The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-11 00:00:00

I UPS AND DOWNS OF AN ACTOR'S LIFE.

On Monday, a case most painfully illustrative of
the vicissitudes of an actor's life came before the
bench at Hull. A middle-aged man, named James
Clifford, of wretched and half-starved appearance,
and whose only covering consisted of shirt, trousers,
and boots, was placed at the bar charged with
having attempted to commit suicide by jumping
into the Humber Dock on Saturday evening. A
young man, named Thomas Beautyman, a licensed
porter, stated that on that evening he was going
along the Humber Dock side, when he observed the
prisoner jump from the quay into the water. The
witness at once raised an alarm, and also got into
a boat with a view of saving the life of the unfor-
tunate man. After considerable difficulty and the
lapse of about five minutes he was successful in his
endeavours. The would-be suicide was hauled on
to the quay and handed over to the custody of the
police. The prisoner on being asked by the magi-
strate what he had to say for himself made the fol-
lowing statement He said that for about 40 years
he had been a travelling performer with portable
theatres, and had performed at Winn's Theatre, at
Drypool Feast. He had once been in very com-
fortable circumstances, and had plenty of friends,
but latterly he had become very much reduced. He
had been compelled to part with all his clothes ex-
cept those few rags which now covered his body.
He soon found that when his clothes were gone his
friends had also flown, and those who had once ap-
peared to be the firmest of friends had now become
almost his greatest enemies. When he was left in
an almost naked state, he found it absolutely im-
possible to obtain an engagement, and having
nothing wherewith to procure food his existence
became miserable in the extreme. During the latter
part of last week he had wandered about houseless,
homeless, and friendless, and on Friday and Satur-
day had nothing to eat. On the evening of the
last named day the rain was falling very fast, and
on meeting a policeman he asked if he would be
allowed to go into the lock-up for the night. He
was informed by the officer that unless he had com-
mitted some crime he could not be locked up. Being
wet, cold, and hungry—in fact, just on the verge of
starvation—he sought refuge under the dock sheds,
and whilst he was so sheltering he began to con-
sider which would be the best way to pursue in his
then lone and desolate circumstances. He con-
sidered that he had neither clothes, food, shelter, or
friends, and was at a loss how to proceed. If he
had had his clothes he would have known how to
proceed, but in his then state before any respecta-
ble manager he would have been naturally told that
he was "worse than a shoeblack." Therefore at the
time he thought there was only one way for him,
and he determined to take it. He therefore got up
from the place where he was sheltering, walked to
the edge of the quay, and jumped into the water.
This was al: that he (prisoner) had to say. Such a
thing had never before passed in the drama of his
life, and he hoped that it would be a caution for the
future, for if he lived he would long remember it.
During the time the prisoner was making the above
statement the most breathless silence prevailed in
the court. Mr. Winn, the proprietor of the portable
theatre which has been exhibiting near the Drypool
Church since the Drypool Feast, was in the court.
He came forward and said that he had known the
prisoner for upwards of twenty years, during which
period the prisoner had been under his management
in several portable theatres. In the whole of this
time he had never known him commit an offence
similar to the one with which he was now charged.
He had always been a steady and inoffensive man.
The witness also further stated that about a fort-
night ago the prisoner and his wife quarreled. In
consequence of this he took to drinking. His
wife left him and took away with her his wardrobe,
thus depriving him of the means of going on the
stage. The witness had several times sent for the
prisoner to return to his theatre, directing the
messengers to tell him that he was quite agreeable
to take him on. The witness supposed that
through shame the prisoner declined an offer.
Whatever might be the cause, however, he did not
accept Mr. Winn's offer, and he (witness) was very
much astonished when on the previous night he
heard that the prisoner had attempted to commit
suicide. He could come to no other conclusion than
that he had been induced to commit the rash act
through want of food and through intoxicating
drink. Even at that moment he (witness) was
quite willing to take the prisoner back into his em-
ployment. His worship pointed out to the pri-
soner the folly of the course of conduct which he
had pursued. As the witness, however, had so
kindly come forward to speak for him, and had even
promised to take him into his service, he should
discharge him. A subscription was got up amongst
the attorneys and several gentlemen in court, his
worship also contributing, and upwards of 15s. were
placed in the hands of the prisoner, and he left the
court a happier and no doubt a wiser man. His
worship also presented ss. to Beautyman, for the
promptitude and presence of mind which he had
shown in rescuing the prisoner from a shocking and
untimely end.

WATERSPOUT IN THE MORAY FIRTH.

•
Monday's storm (says the Baneshire Journal)
was accompanied in this immediate neighbourhood
by one of those splendid but not less terrific pheno-
mena rarely witnessed in these latitudes, namely,
a waterspout. This terrible phenomenon was seen
in the Bay of Banff about 4 o'clock in the after -
noon, and presented a very magnificent and impos-
ing spectacle to those who had an opportunity of
witnessing it in all its furious grandeur. In noting
its progress, the phenomenon, as first it presented
itself to the eye of the beholders, would more pro-
perly be described as a whirlwind than a water •
spout. In the former shape it had its rise, in the
latter it had its fall. The wind was from the north
west, and strangely enough, though it blew a
perfect hurricane inshore, the sea was calm as a
lake. In the offing away to the right, in the as
yet unruffled portion of the bay, was a little boat,
from Macduff, with three men on board, quietly, to
all appearance, fishing for mackerel. Away to the
left, or to the windward, fitful squalls were sweep.
ing round the little promontory at Blackpots towards
the breakwater at the harbour, eddying about in
the intermediate bay, throwing up a wave here and
there, and lashing it into foam. In this way the
curious inshore hurricane continued with less or
more violence for nearly an hour, and the coast-
guardsmen were watching the squalls with consi-
derable anxiety, fearing lest at any moment they
should extend its playground a little further to
sea, and mayhap upset the mackerel boat. While
they were thus eagerly watching the peculiar
conduct of the warring elements, their atten-
tion was suddenly arrested by an object of a
still more peculiar nature away further to
windward. A violent whirlwind, scattering the
waves in its course, came sweeping along almost in
a direct line to the point of view, gathering up its
strength as it came. As the whirlwind approached,
it seemed to pause for a moment off the station, as
if to concentrate all its energies in a last effort. At
that moment the water, gathered up by the whirl-
wind somewhat in the form of a cone, and lifted
higher and higher in the air, was borne straight up-
wards to the height of more than 50 feet above the
surface. Pursuing its easterly course, the huge ap-
parition swept forward for a considerable distance,
till, just a little to the north-east of the breakwater,
it burst. As if caught on " the wings of the wind,"
the huge mass was borne aloft for some distance,
and then precipitated with great violence into the
" vasty deep," whence it came. The effect of the
phenomenon is described by those who witnessed it
as something very grand and imposing, if not abso-
lutely terrible; for, had the fury of the whirlwind
expanded itself in a less convenient place, the con-
sequences might have been dire havoc indeed. Such
a sight has not been witnessed in these quarters for
many a day.

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