, 1872-12-01
DELUDED CLAIMANTS.

was not in truth a reality"
DELUDED CLAIMANTS.
In all times there have been persons convinced
that they are entitled to great estates if their
cnted; aud bogus association, calling itself tho
"Heir-at-Law Society" was, some twenty years
ago, started in London. In this country thera
are, Heaven knows how many! deIuded beings
the courts that they arc entitled to tho alleged
vast property Of Sir Francis Drake; whfle in
England, about every two years, there is pro-
digious excitement relative to IN enormous es-
tate which, we believe, has some foundation in
fact, and is said to have been eccumulating since
the death Of one jennings about century ago.
Two clever London rogues, Hobbs and Tre-
yor, one Of whom has been bred to the law,
determined to build their fortunes On this COM
mon vein Of human crednlily. Having ascer-
manufacturing district known as 'sthe black
country" in statfordahire, having claims to e1-
tensiTe estates, they concluded that this would
provo o suitable field for their operations, and
forthwith entered upon the fraudulent CAM
paign.
They succeeded so well in their preliminary
proceedings that, On {tho 18th Of July, 1870, no
fewer than fifty persons Interested in one OF
these claims met at q hotel at WolTerhampton,
to decide upon the course to be taken.
n1s oOID6 tUOA A10 l4Al3 AA4A 44aQo A4oSb
interesting statement. It must be promised
that q short time previously the Queen, who has
shown special interest in tho black country
had paid it visit, and the fact was further we'll
known that 1t was specially 4: the request Of Her
Majesty, who may have heard that the morals Of
the district might be improved, that Bishop
selwyn accepted the charge OF the diocese in
which this part Of England is situated A1r.
Hobbs, gentleman Of ingenious resources, de-
stated, IN ia feeling address," that not only
had no been despatched by the Lord Ohancellort
to regain the money Of which poor people had
been dispossessed, but also that the Queen
herself, since Her Majesty visit to Wolyer-
hampton, had felt deeply interested on behalf OF
the poor there, and had caused the Lord Chan-.
cel1or to instruct him to go down into that part
Of her dou,inions and do whatever was neces-
say to get their property restored The meet
with considerable authority. Although he was
"a solicitor, connected officially with tho
Court OF Chancery, and also With the Govern
ment tho suit would not, Of course, be insti-
tuted without money" One hundred pounds
was required sherewith to start the case. As
there we're numerous families represented.
he suggested that every person should
contribute 81, Of which ! part would
bo received BY himself and part, by his
ing with one hundred pounds in his bag, and
SO great was his enthusiasm that, holding it up,
pounds to start With" Hobbs, however, de-
clined the offer, saying there must be "equai-
ing held. In all about sixty pounds Tas paid in
this matter.
In another case the prisoners were charged
with defrauding John Bullock, retired collier.
pounds to pursue the claim made BY some per,
sons named Stanton to an estate scattered
throughout Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Stat
fordahire, md salop. Bullock deposed that the
stantons believed themselves to be the he5rs 70
to get it for them Hobbs was down N N.
the neighborhood representing himself as
q solicitor from the Court Of Chance1y,
and ike the great MI solomon ten, @aa fhe
reason why he went to him. When he vent ne
said "Now, 1Ir. Hobbs, il you think 1t is Their
property, get it but, If it is not, abandon IT.
pot take he pfonapT as
should require two hundred and fifty pounds, to
start the c.se, and fifty pounds down to pay the
fifty pounds, and asked him to be faithful to the
clnsped It, and swore that he would bs faithful,
and that be was sure he could get them the
sand pounds already in the Bank
wanted, the stantons md Bullocs
were summoned to meetings at the White Lion,
Bll8t0n- Upon ta058 occasions dQOD9 ana lIe"
vor represented that the action was going on
right md well. Bullock was buoyed up from
time to time by statements Of this kind, accord
ing as money YVES wanted. Contributions were
such as that he could get s10o,0o0 as = bribe on
the other side if ho would abandon the Stan-
tons, but he declined to be other than faithfulto
them. ..
nor Trevor had any questions to put to the WITT
nesses, nor any statement to make why they!
should not be committed. The stipendiary in
formed them that they would be conau1itted
for trial for dstrauding Ihacker and
imanation in other cases relating to =" the Jen-
nings property" at Birmingham, in which one
person alono is said to have been defrauded OF
one thous and pounds.
The result OF inquiry is, to furnish one more
instance of tie ease with which the ignorant
can be imposed upon. Here was densely-pop-
ulated district, with, no doubt it's fair share OF
attorneys. clergy and other people Of intell-
gence, Who should surely nave k4o%n that M tne
inquiries yet public meetings are
held in the principal town Of the district, thou
sands of dollars subscribed, and it is not until
these poor people have been c9ouy . Elunaored asn
ers which at length procured their arrest. When,
some years ago. well-known London solicitor
proved rogue and absconded, one Of his clients
thought it was high time to go down and " see
gage Of which he had advanced such 3 handsome
sum. Strange to say, no one In the district
seemed ever to have heard Of tho handsome
crescent in question; and when at length he
found himself in deserted brlck-held, and
learned, beyond doubt, that this vas all the
security that sppertained to him, he fairly burst
out laughing 1T the successful manner with
which he had been utterly gammoned.
It is to be hoped that Rome Of Alessrs. Hobbs
h Trevor's victims may be able to meet their
fror1f1la 41rniar bttt