Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1810-08-03
IL i-s Gents .sisgle.l

wy ASH'aiS HdoH. ne verdict on the
case triedwas afterwards set aside. up-
On the act requiring an interest in ca.
ses OF assurance for life. But mapv
Thousand pounds were paid by gentle
| men, who considered the debts as debts
OF honor. 1t now becomes question.
whether in point of honor, the sums
ought not to be refunded, as we pre.
sumo there is no prescription in debts
of honor.
Since the year 1878, little has been
heard of the Chevalier. The French
revolution, fatal to so many establish.
ments, deprived him also of pension
granted by Louis XIV. and confirmed
/ by his successor. For few subse.
quent years, the sale of part of his eff.
iects' and the profits of public fenc-
ing exhibition in various part. of the
United Kingdom, enabled, M. D'Eon
to subsist with decency, but the in =
creasing weight of age, and infirmities.
lgradually rendered him incapable Of
these exertions, and for many wear.
past ne has been struggling with power
,ty and distress.
For these two years past M. D'Ecn
scarcely ever quilted his bed, though
1t was only within these few months
that he has laid aside the pen. His
health gradually grew weaker, and at
length an extreme state of debility en-
sued, which terminated in his death on
Monday se'nnight, about 10 o'clock.
1t was not till after his decease thar
Madame Cole, the old and resuected
frlendo OF the Chevalier, whose fortunes.
or rather misfortunes, she had shared
Tor many years, on performing the lase
sad Office to her friend, of LAYING our
the corpse, foundit was that of a man.
Alter the first surprise had subsidized.
the discovery was the next morning
communicated to some of the Cheva-
hers intimate friends, who iudgedthat
1t would be proper to ascertain ak
points relative to SO singular an occur
renee; and accordingly on Wednesday
last, In the presence of the Pere Elize.
who had attended the Chevalier in his
last illness, Mr.. Wilson, the professor
of anatomy, Mr.. Ring, & Mr.. Burton.
two respectable surgeons, Sir Sidney
Smith, the Hon. Mr.. Littleton, the
Hon. Mr.. Douglas, Mr.. Hoskins, a
respectable solicitor, Mr.. Richardson,
bookseller, of Cornhill-the BODY was
examined, and proved beyonda d u,t,
by the certificate of Mr.. T. Cope
land, the surgeon, to be male. Thar
all doubt of the identity of the person
might be removed, some persons of
the hrst responsibility were called IN.
on, who gave their positive testimony
that the person then before them was
the same who had always passed fof
the Chevaller or the Chevalier D,Eon.
M. D'Eon has left two If not tire ne.
pfiews, of the name of O'Gonman. re
: lated also, we believe, to the noble fa
mily of Thomond, in Ireland. Nona
OF those gentlemen are however in
England at this time. !.
The body of this extraordinary
character has undergone not only the
anatomical inspection of the whole IA
Guilty, but also of many hundreds oftbe
most distinguished curiosity of the
metropolis. Strange to say the famale
vlsitants have exceeded those of the
other sex as three to one. His hieh
ness, the Duke of Gloucester, and Sc
veral other persons of distinction.
were among the latter. 1t lies in /.
handsome oak coffin, covered with
black cloth and black velvet cross o,
the lid, at the house of Mrs. Cole. IL
: New Milliman st. TO whose bensyoIent
kindness and attention, the Chevalier
was indebted for the principal comforts
ofhis latter days. A cast was taken
from the face on Friday. tits propos-
ed to inter the body in St. Pancrss
Church-yard the day after tomorrow.
> The Chevslier bad completed the Gath
year of his age.
The declaration now made of the
= sex OF this generally supposed female
character, is likely to give rise to seve-
(, raj actions, for the recovery of sums
: unjustly paid by various underwriters
on the faith given to certificate. AZ
t ter an examination of surgeons, 81
t years ago several Of these duped nav
c masters being still alive to reclaim such
q sums and many of the payees also re-