The Sun.
London, England, 1865-04-26 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, APRIL 26, 18654

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—This Day.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF INTENDED SUICIDE AT TILE
BELGIAN EMBASSY.—Simeon Fougers, a Dutchman, was
charged before Mr. Tyrwhitt with intending to commit'
suicide at the Belgian Embassy, 21, Arlington-street.
Mr. De Casteau, of 25, Mount-street, an attachd to the
Belgian Legation, said—The prisoner came to the Belgian
Minister's house, 21, Arlington-street, yesterday, and gave
the Minister some papers to read. The Belgian Minister
said he could do nothing for him, and that he must go to
his own Minister. The prisoner said he could not go
there, and then said, " You will see who will be the victim
of this," at the same time taking-out a knife. I rushed to
him and took the knife from him. . -

Mr. Tyrwhitt—When he used the words did he seem to
speak of himself or of the Minister ?

M. De Casteau—l cannot tell. A constable was then
sent for, and he was given into custody.

Mr. Tyrwhitt—Did he speak En_lish ?
M. Do Casteau—No, French, I believe.
Mr. Tyrwhitt—Had he ever applied to the Minister be-
fore ?
M. De Casteau—He had written several letters to him ?

Police-constable King, 52 C—l was called to the Belgian
Ministry, and the Minister said he thought the prisoner
was mad. I took him to the police-station.
Sergeant Nathaniel Druscovicb, of the Detective De-
partment, Scotland-yard, who has charge of the case, said
—The document produced is the one presented by the pri-
soner to his Excellency, and sets forth the prisoner's
grievances against the Dutch Government. It commences
" In the presence of God, the last words of a dying man."
Mr. Tyrwhitt, taking up the knife, a most formidable
weapon (the blade shooting out from the handle by touch-
ing a spring)—You do not call this a knife, do you ?
Sergeant Druscovich—lt is a stiletto. I also found at
the prisoner's lodgings a letter addressed to the landlord.
The letter which was addressed, "Mr. J. H. Jones, 9,
Finsbury-place, North," was handed to Mr. Tyrwhitt.
Mr. Tyrwhitt—l will open the letter. It appears to be
a letter to his landlord, and contains a telegram to be sent
to his wife.
The letter was as follows

"Dear Sir,—l pray you most mental send this telegram
so soon as you have unclosed this letter. This is the wish
of one who is dying. Most sincerely I hope you may be
happy.—S. FOUGERS."
The telegram, in Dutch, and which was as follows :
"It is done. Adieu. Follow me." It was addressed to
his wife, Haarlem, Holland.
Mr. Tyrwhitt—l will remand the poor fellow for a week,
and the sergeant can write to Haarlem to see if he can get
any information respecting him.
Mr. Albert, who had interpreted the evidence to the
prisoner, and translated some of the documents, said the
prisoner wished to make a statement.
The prisoner then said—l wish to say that, when
I took out the knife, I meant to imply that if nothing was
done for me it might .be the cause of my ending my
existence.

Mr. Tyrwhitt—l am inclined to believe that was his
intention. He will be remanded for a week.

The prisoner, who is a man of respectable appearance,
but very dejected, was then removed from the court.

THAMES.

