Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1838-07-17
History of COurtenPv


The maniac Sir w. Courtenay the son OF William
and Cherry Tom, two honest and thrifty persons who
kept public house for many years at ST. Column. IN
Cornwall house principally resorted to by the neigh
boring farmers on market days. His neither the
principal support of the business beinga careful and in
dusrieus woman, bat always very eccentric.
Eventually she became insane, and died few years
since in the County Lunatis Asylum Alter the wife q
aecease, the business fell of, and Mr.. Tom having
ried second wife, who keeps school in the same
place, gave up business altogether The name oil
this their only son. John, and when ut about the
age of IA or Il he considered superior all the
other youths in the town in education person. and man
With the latter part of his life the public al
ready acquainted.
SIR w Courtenay first appeared at Canterbury in the
Michaemes of the year 1882; and the first rumor
that eccentric chacacter living the Rose Ina
who passed under the name OF Count Rothschild but
had been recently known ia London by the name oil
Thompson His countenance and costume denoted for
eign extraction while his language and conversation
showed that he well aequainted with almost every
part Of the kingdom He often dscked his person with
fine suit of Italian cleShng and sometimes with the
gay and imposing Of the eastern nations.
In the general election which took place in December,
1882, Sir William figured cosspcuousy. He competed
for the representation of Canterbury with the Hon. X
Watson and Lord Fordwich In his address he pro-
fessed liberal principles, advising the cuZens to elect
only those who would pledge themselves To annhilate
for the tthes upon all the shopkeepers and
the productive classes also upon knowledge, The pr
mogenure laws chartered and corporate bodies, sla
very, sinecures and pacemea, beginning from the very
throne to the meanest situation under Government"
Sir William Courtenay, IN presenting himself 10 the
body Of the electors assembled in the hail. did in the
most extraordinary manner bounding ovet the heads oil
those before him, and aghng the table IN theairi
cal attitude. His costume added TO the effect OF the
scene, il being composed Of crimson velvet and gold.
with mantle and cap correspond, silk stockings OF
the color, and Turkish slippers. On the sheriff
demanding show Of hands, it was declared to be in
favor of Lord Fordwich AID Sir William Cosrtenay
The election proceeded, and the last day the
bers stood thus-Hon X. Watson, s34 Lsrd Ford
witch, SOC; Sir w. Courtenay, 375.
In December Of the same year, he surprised the ct
zens Of Canterbury. by proposing himself as a eand
date for the Representation of the city in Parliament
and created entertaining contest for the honour long
after the sitting candidates had composed themselves To
the delightful vision Of inexpensive and unopposed
return. He a candidate for the eastern division OF
this county but poed only four the county voters
having derived lesson Of wisdom from the sad effects
Of his ormer freaks nRd foles After striving IN vain
to possess himself Of seat Parliament atleast re-
tar f having been elected for one this crafty advenu
turer appears TO have studied with much ardour
and vigilance than before to capuvate the affections OF
the lower orders in ths city. He made II known that
his condescension great his rank and wealth,
and that he shoad be willing TO accept of invitations to
visit the humoest ames--to eat and drink at the pea
SAINTS and sborers table-to make one OF larger or
smaller party the lowest pubic House-to enroll his
in the meanest society, and to have II published
abroad that Sir William Courtenay preferred being the
companion Of the coager and the friend oftAe poor
II easy conclude that such intelligence charmed
piillion hearts, company
from every quarter SO numerous were his engage
ments, that he obliged 10 ride frem house to
house. taking slight repast Al each and generally con-
GLIDING the day at banquet prepared by number Of
his friends in obscure club.room.
In the month of February action took place be
tween her Msjestys sloep Lively, revenue cruiser,
and smuggling beat called the Admiral Hood, near
the Goodwin Sands which ended in The capture Of the
latter which, with the crew taken to Rochester for
adjudication Ca boarding the smuggler no contraband
goods we're fonnd but, during the chase she had been
distinctly by the Lively throwing tubs overheard,
and some of them marked and picked up by the
crew or the crsiser On the examination Of the Snug
oers before the magistrates Rochester, Sir William
Courtenay made his appearance, aured in eroesque
| costume and having small cmetsr suspended from
bispeck by massive gold chain. On ofthe men
being examined sir William became his advocate but
the man being convicted professional gentleman from
London defended the next and Sir William presented
himself as a witness when he that he saw the
whole transaction between the Lively and the Admiral
Hood and was positive that the tubs, stated to have
come from the Admiral Hood, had been floating about
in the all the morning. and we're not thrown over
board from that vessel The object OF this statement
| was evidently prove that the Admiral Hood was not
smuggler. and consequently to procure the liberation
OF the The SOLICITORS for the Customs having un
doubted evidence that this testimony was false, deter
mined to proceed against an individual who had been