The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-07-28
HISTORY AND ROMANCE.

SIR WILLIAM wIsEMAN, A BRITISH ADMIRAL,
BECOMES A PRAIRIE GRANGER-HE DROPS
DEAD IN THE STREETS OF ST. 10.
The st. Joseph (Mo.) Herald, of the 18th
inst contains the following bit ofmysterious
personal history: Wednesday morning last
we published an account of the sudden
death, at the Saunders House, of an elderly
gentleman who had registered his name as
"Wm. Chambers, Lincoln, Neb." The gen.
tleman was large, portly man. about sixty
four years of age, and, although plainly
dressed, gave evidence that he had occupied
no ordinary station in life. The body was
taken charge of by DIR. Hugh Trevor, the
coroner, and an inquest held, the particulars
of which have already been given. On
Thursday the mans trunk arrived, and was
taken charge of by the coroner. In it
was found a lot of very ordinary clothing. a
number of letters and papers and some
photographs of man dressed in the
uniform OF the British navy; also some Wis
ting cards bearing the name of"Sir William
Wiseman, IS Belgrave Road" The letters
and papers were, OF course, examined by
DIR. Trevor, but no further than was abso
lutely necessary to ascertain the facts con-
nected with the mans life, and determine
his own duty in the premises. One letter
was from a son of the deceased, residing in
London, and dated some time back. 1t adj
vised his father to, under no circumstances,
permit his whereabouts to be known, as "the
trades people were clamorous." This was
all of the letter that was read, as DIR. Trevor,
finding it related to private matters, at once
returned it to the envelop. Other letters
and papers established clearly that the de-
ceased was none other than
ADMIRAL SIR WILLIAM wIsEMAN,
a man who once occupied one of the highest
positions in the English navy. Yesterday
Mr.. Richard Saunders, Of the Saunders
House, received the following letter:
s. FAIRFIELD, CLAY Co., NEB.,
July IL. 1874.
To Mr.. Saunders: .s
DEAR SIR I am sorry to hear of the
death of Mr. Chambers. otherwise Admiral
Sir William Wiseman, of the English Navy.
I am his agent, who came out from England
two years ago, and have remained in his SER
vice since that time. In March last he was
called to England on business, and was
now on his return journey. L received a
letter from him on Saturday last, requesting
me to meet him in Lincoln on Monday. i
waited until yesterday ('rhursday), and
finding he did not come, became uneasy,
and returned to find your dispatch. have
communicated with his family in England
to know how am to proceed in this unfor-
tuuate affair. 1t will take at least twenty
~
I would therefore request that his remains be
not removed from the vault until receive
instructions. Please to forward all his per-
sonal effects that he had with him and all
papers, deducting from the amount of cash
he had with him all expenses that have been
incurred Thanking you for the kind at
tention YOU showed to my friend, am
Yours most respectfully,
WIN. EDMUND DOWNING.
The above gentleman. w. +. Downing, is
personally known to me, and certify the
above is a correct statement.
V. l.. PEYToN,
Agent st. Joseph & Denver City Road.
What may have been the mystery con-
nected with this mans life is, of course,
mere matter of conjecture. Was it
CRIME, ERROR OR MISFORTUNE?
The single sentence in the letter of his son
the fact that he had soughta home in the