed any inclination to stop near h.tm for the Po,limee,_,
of staring. "Be off to your seats; p.,g°
and don't be vexing me with your stupid MOkeil
say, you people at the door, stay in or stay out;
do come in, you must hold your tongues !" r'u
boys, no whispering, and east your eyes down till the
summing begins." On saying this to the astonished
children, he seized a white pocket-handkerchief in his
teeth, dropped it on the back rail of his chair, twisted
round his body and robbed his face against it violently
to wipe off the profuse perspiration which followed on
his outbreak of ill-humonr. He was dressed in black,
with a white cravat, and had fifteen gold and silver
medals attached to his breast. His brain is of extra
ordinary height and breadth at the base, hut the
diameter at the top remarkably narrow. The face is
well shaped, but wa., spoiled on this occasion by is
wrathful e xpressi. in. The development of the cheek and
jaw muscles, arising out of the necessity of making the
mouth supplement a handless stump, amounts almost
to a deformity. This stump, not more than four
inches long, grows at a curious angle out of the left
shoulder, and is furnished with a natural crook at the
end like a dwarfed first finger. The eye seemed to
do
Saturday's obituary (Sept. 12) contained the name the office f a tongue. I never saw one more expressive
of Sir John Dean Paul, Bart Events crowd upon of a rapidly working brain, especially when the tests of
and o!diterate one another so rapidly now-a-days that arithmetical capacity were being applied by the mayor
it is probable to many of our readers this name evoked and schoolmaster, and a member of the Institute who
no particular n collection and aroused no particular happened to be stayinf en rillagiature in the hamlet.
idea, remarks the Morning Star. And yet it is only M. Grandmange—that is the phenomenon's name—sat
thirteen years since London was ringing with the de- with his back to the black board on which some of the
tails of the frauds perpetrated by the deceased baronet before-mentioned persons hail stated the most difficult
and his partners, Messrs. Strahan and Bates. The Mats they could think of in common arithmetic or
tanking-house of Strahan, Paul, and Bates, veliich algebra, and propounded problems in trigonometry.
stood in the Strand, the premises now being occupied The answers were given in an amazingly short time
by. the Temple Bar branch of the London and IN snot' without any apparent aid. He multiplied by 18
moister Bank, and was well established and highly and 36 to shorten his operations. As he did the
respected, stopped payment in June 1855, home- additions, multiplications, its., aloud, they were
diately after which it was discovered that securities rapidly noted down on the black board. This ex-
lodged with this bank by their customers had hibition over, a lecture WAS given in arithmetic.
been fraudulently sold or pledged. Among these The manner was admirable and the matter excel:
customers were Lord Palmerston, the Duke of lent ; but the delivery, clear, forcible, and even
Rutland, a fashionable lady novelist of the graceful, was marred from time to time by a
time, who lost all her savings, but revenged shrill whistle like that of a steam engine, intended
herself by founding a novel on the circumstaimes ; and to impose silence upon whispering rustics, and
a number of religious and charitable institutions. On occasionally by an angry altercation with the fashion'
the 29th October the three partners were arraigned at ably dressed lady (his wife), who persisted in blocking
the Old Bailey on the prosecution of a Dr. Griffiths, up the door-step by sitting on it. At the end we were
before ltamn Alderson, Baron Martin, and Mr. Jus- told thatwhileheendowedhimself with aspecialcapacity
tire Willes, were found guilty, and sentenced by Mr. for figures, the lecturer hail a method which facilitates
Banal Alderson to fourteen years' transportation. Few mental operations, and this method was to be found in
who were present will ever forget the scene in the a little volume for one franc. The villagers who might
curt on that cold, grey, autumnal evening. Baron not have so much money in their jeckets were offered
Alderson broke down several times in passing men- credit on the security id the schoolmaster. Nobody,
tence, and was occasionally inaudible; theprosecutor, however, bought on this condition, but francs in ready
Dr. Griffiths, wept like a child; while the prisoners money poured in with a rapidity creditable to the thirst
seemed completely stunned, and were unable to utter for knowledge of the audience. I gather from the
a word. Then Sir John Dean Paul passed out of the prefatory memoir, that Charles Grandemange was born
world's ken; rumours occasionally came of his good at Epinal, without legs or arms, in 1834. His father
behaviour in prison, where he Won engaged in basket was a poor man, and intending to exhibit him as a
making • then his release on ticket-of-leave was an- phenomenon, would not allow him to be sent to school.
