The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-10-29

The Late Ex.Csnsat ROwcrefe ef f,incs-,
naft..His Death and Biographv.
II has heretofore been briefly mentioned tba
Charles Rowcroft, the late British Consul .t Gin
einnati had died on board the shfp Cherub,m a.
the passage to London from the United st.,es
The particulars of his death have been co,n,,,r,
Gated to the London Times by Captain Smith. O.
the Cheruoim, of Richmond, Virginia, And a.. !,
follows: -
august y. ls56--Mr. Rowcroft engaged n.ssao,
ier himself lady, two daughters and three sons or
Ine snip Chernbim. for London occupying the
whole of the main cabin A'
August Is They all came ON hoard nrsn.r,,.-x
river. - 'p"''eu =" 'he
August is -Atl p NJ. go, under w.v and a. i
=. m' were safely at sea- Mr. Rowcroft had been
S ,or some time complaining Of a bad cold, with
hoatseness, which continued without much notice
,iu Wednesday, August Goth, when be took bis
breakfast, and at dinner time took his seat at the
bed -s'"'"eN ~ hi'
Thursday, August 2lst.-There being a severe
gaze, making my attendance on deck necessary
saw very little of him till the evening when in
passing my room be requested me to give him Ave
grams OF blue pill and twenty drops of laudanum
toid him little opium with the blue mass would
pe better which he coneurred in and five grains
OF blue pill. with two grains of opium were admin.
istered, and he remarked the next morning that il
had helped very much.
Friday, August % -In the morning he SCENE d
mucn peter, and upon the appearance of his
tongue, thought more mercury necessary. and
gave two grains blue mass, and at p NJ another
two grains. During the night he rested toler ably
wen, had no pain. and remark ed to me that all his
Ionc.'oas worked weH He complained to Mrs
Rowcroft about 10 o'clock at night that he had had
asevere spasm, which none of us noticed
Saturday, August 23.--We all considered him
much better. The coating of the tongue com.
menced breaking at the edges and the flesh as
moist, with q gentle perspiration From the SWIM.
toms, judged little quinine necessary. and gave
TWO grains, with one of Dover powder. During
the forenoon no appeared very drowsy, but wou Id
occasionally seart up, and at times, little de.
lirioas AT p. M. a very marked change took
place, and the breathing became difficult tin 5 p.
M when commissions continued though slightly
abated till 10 z. NJ when he brea.hed his last
During the whole illness his pulse was not above
a. nor upon frequent inquiries did he express the
snghfest pain tw went four hours previous to his
death the skin and eyes were extremely yellow
and few hours before, the tongue became black,
and black mucous substance issued from the
mouth.
Having no means at hand of preserving the
body, which was becoming exceedingly putrid and
offensive, he was this day, August 25th in lat AZ
deg N, and lon 54 deg. W., buried with the usual
ceremonies. His death was certainly mysterious
and sudden, and l cannot easily persuade myself
that was natural.
The Times thus notes some of the chief points
in the career of the deceased:
"Charles Rowcroft was son of the late Alderman
Rowcroft, al eminent merch ant in London, who,
having been appointed her Britannia Msjesty's Con,
sui General ct Lima, was unfortunately shot in the
execution of his duty in 1924. Chss. Rowcroft the
son, who was born the 18th day of July 1885, was
educated at Etop He subsequently well
known political writer, and some time conducted the
Courier. de is, however, best known to the pu bile
as writer Of fiction, and his Tales of the Colonies
must remain valuable aud standard addition to the
Literature of England. In the year 1852 he ap
pointed her Britannia Majesty's Consul at Clncin-
nati, in Ohio"