Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1849-06-28
70. z. WHOLE No. 1918.
The FAN Of the Railway King.
Hon. GEORGE hudson.

MS Is the ep0Cn OF the Iau Oh Kings, OF
every name and nature. Mr.. GEnRGE Hun.
SON, known in England as the Railway
King, has been deposed, his evil deeds hav-
ing led 10 the termination of his Career
In 1915, such was his popularity, that a
Hudson Testimoniap was suggested, and
over twenty thousand pounds sterling were
subscribed to honor the man. AT that time
he lived in great style. NJ. Monbro, of Pa
rls, we remember, told us that he had fur
nished small carpet for the boudoir OF Mrs.
t1uds0ns al an expense of fifteen hundred
pounds. Mr.. Hudson recently has been be-
fore committee for examination. Annex.
ed is an amusing account OF part Of the
proceedings: ..s.'..
The Chairman of the committee is Mr.
William Cash. D member III the Society of
Friends. Never, since bis accession toAis
iron throne, was the member &c Sunderland
treated with SO little ceremony, Y George
Hudson said DIR. Cash, wilt tiiUu rake
seat As thou hadst the financial de-
paFtment Of this company under thy special
control, thon art required to answer 3 few
questions which the commitiee will put to
thee. Didst thou ever, after the account
ant had made up the half yearly accounts,
alter any Of the figures 20 MIR. Hudson, in
subdued lones answered, after moments
hesitation, Well, may, perhaps, have
added thousand or two 10 the next account.
"Dldst thou ever add ten lhousa nd pounds!'
continued Mr.. Cash. "Ten thousand -
that is a large sum-" II is large sum,
and that is the reason why put the ques-
ton to thee. Wilt thou give the commits
tee an answer--yea or nay?" Mr.. Hudson,
in very subdued tone, and evidently much
embarrassed, replied, cannot exactly say
what may have been the largest sum car
ried 10 the following account" "Perhaps,
George Hudson, thou couldst inform The
committee whether thou ever carried to the
next account SO large sum as G40,0OO!
20, should think not so large sum as
that" ''But art thou quite sure thou new
err didstP" Here, gain, the quondam mon-
| arch of the railway kingdom showed con-
siderable hesitation and embarrassment, on
which his Quaker inqnisi,or did not fur.
ther press the question. and putting the
questions, drawn upon sheet of paper, in>
TO his hand. observed with dry noncha-
| lance which must have been very annoying
| TO the quondam chairman of the company,
George Hudson, take the questions home
with thee. and send written answers to the
committee at thy earlies, convenience ~
Never, it Is said, was there so marked a
change, in so short a time. in the manners
| and appearance of a man. Formerly, even
his colleagues in the dictatorship were afraid
10 speak 10 him bns now he is all humil.
itY, mildness and docility-willing TO an
swer any question, and TO do anything he is
asked. @ IL" SO f.1 r.a -
Tie Times newspaper which did its part
TO elevate the monarch. though among the
first 10 caution the public against the Raft
way fever and the monarch, thus charac-
teris,ically notices the deposition,
" The clever and amusing historian of
Joe Smith. the Mormon, calls him the Pro-
phet Of the Nineteenth Century. If, how.
ever, we look 10 the number and class Of
the dupes, the amount Of the deception. the
dignity Of the circumstances, and the nine-
teenth century character OF the affair, we
are inclined to put George Hudson above
the imposter at NauvoO. False prophets are
always in keeping with their age. One
generation likes a soldier. another a preach
er, and another squalid vaga bond in goat.
skins and din. George Hudson appeared
10 mankind in a good hat and coat OF the
best Saxcny cloth, corpulenta I'D jolly, bust>
ling and forward, ra,herrude Of speech, hus
said TO be very quick at figures. and wilma
remarkable show of that common sense
which IN these days il held to he a sufficient
substitute for the spiritual gifts usually
claimed by fanatics. The promises he held
ont we're premiums, good dividens, directors
ships. amalgamations, contracts, and rail-
way prices for houses and land. Hurrying
about here and there he sustained sort Of
ubiquity, attending numberless meeiisgs,of
shareholders, making brief and not very in.
telligible addresses, snubbing qnesiioneis
with very short replies. and making large
demands on the faith OF his disciples. New.
er did preacher take SO strong hold on the
heart Of enthusiasts. For two or three
years IL would have been impossible TO start
a new heresy in this country tho ground was SO
occupied BY George Hudson. The miracles
which he worked appealed to the pocket. He
made insolvent companies smile with new divi-
dends; out Of two bad railways he created one
good one, and by the addition OF one or two still
worse he made the whole better still. Wher-
ever he went men became rich. So he was c0ur-
ted by directors. and towns did him honor
Sunderland made him its member, and York
made him twice It's Lord Mayor. The Pro,ee
tionists enlisted in their service his nnadOrned
eloquence, and inserted his name in their ticket.
The time was not ia: distant when the Right
Hon. George Hudson, universal chairman Of
| railway companies, and of the Railway Roard,
would possess an authority Of which the Queen
herself might reasonably he jealous. ~. ~.
I" Hudson was the great peacemaker and
matchmaker of railways. tie held out golden
| promises to oil, and proved that in railways.
such 10 the mutual benefit, ten and ten do nos
make twenty, but hundred. and another en-, a
thousand. The moment he set to work Nature
quickened her pace. and profits appeared. He
jurors cornucopia could not be more prolific
Houdin produces from his hat the contents ola
toy-shop, Of milliner's window. and box OF
9oN-poNs which he lavishly distribuics among
Ftae delighted spectators. Hudson filed Eng
land with good dividends and premiums Yoa
had only 20 buy shares in his fine, take = Tort
night trip. come back, and find yourself . rieh
man. LAWYERS. clerks, young surgeons post
masters. and Rreen-grocefs. were ee ting richer
at the rate Of Eco day. What 10 ValhaihsSOr
the Houris. ar Heaven itself cstnpaFeds WsitsS n
slip Of paper which fills the pocket with. soyeF-
eigns faster than we can epend them !. Il vsas
the man Of York who taught shares 70 Fsse..%s
One cannot have read THE sketch 6f ME- Had
| sons career, however, wiih0nt being panied &C
the sudden reverse Of position that The man has
taken. Once the idol ot thesw hOlo coantrv, he