HIGHWAY ROBBERY AND ASSAULT.—Patrick Donovan,
a well known and desperate thief, was brought before Mr.
Paget, charged with assaulting Alfred Williams, and rob-
bing him of a purse containing £2 10s.
The prosecutor, a little man, who gave his evidence in a
very clear manner, said he was living at No. 5, Providence-
row, Rosemary-lane, Whitechapel. On Friday night last
he was on his way home a little the worse for liquor, but
knowing perfectly well what he was about, and was ac-
costed in Rosemary-lane by the prisoner, who was a perfect
stranger to him, and who began to hustle him and pull him
about. The prisoner also struck him on the cheek and
tried to pull him down a narrow court. He asked the
prisoner what he meant by such conduct, and he replied
you must treat me with a glass of beer. He accompanied the
prisoner into a public-house called the Blackmoor's Head,
and treated the prisoner with a glass of beer to get rid of
him. He was going home again, and the prisoner tried to
push him down another street, called Cartwright-street.
His wife then made her appearance, and he walked with
her to his house. They had just reached their own door,
when the prisoner came up and made a sudden snatch at
his purse in his pocket and took it from him. The purse
contained £2 10s. He fell down when the purse was
snatched from him. He was very ill all night and the
whole of Saturday. He was knocked about so much, and
lost so much blood that he could not give any information
to the police until Sunday morning. lie could not move
on Saturday at all.
Ellen Williams, a very respectable little woman, with a
baby in her arms, said that at five minutes to 12 on Friday
night, she saw her husband, whose face was marked, with
the prfsoner. She asked the prisoner what he wanted
with her husband, to which he said, " What have you to
do with him ?" She said she was his wife. The prisoner
then left them, but returned almost immediately with a
woman, who turned her round. She asked the woman
what she wanted with her husband, and at that moment
the prisoner snatched the purse and money from her hus-
band and ran away. Her husband fell, his head and face
were cut, and he was in a pool of blood. She obtained as-
sistance and took her husband indoors. He was insensible
all night.

Other evidence was given in confirmation, and the arrest
of the prisoner last night by Archer, 101 H, who knew
him as a thief for a long time.
Mr. Paget remanded the prisoner until Tuesday next.

The Alleged Murder of a Young Woman

in the New River.

Last evening Dr. Lankester held an inquiry at the
Mitre Tavern, Upper-street, Islington, into the circum-
stances attending the death of Miss Matilda Coward, aged
16 years.
Thos. Coward saidthat he lived in Shakspere-road, Stoke
Newington, and was a house decorator. Deceased was his
daughter, and he last saw
.her alive on Friday morning.
She was then going to her place of business in the City to
get mantles, which she was to bring home and make up.
She did not return, and next day, in consequence of what
he heard, he went to the Islington dead-house, and there
saw the body of his daughter, which he identified.
Alfred Bedford, 333, New North-road, said that on Satur-
day morning he was fishing in the New River, near Horn-
iey-park, when ho saw the deceased in a piece of water off
the river. He called two brickmakers and a policeman,
and they got her out.
John Charles Harme, 1, Lansdowne-terrace, Shakspere-
road, Stoke Newington, a solicitor's clerk, 17 years of age,
was then sworn. He said—l saw deceased at 20 minutes
to 9 o'clock on Friday night last. I met her in the street.
I told her that she had been backbiting me. She denied
that ; and I called two young men to say what they had
heard. She then said, " Yes ; am I not entitled to use the
same words as you did ?" She then got into a great rage
and swore. I then told secrets of her, the same as she did
of me, and she went away. Albert Lawrence and Reilly
went after her. She asked Albert Lawrence to take a par-
cel that she had with her. She then said to him, "I will
go with you," meaning that she would keep company with
him. He said, " I don't want to intrude my company on
you ; good night." She went away then. She had often
said that she was tired of her life, and had often threatened
to make away with herself. She once went to the River
Lea to drown herself, and two young men had to run after
her and bring her back. The next day she thanked them
for doing so.
George Bruckhurst, 111, Waterloo-road, Kingsland, said
he was present at the quarrel described by last witness, and
it took place at the corner of Singsland-green.
Charles Keats, 7, Spencer-road, said that at half-past
nine o'clock on Friday night he saw the deceased in John-
street, Back-road, Kingsland, three-quarters of a mile from
where she was found drowned. She was crying, and had
her handkerchief up to her eyes and her head bent down.
Dr. H. Billington said that when he was called to the
deceased on Saturday morning she had been dead from
three to four hours. There were no marks of violence as
if a struggle had taken place. Her clothes were not torn.
Death resulted from suffocation by drowning.

