Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-04-15
Ex-ShersfT ParlSins.

Joseph Whfred Parkins, who died on SUNDAY last,
April 18th, of the most singular men that
ever lived. He was an Engshman by birth, having
been born at Carlisle, in the north of England He
had the strong northern burr in his accent, that
made many mistake him for an Irishman He must
have been brought 8" into this breathing world
about the year l76s, being 10 years of age at
the time Of his death.
According to Parkins's own account, he was one of
IL brothers and sisters but the occasion OF the
enquiry into his lunacy, Mrs Bird stated that she
lived but 30 yards from his brothers and sisters in
Carlisle in 1910, and only knew OF two brothers,
Daniel and William and two sisters, Ann and Eliza
beth She also stated that there was prevalenoeto
insanity in the family, and that Ann hung herself
and William tried to drown himself She SAID that
Parkinss parents were very poor, and that they al
ways acknowledged him as their child Others,
however, assert that he the natural son OF the
Duke of Norfolk.
When Parkins was about IL years of age, his IA
Their was shot in duel with Sir Thomas Zebriskie,
person whom the Ex-Sherif used to describe as
50 bloody murderous villain" Immediately after
this event the Duke of Norfolk took charge of him,
and this perhaps gave rise to the story that he was
the son of the Duke. However, we will let Sheriff
Parkins tell the story in his own words, delivered
to jury.
q was a great bruiser at school, and used to fog
all the boys in this way my education was neglect
cd When my father died, the Duke OF Norfolk
took charge of me-adopted me as his son. wished
not to remain with him TO eat the bread OF ldieness
or of favor, but to seek my own fortune My fami-
ly were all ready to receive money! lett them to
go to India. The Duke sent to bring me back, but
said l would never return without a fortune. My
mother and my sister Mary wept-Ihey all Impior-
ed me to stay. went away with only an hundred
guneas-I returned with as many thousands had
scarce any money, but my credit was good. be-
came masen not eli the craft you have here,
was solicited to join them. My bonds were taken
for speculation became connected with marble
concern, aad was silly enough to give my bonds,
and was duped. To relieve me from my dime utles,
the govexnment gave me contract with Hyder Ali,
which obtained me 200 per cent. and many thanks.
chartered ships and loaded them with produce TO
this country, when at war, and when no one else
would dare do it. Mr.. Gray, Of Boston, has had his
ships loaded with my produce. made fortune,
and in pursuing from India a runaway supercargo
who had defrauded mel was taken prisoner by the
French, and confined in prison. had no bed to lie
on; but far more preferable prison than the filthy
gaol am now in l made known to some of the
authorities that l was a mason, and l was better
treated than in the gaol am now in was released
parole, and was afterwards restored to liberty.
took an oath, from that time never again to enter
into business never did i arranged my business
in the East, and went to England, my native home.
never traded after, but willing to do any thing
in the money way with good security, so as not to
sustain loss. / never borrow of any one My
brother William whom / loved dearly, was clerk
for me; he amassed handsome fortune, and died at
Pondicherry, on board a ship coming to this
try. Those who did not exist, have the wretches
introduced to you. Oh! the monsters, to bring up
the dead, and there has been villain here who has
dared to say that am worth f3O0,CO0 sterling of
my brothers property: Gentlemen, there are
rogaes and villains il is true, in all parts Of the
world. In other countries, however, they punish
them-here they thrive. My brother, gentlemen,
died worth about $4,000 sterling, but never
ceivcd a shilling of it. When a person dies on
board ship, with his fortune board, it frequently
happens, none of it is recovered"
Such is Parkins's own statement as TO his going
TO India and back, and as he mentions the name
Mary of one sister not named by Mrs. Bird, il is
probable that his own statement is correct. He
turned from India to England with large fortune
about the year 1915 and in 1919 chosen Sheriff
Ct Middlesex, not London, as some have stated
For two three years before he chosen Sheriff,
he first into public notice by attending politi
cal meetings with Hunt and Goblet, uttering violent
Radical sentiments, and these, coming form a man
of Parkins's rcputed wealth, caused immense
deal Of noise at the time and ultimately induced
the liberal party to run HIM for Sheriff Of Middle
sex, when he was elected
After he was elected, he displayed great deal of
meanness, and instead Of having a carriage built, as
usual, he went in the public professions in hack
ney coach. His conduct throu rhout the term Of his
sheriffaty was outrS and strange, to disgust
all those who had before admired him, and he re-
tired from Office into comparative obscurity. But
such restless fellow as Parkins could long re-
main idle he was eternay getting into hot water;
he eternally speaking at public meetings and
dinners getting up petitions, &c. for prosecuted
men. At last, when Burns, the coachman for the
Bishop Of Gogher, was released from prison, apub-
lie subscription got up For him, and Parkns
got hold Of all the money, and somehow or other
poor Burns never got cent Of il. Soon after this,
in 1876, Parkins came TO this country in the ship
Cortez, Capt. Sprague; on the passage, he pry-
ing into every body's business, and obtained the
sob5iquef Of Paul Pry. He cternally pretending
to benefit and confer favors every body, but was
perhaps the most nggardly and quarrelsome on
board the ship.
When he arrived in this country, he travelled
nearly all over it, quarrepg with aud abusing
ry body. lie invested about 500 900, nearly that
in various ways, in bonds and mortgages on lands
Buffalo ard other places, great deal Of which,
We believe, he was cheated out Of. This rendered |
him most awfully savage against the bloody coun-
try" and the bloody Yankees" as he called them,
and from that time he continued TO abuse them with
out limit measure. lie was very suspicious, cum
nIng and shrewd, and yet at times easily imposed
A single anecdote will show this.-When in Cana
da, he broke his leg. DIR. Caldwell, formerly en-
incut surgeon in the British army, and now Of this