The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1866-01-12
The "Berner's Street Hoax"

~~~s~~~'
The maddest of Theodore Hooks tricks
was that known as the "Berner's Street
Hoax" which happened in 1909, as fol-
lows
Walking down Berner's street one day
Hooks companion probably Mathews)
called his attention to a particularly neat
modest house-the residence--as was in-
ferred from the door plate--of some de-
cent shopkeeper's widow. "I'll lay you
guinea" said Theodore, "that in week
that pleasant, peaceable dwelling shall
be the most famous in oil London" The
bet was taken, aud 10 the course of four
Or FIVE days, Hook had written and post
ed one thousand letters, annexing orders
to tradesmen Of every sort within the bills
Of mortality, all to beexecuted in one par
ticular day, and nearly as possible at one
liked hour.
FROM wagons Of Goals and potatoes, to
books, prints, ices, feathers, jellies and
cranberry tarts,' nothing in any way
available to any human being but was
commanded from scores Of rival dealers,
scattered all over the city, from Mapping
to Lambeth, FROM Whitechapel to Pad
dingtou. 1t can only be feebly imagined
what the crash and jam and tumult Of that
day was. Hook had provided himself
with lodging nearly opposite the fated
house, where, with couple of trusty al
lies, he watched the progress of the melo-
drama, The Mayor and his chaplain ar.
rivcd-invited there to take the death-bed
confession of specializing common .coun-
Gilman. There also came the Governor
of the Bank, the Chairman of the East
India Company, the Lord Chief Justice
and the Prime Minister--above oil there
came his Grace the Archbishop Of Cam
terbury, and his royal highness the Com.
mander.in. Chief. These all obey the
summons, for every pious aud patriotic
feeling had been most knowingly ap.
poaled to.
They could not reach Berner's street,
however,-the avenues leading to it be-
ing jammed up by the drays, carts and
carriages, all pressing on to the solitary
widows house but certainly the Duke
of York's military punctuality and Grim.
son liveries brought him to tho point Of
attack before the poor woman's astonish.
ment had risen to terror and despair
Most fierce we're the growlings Of doctors
and surgeons, scores Of whom bad been
cheated of valuable hours.
Attorneys, teachers ofevery kind, male
and female, hair-dressers, tailors, popular
preachers, Parliamentary Philanthropists
had been all alike victimised. There
was an awful smashing of glass, china,
harpsichords, coach PANELS. Many
horse fell never to rise again. Beer-bar-
rels and wine barrels were overturned and
exhausted with impunity amidst the press
of countless multitudes. 1t was a great
day for pick-pookets, and grea. godsend
to the newspapers.
Then arose many fervent hue and cry
for the detection of the wholesale deceiv-
err and destroyer Though in Hooks
own theatrical world he was instantly sus-
peoted no sign escaped either him or
bis con6dants. He found it convenient
to be laid up week or two by asevere ft
of illness, and then promoted reconvales-
conce by few weeks tour. He revisited
Oxford, and professed an intention of CON-
mencipg his residence there. But the
storm blew over, and Hook returned with
tranquility to the green room.