John Dafter, 459 N, said he was present when the body
was taken out of the water. Near her was a piece of paper
on which was her name and the address of her employers
in Wood-street. He thought the piece of paper had been
torn out of something, for there were the words " to re-
turn to me again" on it. He had seen a man on the bridge
at half-past 4 o'clock that morning. That man (the pri-
soner Young) asked the way to the Seven Sisters' railway
station. Witness directed him to go across the field close
to where the body was afterwards found, but the man
asked if he could not go the other way, and did not ap-
pear to want to go through the field. He said, pointing to
the river—" I had a tussle in there." His clothes
were wet. He was not-drunk ; he was sober ; but he had
been drinking.

The Coroner said—We will not go into this question
with respect to the prisoner now. If there was not the
charge of murder against Young, the jury might have re-
turned a verdict of suicide en the evidence as it stood. But
now it would be necessary to go further and investigate
the case as regarded the prisoner.
After a long deliberation by the jury, the inquiry was
adjourned.

REMISSION OF PUNISHMENT.--Sir George Grey
having considered the representations of the borough
justices for a remission of part of a sentence of 18 months'
imprisonment passed upon Hugh M'Math, at the Dover
quarter sessions, in June last, for stealing clothes, &c., has
directed that the last six months of the term be remitted,
in consideration of services rendered in the gaol. The ser-
vices referred to were M'Math's unwearied attention to the
suffering prisoners when sickness was in the gaol, he
having acted as nurse by day and night with much less
than the time allotted for rest in the prison.

THE THEATRES BILL.—Mr. Locke has post-
poned the second reading of this bill until the 10th of May
at the request of the Goverumeut,

Organic Chemistry,

At the Royal Institution, yesterday afternoon,
Dr. Frankland commenced a course of twelve lec-
tures on organic chemistry, which relates to that
class of compounds usually produced by the action
of the vitrl principle in plants and animals. The
elementary constituents of organic substances are
limited to four, viz., hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, and
nitrogen, and of these four elementary bodies, com-
bined together in different proportions, there are
formed the innumerable class of compounds called
organic. In some of these, as in water; only two
of the elements are combined--hydrogen and
oxygen ; in others, as in wax and paraffin, oxygen,
hydrogen, and carbon are combined together ; while
in such substances as the white of egg, which more
closely approach the products of animal life, nitro-
gen is added to the three other elements. Extremely
simple as the constituent composition of organic
substances is, when they are resolved into their
ultimate elementsoret the different proportions in
which they specifically combine, or the definite pro-
portions in which the atoms chemically unite, are so
numerous that the nomenclature of organic che-
mistry has become almost a mass of confusion. Dr.
Frankland didnot proceed far into the consideration
of the radicles which constitute secondarydlemen-
tary bodies, but he contented himself in tire intro-
ductory lecture with showing, by movable
diagrams, the combination of some of the atoms of
hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon, and with exhibiting
a few of the remarkable changes produced in a com-
pound body by the addition or abstraction of an
atom of one of the elements of which it is composed.
Thus the gaseous compound of oxygen and carbon
produced by the perfect combustion of charcoal is
carbonic acid, which extinguishes flame ; but the
abstraction of one atom of oxygen converts the
compound into an inflammable gas that burns with
a beautiful blue flame. The altered condition of
hydrogen was also shown in compounds that possess
different atoms of that element ; and in noticing the
organic hydrogens—methyl, ethyl, and anyl—Dr.
Frankland exhibited several brilliant experiments,
showing that hydrozen, which, when mixed with
carbon in the proportion to form the inflammable
gas of coal mines, requires a high temperature for
its inflammation, becomes in some combinations
with carbon so highly inflammable that it bursts
into flame the instant it comes in contact with the
atmosphere. The sparks from the steel mill, which
instrument was used in coal mines before the inven-
tion of the Davy lamp, will: not ignite the carbu-
retted hydrogen that abounds in those mines ; but
it was shown that the sparks would readily set fire
to hydrogen when united with carbon in other pro-
portions. Numerous other interesting experiments
were exhibited to illustrate the changes produced by
combinations in various proportions of the same
simple elements. Among the subjects to be noticed
in the next lecture will be the production of the
artificial flavour of fruits by the same means.

