Literary cadet, and Saturday evening bulletin. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1826-1827, 1826-05-13
SINGULAR CIRCUMSTANCE.

The following singular account of the funeral Of
n celebrated beauty in her day, who was called
Kate Cannon, nj which the chief mourners were
her iro husbands. il taken from the fe OF the Gem
eral Evening Post for he year 1852. Il is Ia a let
tor from the Mayor OF Colchester, dufed August Is,
1852:
"Pcrhaps you have heard that a chest was seized
by our custom-holse officers. which was landed
near this place Il fortnight ago. They took il fer
struggled goods. though the person who brought il
produced the King of Frances signature, to Mr..
Williams. Hamburger merchant. Our custom peo-
pie, not satisfied with lir. Williams account, open
ell the chest, and one of them was going To run his
hanger into it, when the gentleman to whom II be-
longed, clapt his hand upon his sword, and desired
him IN French TO desist, tor it was the corpse OF his
dear wife. Not content with this. the officers
plucked OF the embalming, and found il a. he had
said. The gentleman, who appeared a person Of
consequence, was in the utmost agony while they
made a spectacle Of the lady, who was placed IN the
church where any body might come aud look at
her nor would they suffer him to bury her, till he
gave a further account of himself. There We're
other chests of fine clothes, jewels, &c. belonging
to the deceased. lie acknowledged at last. that he
was a person Of quality, aud his name not Williams
that he was born in Florence, and that the lady
was a native OF England, whom he married, and she
desired to be buried in Essex that he had brought
her from Verona in Italy, to France, by land then
hired a vessel for Dover. discharged her there, aud
took another for Harwick, but was drove hither
by contrary winds. This account was not enough
to satisfy the people he must tell his shame and con-
dition, in order 10 clear himself Oft suspicion Of muir
der. FIe was continually in tears, and had a key Of
the vestry, where he constantly sat with tho corpse.
lie talked both Latin and French, and finding a
gentleman to converse with him in these languages,
he, 60 his great %surprise) told him who the lady
was, which proving to he a person he knew, he
could not help uncovering the face. In short, the
gentleman confessed that he was the Earl Of Rose
berry's eldest son, Lord Dalmauy tia, he was rom
and educated in Italy, and never was in England
till two or three years ago, when he fell passion
ately in love with this lady in London, and prevail
cd on her to quit the kingdom and marry him =
that having bad health, he had travelled with her
al over Europe. and when she was dying, she ask
ed for pen ard paper, and wrote" am the wife
of the Rev. Mr.. c., Rector OF Th-, in Es-
sex my maiden nam was G.. Cannon, and my last
request is TO be buried at Th-." The poor
gentleman who Fast married her, protests he never
knew, till this confession on her death bed that she
was the wife Of another person but in compliance
with her desire, he brought her over, and should
have buried her at Th--( If the corpse had not
been ~stopped) without making any stir about it.
After the noblemun had made this confession, they
sent to tho Rev. Mr.. C., who put himself first
into a passion, and threatened to run her last hus-
band through the body. However, he was prevail
ed on to be calm; it was represented to him that
this gentleman had been at great expense and
trouble to fulfil her desire, ard Mr.. c. at length
consented TO see him. This meeting was very NOV
ing, and they addressed each other civiliy. Tho
stranger protested that his affection TO TIE lady was
so strong, that it was his earnest wish, not only to
attend her to the grave, but to be shut up forever
with her there. He had r very handsome coffin
made for her, with six large silver plates over it;
and at last was very loath to part with her to have
her buried. He put himselfin the deepest mourn
ing, and on Sunday last, in a coach. attended the
corpse to Th--, where Mr.. G. met it, in like
manner. After the funeral, Mr.. G.. attended him
to London, where they parted very civilly.