Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-08-02
09ip Statesman,
NICHOLAS DUNKs;
Or, Fried MacIkerel for Dinner.
From Blackwood's Magazine. j

bnduOW VI bhN NhOuu
stances precisely as they occurred. 1t was
literally laughed out Of court, where the
halter, the hosier, and the Jew salesman
from Holywell street, appeared to identify
him as the person who had passed the forg-
| ed notes. The solicitor for the prosecution
btriea every means to persuade him to de-
tnollnoe- his coAfederates. His resolute and
unvarying declaration, that he had none
and that he himself had been duped, was
regarded as an aggravatlon of his crime
and proof that underline seeming simplic-
| ity of his character was concealed the
hardened resolution of practiced offend
er; facts which were prominently set down
| in the brief and most eloquently eXpound-
ed by the counsel. Even the judge could
not restrain his indignation at the audacity
of the prisoners defense, in his charge tc
the jury; and the jury were so satisfied
they saw before them one of the most hard
ened of the gang, who was resolved to know
nothing, that the verdict of guilty was up
on all their lips long before the trial was
brought to conclusion.
Nicholas was sentenced to transportation
for fourteen years.
"If deserve that" said he, 'I deserve
hanging"
"What's that the fellow is muttering?"
inquired the judge.
"He says he deserves hanging, my lord"
replied the turnkey, who was standing by
his side in the dock.
81 know it," answered his lordship, shut
I've looked at the statute under which he is
indicted, and | can't hang him."
| This was said with so much concern, as IL
his lordship really regretted his inability to
give to the prisoner his deserts according to
his own estimate of them, that an audible
litter ran through the court.
"Well," exclaimed Nicholas, as soon as he
was left to his meditations, 80 am to cross
the herring-p pond, it seems, and if that amt
making pretty kettle of fish of my fried
nadckerei, / don't know what is Oh if
had that rascal Jenkins here just now, OF
that evil-eyed scOundrel who, | suspect, has
had more to do with it than Jenkins
wouldn't l." and he struck out right and
left with his clenched fists several times, to
show what these worthless might have eX-
pected at his hands had they been within
reach of them. Then he thought of dear
Mrs. Dunks, and how she would wonder
what had become of him, and bepuzzled to
know what to do; but no tenderness mix
ed with his thoughts; for, tracing matters
up to their original causes, he, like most
husbands, but in this instance with more
justice than husbands commonly have, laid
the whole burden OF his calamity upon his
wife's shoulders. And thus IF could
have fried mackerel at home, shouldn't
have gone to the Blue Posts +, if hadn't
gone to the Blue Posts, | shouldn't have
met with Jenkins; and if hadn't met with
Jenkins, l shouldn't have been here.''
Aristotle himself could not have reasoned
more logically; and the result of his rea-
soning was, that as Mrs. Dunks had been
the cause of all, she might get through her
share of it in the best way she could. He
was even malicious enough to find balm
for his own troubles in what he considered
the retributiye troubles that awaited her.
In due course of time he arrived at his des-
tination-not the first innocent man whom
our admirable criminal jurisprudence and
that bulwark of our liberties, trial by jury,
have visited with the punishment due to
guilt, upon the clearest evidence, and after
the most patient investigation of facts.
Happy England! where, if the wrong per-
son happen to be hanged, he has the satis-
faction of knowing tits by the laws decree,
and not by the arbitrary mandate Of ty-
rant. To a true-born Englishman, whose
veneration for the laws is at least equal to
his love of law, this reflection must be very
consolatory. j'e" T.. -
Among those marvellous accidents which
occasionally befall us in our way to the
grave, was one which happened to Nicholas
while he sojourned at Botany Bay. His
good conduct, his inoffensive manners, and
the nature of his certified offense, which
had nothing of deep or desperate villainy
about it, soon obtained for him as large a
remission of the penalties attached to his
sentence as it was within the discretionary
power of the authorities to grant; and he
was allowed, under certain restrictions, to
carry on his trade. This indulgence he
turned to such good account, that in few
years he had amassed considerable sum of
money, kept several journeymen, and was
the very Shuttle of Paramatta. His
celebrity was such that he impaired his own
name to a particular description of shoot
ing7jacket, peculiarly adapted to the cli-
mate and country, which to this day, we
believe, is called a Dunks. roo .I-I...
p That shooting-jacket led to the marvel
GUS accident above mentioned. When it
was in the height of its popularity, and
when everybody who could afford 1t wore
a aDunks, whether they went out shooting
or not, the name attracted the notice of an
aged convict who had been transported for
life, and who had already passed nearly
forty years in the colony. He kept a sort
of public house, and being OF penurious
habits on the one hand, and of rapacious
ones on the other, his tens gradually SWELL
ed to hundreds, and his hundreds to thou
sands, till old Jem Bunker, as he was called
(though that was not supposed to be his
real name), passed for second Rothschild.
Oneday he came tottering into Nicholas
work-room to order a Duilks for himself.
While Nicholas was taking his measure, the
old man eyed him with great earnestness,
but said nothing, and soon after left the
place, giving strict injunctions to Nicholas
to bring the shooting jacket home himself,
and be sure and not to send itby any of his
men. tlhf'p| nle'L
Nicholas .humored the old fellow, and
when the jacket was finished took it home;
but instead of trying il on, as if he wished
to see whether 1t was good fit, or wanted
any alteration, Jem Bunker took it quietly
from his hand, laid 1t on the table, and bade
him sit down. @'2WOG OF 69dUiFju siGp
''what made you call these jackets
Dunkses2" said he. '""ii j2ffjN2 df 09l,'.
~ didn't christen them. L only made
them; people took it into their heads OF
their own accord to call them after me-" %
''Are uou Dunks ?" Jo tn9rUioj laaG
$50, my mother always told me.n gi1E
''It's rather an uncommon nSfiie,n re-
marked the old man. sai prSish uoy
CAMP observed Nicholas, with Sigh,
remembering what jenkins said when he
heard 1t for the first time, ''you are not the
only person who has told me that, as Ihave
good reason to know" '' DIid l-9llf'ns
"You've mentioned your mother; who
was your fatherp" I1 si'll jn'7a39aM1
=, .sI'm not wise son." replied Nicholas
laughing. o',''ts ..l".'s D0H '12lip' nc Z
perhaps prodigal one?" reIoined Jem
Bunker ~ Ir1ihi bbf .Hlllrlt gi0n