MARKETS—This Day

MARK-LANE.

Fresh up to our market to-day the arrivals of home-
grown wheat were very moderate, and most samples were
received in good condition. There was no activity in the
demand, however, either for red or white samples; never-
theless, Monday's advance in the quotations was supported,
a fair clearance having been effected at that day's cur-
rency.

The supply of foreign wheat on sale was somewhat re-
stricted. Holders and importers both of American and
continental produce were firm in their demands, and late
rates were well supported.

Floating cargoes of grain were in fair average request,
at fully late rates.

The market was very moderately supplied with barley,
the trade for which ruled firm, at full currencies.
Malt was in slow request, yet prices were supported.
There was a good supply of oats on offer. Most de-
scriptions moved off steadily, at full quotations.
Beans and peas—with both of which articles the market
was scantily supplied—changed hands at fully late rates.
The flour trade was steady, at full prices.
ARRIVALS THIS WEEK.
Wheat.Barley.Malt. Oats. Flour.
English and Scotch 650 670 1,760 540 590
Irish —

Foreign 7,150 2,890 48,570 1,410 sks.

brls

COMPARATIVE QUANTITIES AND PRICES OF GRAIN for the
Week ending April 22, 1865:—Wheat, qrs., 62,003; average
39s 7d barley, 19,049 ; 30s Od--oats, 3,145 ; 22s 7d.
Corresponding week in 1864 :—Wheat, 74,164 ; 40s id—
barley, 25,652 ; 30s 10d—oats, 8,069 ; 19s. 3d.

BOROUGH HOP.
Although the demand for hops is by no means active,
the trade is firm for all qualities, at full currencies.

WIIITECHAPEL.

The supply of meat on'sale is moderate, and the trade
rules firm, as follows :
Beef, from 3s 2d to 4s 6d ; mutton, 4s 4d to 5s 10d ;
lamb, 6s 4d to 7s 8d; veal, 4s 4l to 5s 4d; and pork,
as 8d to 5s 2d per 81bs, by the carcase.