nounced, and now we hear of his final release. Sir But the child learned to read and write in secret, and
John was married first in 1826 to a daughter of Mr. G. at the age of four displayed an extraordinary capacity
C. Beauclerk, of St. Leonard's Lodge, Sussex; second, for arithmetic. At a trial of his skill before the Em-
in 1849, to a daughter of Mr. John Ewens, of peror and the court at Compiegne, several members of
Brighton; and third, in 1861, to a daughter of Mr. T. the University invited to be present admitted that
Budgen. He is succeeded in the baronetcy by his son Grandemange solved almost instantaneously problems
by the first marriage, Aubrey John Dean Paul, who which would have taken them a couple of hours. Be-
was born in 1827, and was married in 1851 to &daughter fore dispersing, a few ladies were favoured with M.
of Sir John Lister Kay, Bart. Grandemange's autograph, written in their presence,
in bold flowing characters, with his stump, aided by
Another account says : his mouth. The pamphlet is published at 51, Rue
The name of Sir John Dean Paul recalls the painful eiremn- d'llliers, at Orleans.
stances of thirteen years ago--circumstances which took the
religious as well as the commercial writ by storm, and
which had an appreciable effect upon the private banking
institutions of the country. It was early in June, 1855, that
the well-known and respected house of Strahan, Paul, and
Bates stopped payment; and at the first meeting of the
creditors on the Seth of the same month it was found that MARK LANE.—MownAT.
securities hail been fraudulently said and " deposited "or
pledged which were the property if various customers of (nor market, to day, was rather scantily supplied with
the bank—Lord Palmerston, the Earl of Parnarvon, the home grown wheat, but the general condition of the samples
Duke of Rutland, Lord John Manners, and a variety of I was good. Both red and white qualities moved id slowly;
charitahle and religious institutions, being to their amuse- nevertheless, compared with NI onday hot, no quotable change
meta and chagrin among the unwilling creditors. After this, took place in prices There was a Pill average supply iit
the step from the Court if Bankruptcy to the Bow-street foreign wheat on the stands. Sales progressed slowly, at
police-ollice was a short one, and, following a series of re- last week's currency. Floating cargoes of wheat were some-
mends, the three prisoners were finally committed for what neglected, but other produce afloat was steady in
trial ion the lath of September. These proceeilitim were the price. Fine barley, both English and foreign. was in
talk of the town. Sir John Dean Paul list been a leader ot demand at full quotations ; but grinding and &s-
-one sectii in if the religious world, and anecdotes concerning tilling sorts were a slow sale. Malt was in mode-
him were rife, lie had been trusted and looked up rate supply toot steady request, at full prices. Good
to by all conditions of men as a model lramnet, a sound oats were held at previous rates but inferior
good banker, and a pious man. Respectability it- samples were rather cheaper Beans moved off steadily, at
self was shaken by his fall ; and the story of his cap- previous quotations. The supply was rather limited. The
ture in the train, and of the pity he expressed to the transactions in peas were trifling, at late rates. The imports
policeman for his partner Strahan, who had "£l5OOOO a few have imt increased. There was a fair inquiry for Indian
years since, and who has lost every penny—he a man with
ow
nine children and a beautiful home at Dorking," were told n, lint flour was Very inactive, at barely last week s prices.
mournfully, as showing how much am an felt upon de- cakes, very little was doing.
NE.—WEDIVESTAY.
The transact. ins in seeds generally were very moderate. In
MARK-LA
tection After adjournment on a technical plea, Messrs.
Strahan, Paul, and Bates, were tried on the '2oth October The attendance of miners hem, to-day, was small, and
before Mr. Justice Willes, Mr. Baron Alters-n, and Mr. trade generally rulod insetivot with only moderate supplies
Baron Martin, and were convicted and sentenced to of English wheat on sate: pnces were supported, although
fourteen years' penal servitude. The Attorney-Deneral pro- the demand sin. on a most restricted scale In foreign
secuted, and admitted the case of Sir John Dean Paul to , wheat a small consumptive liminess was concluded, at about
be the worst of the three, but Baron Aldenion, in passing late rates. There was a steady inquiry for most descriptions
sentence, declarol all the prisoners to have been found of barley, the qiintation. for which were timily supported.
guilty of " disposing id the securities that were entrusted The malt trade was very quiet, and priem had a downward
to you as bankers by your customers to lie kept in safe tendency. Inferior oata were the Dino divaper, but good
custody, for your own use. A greater offence than this," waist corn, being scarce, commanded very full values.
the learned baron cent on to say, "can, hardly be cum- Beans met. 3 slow sale, on previous terms. There was very
'flitted in a great commercial community—it tends to little inquiry for peas, yet prices were summrted Maize
shake all confidence in estaldishnients of the description Was unalmred in value. In the English seed market there
of that which you fir a o•nsideraide time undoubtedly con- was very little d " White mustard was in deniand for
ducted with integrity and honour. . . I should have sowing, but the manufacturers showed no disposition to
been glad if it had pleased God that some one else should operate. ('invert were unaltered. Trefoils and trifolium
have rinsed the sentence. I know that I have seen mie of soil at irregular prices. The flour trade was very quiet,
30u. at least, sister very different eireunotances—sitting by out quotations remained nominally unaltered for all
my side in the performance of the duties of a high office. 1 descriptions.
