The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-01-21
Seleft Storg.
"A HERO AJD@A MAR7TR."s
CHAPZES READE .HNS HLERS A
CTEDT
WAS THE STORY OF JAMES LAMBERT All.
- TRUE2 t.
To The Editor Of The TriJme..
SCEPTIC.

10 We EuuOT " IHe ITtOWtt'I
SIR. II don't know how it is in tn,
United States, but here literary partie
run high. and are as unscrupulousas any
thing in our jails Even James Lambert
old, lame, and blind, has found some
enemies because Charles Reade sings him
and backs his merit. One "Scepticus'
embodied the cant, the tunkeyism, and
the current fallacies very smartly in sew
en- questions. They have made quite a
success; and as should be sorry to see
the i'll effect spread to the United States
l beg to send you his "posers" as he m od-
Setly calls them, and the replies.
CONJECTURE AND EVIDENCE.
Question 2, "Why did so remarkable
true story as this (if true it be) never
travel to London before? Answer-It
travelled to London in "a hours, and was
published in the two leading London
journals. ! read it myselfin the Times,
and it was the Times which directed me
10 the Glasgow Times. The Glasgow arti-
Gie "Scepticus" appeals to as an oracle con-
tains these words: "That account appear
cd in the Glasgow Times and was copied
into various papers, including the Lon
don Chronicle and London 1imeS."-North
British Daily Mail. Dec. 2, page 4, col. 7.
send you the article with the passage
marked, and your reader scan make their
sWn comments upon this poser"
Question 8. "Why did it fall dead in
Glasgow" Question 5. "Was G300 ever
raised in Glasgow for Mr.. Reade's hero,
and did he dissipate it?" l put these
two questions together for their conve-
nience, since they cut each others throats,,
Answer-Yes. So far from falling dead
in Glasgow, this true story moved the
heart OF that city as it never was moved
before by the deeds or the woes Of a sol
itary cotton spinner. /. Unlike his brave
competitors in Glasgow and in France,
he had done all his work With no boats
nor saving gear, but with his bare body.
2. Two of his acts were beyond the re-
corded feats of mortal man. 3. He was
stricken blind. And therefore in city,
where a man and his money are not soon
parted, there was raised a subscription
without parallel for MN without his
fellow. All this is down in the Glasgow
article, which "Scepticus" has read with
out attention, because his mind is weak.
Did Lambert dissipate it?" Well, |
think he ate it, but | can only give an
opinion The North British Mail says
the fund was E300, and Lambert received
los. per week and his rent until the capi-
tai was exhausted. A private correspond
ent assures me that Lambert received his
rent 4s.l and IS. per cash week, until the
money was gone. These are tritling dis
crepancles.
Three things are certain-l. Lambert
never controlled the capital the money
was paid him weekly by worthy trus-
tee. 2. It was the sole income OF him
self and his wife for many years, since
the barony parish was smart and stopped
its allowance directly. 3. 1t was not
quite exhausted eleven years after it was
created. Now eleven years are 572 weeks;
572 weeks at As. rent and 8s. cash would
exhaust the fund in bare necessities. The
man was not alone; he had wife and
relations on his back. Therefore, having
given more attention to the figures than
any one else has condescended to do, l
am of opinion that most of the money
went in rent, food, and clothes; and COM
paratively little in balls, parties and the
banquets of the gods.
Question 4, "How could any man find
20 many opportunities of saving life, and
thatin shortish career?" Answer-That
James Lambert saved over forty lives is
no statement of mine it was publicly
made in Glasgow, A. d. 1857, when there
were opportunities of testing it, and it
was never contradicted in the town. 1t
is rather late for any man to contradictit it
in 1874 "out of the depths OF his inner
consciousness" which means out Of the
shadows of his ignorance and selfsuth-
cheney. In a long and observant life l
have always found that the men who
turn away from direct evidence, and trust
to their power Of inference, have far less
power of inference than the docile fol-
lowers of evidence. "Scepticus" is a
fragrant example. Lambert saved 70
persons in one night. This reduces the
40 to 70. Lambert began saving at 10.
This leaves him 35 years to save 20 per-
sons. fG Ia 81.
Is The Clyde is river running through
the heart of populous city. James Lam
bert, the inouth-piece of my narrative,
tells him in one place that the Clyde has
deeps and seductive shadows; in another
place that the Clyde is a deadly water
By reason of its hot and cold currents"
&C.; in another that in his young days,
4 folks were not sac weel acquainted in
sooming as now, and accidents were mair
Al common" in another, that after q time,
when be had tasted the sweetness ofssv-
ing lie, be "wss aye prOWlin about for