THE PRITCHARD CASE.—The Glasgow Herald
says :—The prisoner retains the same amount of
self-possession that he has exhibited since the night of his
apprehension. It may be mentioned that on that occasion,
after having been conveyed from the railway station to Mr.
Superintendent M'Call's apartment, the doctor, previous
to retiring to rest, and before the room was vacated by the
officers, engaged in prayer. His subsequent behaviour, we
have reason to believe, has been of the calmest possible
description. A day or two after his incarceration iu the
North Prison he seemed to feel a little annoyed that he
could not bo favoured with a supply of pomatum for the
trimming of his beard and hair. The prison regimen has
not at all suited his taste, but he does not seem to have lost
flesh, and his pale appearance may be ascribed to the con-
finement, which in the case of a person occupying the
position he did, and taking much exercise, must in a very
short time produce some palpable effect. In fact, so far as
we learn, Dr. Pritchard has all along taken matters very
coolly. It is said that on the day when his wife died the
prisoner talked in a sort of off-hand, way to persons whom
he met regarding that melancholy event. We are told that
to a lady whom he met in the street shortly after Mrs.
Pritchard died he remarked "that his beloved wife was
gone, that her death had resulted from an attack of typhoid
fever, that he had called in three doctors to visit her on
the day prior to her death, but. that it had been of no use."
" Too many cooks," he added, " spoil the broth." In point
of fact, only one doctor, viz., Dr. Paterson, saw Mrs. Prit-
chard on the day prior to her death.
PAUPERIS3I IN ST. GlLES'S.—Yesterday Dr. Lan-
kester held an inquest at the Oporto Stores, Blooms-
bury, on the body of a pauper who had been found dead
in St. Giles's Workhouse. From the testimony of Henry
Cannon, an inmate of the workhouse, it appeared that the
deceased was 75 years of age, and that on Monday morn-
ing,• at half-past seven, when he went to call him to his
breakfast, he found he was dead. He went to bed about 8
o'clock the previous night. He had gruel, with bread and
salt in it, in the afternoon. The coroner asked the medical
officer how it was that the paupers were allowed nothing
to eat between 4 o'clock in the afternoon and 8 o'clock in
the morning, to which Dr. Bennett replied that ho con-
sidered it a bad arrangement. The " wardsman," himself
a pauper, said that ho had beer on account of the labour he
performed, but the deceased had none. The coroner re-
marked that it seemed very hard that an able-bodied man
of 75 years of age should not have beer, a remark in which
the jury expressed their hearty concurrence. After a very
lengthened examination of witnesses with regard to the
food supplied to the paupers, the Coroner said—l think, as
I said on a former occasion, the general dietry is too low,
and, although it may not produce disease, it shortens the
life of the inmates, and that ought not to be done. I may
perhaps be allowed to remark that they dare not treat pri-
inners in the same way they do our paupers. Addressing
Dr. Bennett, the Coroner said—Do you think a man of irre-
proachable character, and 75 years of age, should be de-
prived of his beer because he feels well enough to be in the
body of the house ? I am asking your opinion as a medical
man. Dr. Bennett replied that he thought he might have
ordered him a little beer if he had been in the infirmary,
but he had nothing to do with the body of the house. He
did not think the man's death was accelerated by the
dietary, but he did not think it wise to deprive such a man
of beer. The Coroner said a case like this showed how ne-
cessary it was that deaths occurring in workhouses should
be inquired into by the Coroner's Court, for he felt that if
a supervision of this sort were exercised the lamentable ex-
posures
which had occurred in that parish would never re-
cur, Several of the jury said they thought that deaths in
workhouses were treated as they were in lunatic asylums
and prisons, but the coroner told them it was not so; at the
same time an inquest might be hold if any one communi-
cated with the coroner. Moreover, a jury, once within the
walls of a workhouse, had the power to examine all the
wards as in a prison. The jury returned as their verdict,
" That on the 20th of April Thomas Wright was found
dead in St. Giles's workhouse, and that the said death Was
caused from effusion of serum on the brain, and that the
said death arose from natural causes." To that verdict the
jury appended the following remarks, which were recorded
by the coroner :—" That in their opinion the aged poor of
St. Giles's should have a more nourishing diet than the
deceased had, that they should have more stimulants if
necessary, and, when requisite, a little beer." A juryman
suggested that they should occasionally have cocoa instead
of tea, The Coroner said, " That is a very valuable sug-
gestion," The proceedings then terminated.

Conviction of Another Batch of Cock-
Fighters.

At a petty session of Cheshire magistrates held on Mon-
day morning at the Abbey Arms Hotel, Delamere Forest,
no fewer than two dozen officers, squires, and sportsmen of
less degree were summoned, at the instance of the Royal
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, for taking
part in a cock-fighting match between English and Irish
birds, at the Peel Hall farm, near Tarvin, on the 28th of
last month. The case had excited considerable interest
in the neighbourhood, and the small court was crowded to
excess.

Mr. Thompson, in opening the case, said that on the 28th
of March several constables, acting under the orders of Cap-
tain Smith, chief constable, went out to Peel Hall, and there
found a large number of people assembled in an orchard
which was enclosed with a wall nino feet high, with only
one entrance, They entered and witnessed fifteen cock-
fights during the day. The scene which they witnessed
was of the most harrowing description. It was well known
that about Easter time this sort of cruel sport was practised,
and probably the Bench would be aware that a few days
ago a number of persons were brought before Mr. Knox,
at the Marlborough-street police court, charged with en-
gaging in it. He was sorry to find that one or two of the
defendants on that occasion were also defendants in the
present case. After detailing the facts which would be
proved against each individual defendant, and commenting
on the impropriety of the remark made to one of the officers
by Mr. Walker—a magistrate appointed as a guardian of the
peace—that the officer had no business there, and that he
would be better at home looking after felons, he called wit-
nesses who described the scene of the cock-fighting, the
circumstances being of peculiar brutality.