o
little thought at that time it would have come to me to pass
sentence upon you, ant it is only another proof Is.- strictly
wc should pray not to loe led into temptation. .. . All
I can say is, that as I consider the case to Inc one of the very
worst under the Act of Parliament. I am bound to pass One
sentence for the s orst offence contemplated by it, which is,
that you be severally transported for the term of fourteen
year," The reports say that the prisoners seemed completely
stunned by the sentence, and essayed to speas, but were
una'ile to give utterance to a word. A few years since it
was understood that the two survivors were granted tickets-
of -leave, and until the announcement ni Sir John's death the
world lens heard little of the first celebrated and afterwards
notorious Sir John Dean nal.

NI ETROPOLITAN CATTLE MARKET—MONDAY.
There wa, a fair average supply of foreign beasts and
oiler', 'I lie quality ..f the former was only middling, of the
latter good. compared with Monday last, the arrivals of
beasts fresh up from our grazing districts, as well HS from
were only noslerate. Nearly all breed% came tO
hand ill vcry middling condition. On the whole, the beef trade
ruleil firm, at all advance in the quotations of 2.1. per Sit,.
The best Sects, crease', Ac., sold at ss. Gd. per Slb. From Lin-
colnshire. Leicestershire and Northamptonshire, we received
:Wont 1,900 shorthorns ; from other parts of England
various breeds ; from Scotland, 49 Scots and crosses ; and
from Ireland, 70 oxen, Av. With sheep we were tolerably
but not to say heavily supplied. On the whole sales
progres,eil steadily, and in some instances prioes had an
upward tendency. A few very superior Downs and crosses
produced is, Gd., but the general top figure was ss. 441. per
all, Prime small calves changed hands freely, at fully last
o eeli's currency, but inferior calves were a slow sale, at late
rates There was a slight iinprovement in the demand tor
pigs, :mil the quotations were well supported. The top
figure was As. Id. per 810.
WOOL

The Daily Telograph says, that now the excitement of the
Moir boa passed away, we can see that more excuse might be
made fir the unhappy nien who had perpetrated these
Iranils than society was disposed to admit at the time. Their
failure was not due to culpable personal extravagance, but
11, embarrassments of long standing, ilathig from times far
beymni the period if their own entrance into the business.
It is certain that, when they raised money in the securities
entrmted br their care, they did so in order to tide over tem-
porary difficulties, and meter the CollViCiioll that they should
be able to replace the abstracted property at a not far dis-
tant day. We are not saying that all this constituted any
moral, still less any legal, justification for the conduct of
these fraudulent trustees: but, in some respect, it may miti-
gate the severity of the judgment which we might otherwise
, pass upon their crime. The jury w.ould have fallen short of
their duty if they had not convicted Sir John Dean Paul and
his partners of the offence charged against them; and yet,
on the other hand, it may be thought that it was possible to
temper justice somewhat with mercy. Considering the pe-
culiar temptations to which the prisoners had been exposed,
the sacrifices which they had personally made to holster up
the credit of the concern, and the technical difficulties which
were encountered in the framing of the indictment, the sen-
tence pronounced was cruelly severe. Fourteen years' trans-
portation was the punishment inflicted IT Baron Alderson
,m these men. all of them advanced in years, all men of edu-
cation and culture, and all accustomed to the enjoyment of
wealth and station. Public opinion, which always ilk the
bug run inclines to mercy, felt, when the excitement of the
moment was over, that the sentence had been strained to the
side of severity. One of the partners died in penal servitude,
shortly after the commencement of the punishment; the
other two received tickets-of-leave aftereome live orals years

The public sales of colonial wool have passed off readily
during the week. Biddings in all descriptions have been
limited, at about late rates. English wool has moved off
slowly, on former tennis. Tne import into London last Week
COIIRiVeii of 1,1101 bales from Brisbane, 1,173 Hobart Town,
41.2 Mossel Bay, and 2,225 bales from Lyttleton. Current
if English wool:—Fleeces.—Southilown hoggeta,
Is. 3d. to Is. 451. ; halfdireds, Is. lid. to Is. 251.; Kent
fleeces, la to Is. ; Southdown ewes and wethers,
Is 2sl. to Is. 31st.; Leicester ditto, Is. 3d. to is. 311. per lb.
Sorts —Clothing, Is. 24. to ls. ; combing, Is. Mt to
Is. Sid. per lb.