Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-03-12
The Case Of Mr.. Spoke.

The Case of MIR. Spoke.
On the sth of January the Rev. B. Speke,
clergyman of a parish in Somersetshire, Eng
land and brother of the celebrated African ex-
plorer, went to London to be present at the
wedding of friend, saying that he should re-
turn the next evening. Ga reaching London,
he drove to the residence Of his brother-ln-laW
in Ecceston Square, remained there about ten
minutes talking to the footman, and then went
out to buy hat, remarkiug that ne was AFTER II
ward going on business to Westminster. lie
made his purchase ut shop IN Warwick street
ordered the hat sent to his brother-ln-laW S
not later than 81 P. NJ, as he had an engage
ment TO dine at 7, and from that time (Whlch
Was about 81 in the atternoon) all trace OF him
was lost. He did not return to Eccleston
Snuare. and q little after the same evening
the hat he had been wearing, with his name
written in it, was picked up in distant part
of London. The police were put on the alert;
Every quarter of the metropolis was searched
in vain. Ingenuity was exhausted IN trying to
account for his disappearance. tie was gen,
tlemau of amiable temper, of Wel-baanced
mind, of a highly religious character, and q
cheerful disposition. He was in perfect health,
and had no irregular habits. Nobody knew OF
anv reason why he should voluntarily take
himself off by flight, or put an end to MS lie oY
suicide, There seemed no way of accounting
for his presence in the part Of London where
his nat was found, unless on the supposltlon
that he had been decoyed into some low haunt
for the purpose of robbery. Foul play was
generally suspected. For weeks the neWspa-
pers teemed with letters and editorials on the
great mystery Of the year. One correspondent
even reminded the public that Mr. Speke bore
an extraordinary resemblance. to the Home
Secretary, Mr.. Claiborne Hardy, and was 1t
not possible that the Fenlans had carried MN
off nv mistake in retaliation for the executions
at Manchester?
At last, after nearly seven weeks OF excite
ment. Mr.. Speke is reported to be found, alive
and we'll Why he disappeared we are not yet
informed, and, so tar, the discovery only makes
the case more mysterious than ever. On the
25th Of February, man, dressed as bullock
droyer was arrested at the little seaport town
ofPadstone, in Cornwall, on suspicion OF beng
an absconder from Hull. He proved not to DC
the person supposed, but after a great deal OF
questioning reluctantly admitted that he was
Mr.. Speke. He had a large sum of money IN
his nossession, and several disguises were
found among his effects. His conversation is
said to have been perfectly rational: Ihls IS, Is
all we know about the matter 80 lar. Inc
English papers take it for granted that the
SUSPICIOUS drover really is Mr. Speke, though
at the latest dates no proof of his identity had
been made public. Assuming that the missing
man has been found, we shall await with
considerable curiosity an explanation OF MS
strange journey OF several hundred
miles to remote corner OF the Aog-
dom, his silence under the anxiety
Of the public and the distress OF his irlends,
and the circumstance of his being IN disguise.
The solution which will most readily occur TO
people's minds is that he has been the victim
ofsudden derangement but such violent freaks
Of finsanity do not usually manifest themselves
without premonitory symptoms; and there is
another circumstance which appears to us very
significant For some time before the discovery,
it was noticed that the anxiety OF the gentle
mans family seemed good deal relieved: 1t
was even announced that they had assurance OF
his being alive and we'll. Had they discovered
any reason why he should abscond? Specula-
ton, however. is idle. The excitement in
England has been so intense that tull expla.
nation will have to be made, and by the next
steamer we shall probably receive solution Of
the curious problem-N y l426une.
The discussion of the mysterious disappear
ance of Mr.. Speke in London brings us com
munication from an officer of the London
Metropolitan Police force who has charge OF
bureau specially devoted to the finding OF
lost persons. ;.
It appears by this document that such dis
appearances are of frequent occurrence there;
no less than 239 cases Of lost persons having
been reported to the bureau during the last
four months. OF these SO were adult males ale
35 adult females, 63 boys and 81 girls. Inc
lost men are reported as generally young, ano
as having been engaged in business; the Womer
were also for the most part young, but more
old women then old men were missed.
DEATH OF A CATHOLIC PRIEsT.-Thc New
Orleans papers record the death of the Rev
Mr. Turgois, of that city. He was native O.
France aged 63, and for 3S years was in the
priesthood. He was chaplain in the Frencf
feet and army during the Crimean war, and thai
of Italy and Cochin China He came to Louis
lana about the year 1860, and was for shor
time vicar of the Cathedral of st. LOUIS, II
New Orleans. In 1862, be; became chaplain
of the Orleans Guards, accompanying them t(
the battles of Shiloh and Pennington, and wa:
subsequently, chaplain of the 3Oth Louislan:
regiment. He received wound IN the heac
before Atlanta and returned to New Or!ean!
with the remnants of the 30th, at the end O.
the war, and since then has been IN charge O
Catholic chapel in New Orleans.
GEN. GRANT AND THE IsRAELlTEs. --~Tht
lsraelites have good memories, where they arr
unjustly dealt WITH or maligncd and traduced
Their leading organ has already taken the fielt
against Grant for his general order OF the l7tl
OF December, 1862, in which all lsraelites were
expelled from the department. OF Tennessee,
at 'twenty-four hours notice. This sweep
ing condemnation of whole class of citizen
caused general outcry, and was condemned IL
resolution introduced in the House of Rep
r4ak:. I j h