A consultation took place between the legal gentlemen,
the result of which was that the defendants agreed to plead
guilty to ono information on condition that the other three
were withdrawn; Mr. Thompson stating on behalf of the
society that under those circumstances he should not press
for a heavy penalty.
The magistrates then retired, and on their return into
court after a short absence,

The Chairman announced that they were unanimously
of opinion that the following fines must be inflicted:—
Harry Booth, Thomas Davis, Captain Goff, J. P. Smith,
Captain Heron, E. C. Walker (a magistrate for Chester),
Harry Owen; P. H. Keay, Captain Dillon, St. Clair Smith,
Joseph Becket, Edward Jones, Wm. Gulliver, Geo. Wildes,
and James Parker Yates, each .Z 3 and costs ; and John
Taylor, John Milling, John Fletcher, Peter M'Gill, Edward
Evans, James M'Cubbin, Charles Moulton, Wm. Moulton,
and Wm. Yearsley, each £2 10s. and costs, or one month's
imprisonment in default.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE—This day.

LONDON, April 25.—Wind this day at noon—South-
Easterly; moderate breeze and fine weather.
MUMBLES; April 24.—Wind N.E.—Arrived—Polar Star,
from Caldeira.

OFF THE LIZARD, April 26.—Wind S.W.—Arrived.—
Flying Fish, from Barbadoes.
LIVERPOOL, April 24.—Wind E.—Sailed—The Emerald
Isle, for Havannah ; General E. Lee, for Sydney ;
for San Francisco.

FOIVEY, April 25.—Wind S.E.—Sailod—Bessie, for
Trinidad.

OFF PORTSMOUTH, April 24.—Wind S.E.—Arrived—
Yorktown, from London for
CARDIFF, April 25.—Wind N.E.—Sailed—Tangier, for
Romberg; lda Jardine, for Callao; Lucie and Harriet, for
Bombay; Annie Monroe, for Mauritius; Psyche, for Rio
Janeiro.

In discount circles to-day the favourable tone of
the produce markets has continued to make progress.
The brokers, who have a large supply of capital at
their command, appear now disposed to accept low
rates, and first-class bills have been negotiated at
3/ per cent.
The first report of the Otago and Southland In-
vestment Company has been issued in anticipation
of the general meeting of the shareholders, and a
dividend is recommended at the rate of 6 per cent.
per annum for six months, being the period during
which the company has been in operation in the
colony, free of income tax, which will absorb
£1,117 9s. 2d., leaving a balance of £197 9s. 9d. to
be carried forward to next account.

The directors of the Cape Town Railway and
Dock Company have issued their fourteenth report
to the shareholders. It states that for the half-
year ending Dec. 31 last, 38,484 passengers and
9,688 tons of goods were carried on the main line,
and 10,700 passengers on the Wynberg Branch,
during the first fortnight of its being opened to
public traffic, with a gross receipt of £14,458
10s. Bd., and a profit of £770 in addition to the
proportion of guaranteed interest payable by the
Colonial Government. From the accounts as now
stated it results that the sum of £8,755 7s. 9d. is
available for dividend for the half-year ending Pec.
31 last ; and the difectors therefore recommend
that a dividend be declared on the capital stock of
the company for that period at the rate of 3k per
cent. per annum.

SUPPOSED SHOCK OF AN EARTHQUAKE.—Between
3 and 4 o'clock on Monday morning last, a shock
resembling that produced by a violent explosion was ex-
perienced simultaneously by many persons residing at
Portsmouth, Chichester, and Bognor, and at spots lying
between those towns. It awoke many from their sleep,
and was supposed by some to be guns fired by a vessel in
distress at sea (which, however, was perfectly calm), and
by others is compared to the rolling of an empty cask over
the hard road. In come cases it caused the windows to
rattle. Persons near Portsmouth conjectured that the
Edgai, about to leave, had taken her departure, and fired
her farewell salute ; but such was not the case, the Edgar
not sailing until Monday afternoon. In fact, there ap-
pears to be no ordinary cause to which the shock can be
assigned, for the weather was perfectly calm and unusually
close, and the impression on the minds of many who felt
it is that it was a slight shock of an earthquake.—Surrey
Standard.

