Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1856-03-15

for him at the Tower 1t appeared to
be barrel of Colchester oysters, his ia
vorite dainties. He was greatly moved;
for there are moments when those who
least deserve affection are pleased to
think that they inspire it. Il thank
Cod" he exclaimed, Il have still some
friends left" He opened the barrel and
from among heap of shells out tumbled
stout halter.
1t does not appear that one of the flat
terers or buffoons whom he had enriched
out of the plumber of his victims came to
comfort him in the day of trouble. But
he was not left in utter solitude. John
Tuchin, whom he had sentenced to be
logged every fortnight for seven years,
made his way into the Tower, and pre-
scented himself before the fallen oppressor
Poor Jefiries, humbled to the dust, be-
haved with abject ciyility, and called for
wine.
II am glad, sir" he said, "to see
you" "And | am glad" answered the
resentful whig, to see your lordship in
this place" II served my master, " said
Jeffries 81 was bound in conscience to
do So" "Where was your conscience"
said Tuchin, "when you passed that
sentence on me at Dorchester 2" cit
was set down in my Instructions" an
swered Jeffries, fawningly, =" that l was
to show no mercy to men like you, men
of parts and courage. When | went
back to court, | was reprimanded for my
lenity."
Even Tuchin, acrimonious as was his
nature, and great as were his wrongs,
seems to have been a little Modified by
the pitiable spectacle which he had at
first contemplated with vindictive plea
sure. He always denied the truth Of the
report that he was the person who sent
theColchester barrerof oysters to the tower
A more benevolent man, John Sharp,
the excellent Dean of Norwich, forced
himself to visit the prisoner 1t was Q
painful task, but Sharp had been treated
by JeiIries, in old times, as kindly as il
was in the nature of Jellries to treat any
body, and had once or twice been able
by patiently waiting until the storm o.
curses and invectives had spent itself
and by dexterously Selling the moment
of good humor, to obtain for unhappy
families some mitigation of their suffer.
ings. The prisoner was surprised anC
pleased. What" he said, dare yor
own me now?"
1t was in vain, however, that the ami
able divine tried to give Statutory pair
to that scared conscience. Jcfiries in
stead of acknowledging his guilt, cx
claimed vehemently against the injustice
of mankind. people call me muir
derer, for doing what at the time wa'
applauded by some who are now high il
public favor They call me drunkard
because | take punch to relieve me il
my agony" He would not admit that
as President of the High Commission
he had done anything that deserved re
pre- oh. His colleagues, he said, were
the r. j criminals; and now they threw
all the blame on him. He spoke witt
peculiar asperity of Spratt, who ha'
undoubtedly been the most humane ant
moderate member of the board.
1t soon became clear that the wicket
judge was fast sinking under the weigh
of bodily and mental suffering. Docto
John Scott, prebendary Of st. Paurs,
clergyman of great sanctity and autho
of the Christian Life, treatise one
widely renowned, was summoned, prob
ably on the recommendation Of his init
mate friend Sharp, to the bedside of thu
dying man. Ii was in vain, however
that Scott spoke, as Sharp had alread,
spoken, of the hideous 3utcheries Of Dor
chester and Taunton. To the last, JEFF
fries continued to repeat that those VIII
thought him cruel did not know wha
his orders were, that he deserved prais
instead of blame, and that his clcmenc,
had drawn ON him the extreme displeas
ure of his master
Disease, assisted by strong drink am
misery, did its work fast. The patient
stomach rejected all nourishment. ID
dwindled in few weeks time from
portly and even corpulent man to a skcl
eton. On the 18th of April he died, il
the 4lst year of his age. He had beef
Chief Justice of the Kings Bench at 30
and Lord Chancellor at 81. In the who'll
history of the English bar there is n
other instance of so rapid an elevation 0
of so terrible fall The emancipate'
corpse was laid, with all privacy, mex
to the corpse of Monmouth, in the chape
of the Tower