CATECHISM OF THE INCOME-TAX.—The assessors
of income-tax in the Federal States of America are
instructed to ask the following questions :—" Had your wife
any income last year ? Did any minor child of yours re-
ceive any salary last year ? Have you included in this re-
turn the income of your wife and salary received by minor
children ? Have you any stocks, and what are they ? Is
your report made on the basis of gold ? Have you bought
or sold stocks or other property ? Have you any United
States' securities ? Do you return the premium on gold
paid you as interest on United States securities ? Have you
kept any book account ? Is your income estimated or taken
from your book ? Have not the expenses, &c., claimed as
deductions already been taken out of the amount reported
as profits ? Did you estimate any portion of your profits
in making your returns for 1863 ? Was any portion treated
as worthless, and, if since paid, have you included it in this
return ?"

DANIEL DANCER THE MISER.--The readers of
" Our Mutual Friend" may be interested to read
the following particulars in regard to one of the chief
objects of Mr. Boffin's admiration :—Daniel Dancer was
the son of a miser, and seems to have fully followed out
his example. His sister was quite of a congenial cha-
racter. On Sunday they boiled a sticking of beef with
14 hard dumplings, which lasted for a whole week
But once he found on the common (Harrow Weald) a
sheep which had died of disease. This Miss Dancer cut
up and made into pies, on which they feasted for a long
time. When his sister died, an elder brother claimed
her fortune, £2,000, but Dancer set up a claim at law
for her board and lodging during thirty years, at £3O
per annum, and £lOO for the last two years, in which,
as he said, she had done nothing but eat and lie in bed.
On this claim he recovered £1,040. Ho scarcely ever
changed his linen or cleansed his skin. When he performed
his ablutions, he used sand instead of soap, and dried him-
self in the sun. He was fond of snuff, but would never buy
any, contenting himself with occasionally begging a pinch.
Nor would he always use this cheap luxury, which he kept
in a gallipot, and would exchange for a rushlight at the
chandler's shop. He lived quite alone, and was often robbed
by burglars, who forced him to point out his hoards by
great cruelty, sometimes suspending him by the neck before
he would make confessions where he kept his money. Lady
Temple had been very kind to him, and to her he left
his whole property. An objection being taken
to his will, because he had made no provision
for his brothers, he replied, "If I were of an
ancient family I would not disinherit the male heirs, it
would be unjust; but I have long meant to leave my pro-
perty to a stranger, who is entitled to my gratitude. My
brothers are old, have more than they can spend or use
properly, and they have no children. I am ashamed of
myself, and of them. I have not even improved my pro-
perty, and were I to live my time over again I would not
do as I have done." In his house, after his death, bowls
were found buried in the garden, filled with guineas and
half-guineas, parcels of bank-notes were stuffed under
the covers of old chairs, jugs of dollars and shillings
were found in the stables; the cow-house dungheap
contained £2,500, a tattered jacket, nailed to the
manger, was padded with £5OO in gold ; in the chimney
£2OO was hidden, a cracked teapot contained £6OO, and it
was labelled "not to be hastily looked over." He died in
1794. He passed the greater portion of his life at Harrow,
but frequently spent a few days in London, when his usualin
associate was Mr. Taylor. They were both well known
and about the Bank of England, the Exchang e
,
and Stock
Market. Business brought them together at short
inter-
vals, but it was a source of much pleasure to, both h
to feast
their eyes on the heaps of coins constantly changing ands
on the counters of the Rotunda. They were frequently
the prey of pickpockets, who knew and waylaid them, but
quite as often being mistaken for. mendicants, they would
receive even pence from the charitable,—city prom