The Penn's Grove record., 1884-05-31
Two Husbands at a Funeral.

In August, 1852, a gentleman pur-
porting to be a Mr.. Williams, a Ham,
burg merchant, landed near Colchester,
England, with a chest, which was
promptly seized by the custOm-hOuse
officers. One of the officers opened the
chest, and was going to run his hanger
into il, when Mr.. Williams clasped his
hand upon his sword and desired him
i'm French to desist, for in the chest was
the corpse of his dear wife. AS there
were other boxes of fine clothing and
Jewels belonging to the deceased, and
as a distinguished foreigner always eX-
cites the suspicion of the British Official,
the custom-house people insisted on
plucking off the coverings and setting
the corpse in the church, where any
body might come and look on it, while
they refused to allow the agOnized hus-
hand to bury it until he should give a
better account of himself. The poor
man at last acknowledged that he was
a person of quality; that his name was
not williams; that he was born at
Florence: that the lady was English
and his wife. and that she desired to
be buried in her native Essex. The
officials. however, buntly told him that
In order to clear himself of murder he
must disclose his name and condition.
The husband refused to do this, but was
allowed to have a key to the Vestry,
where he sat every day with the corpse.
The story | shall continue In the words
of the correspondent of a newspaper OF
the period, from whose letter this ac-
count is taken: MY brother went to
see him there, and the scene so shocked
him he could hardly bear 1t he said IL
was like Romeo and Juliet He was
so much pleased with my brother, as
he talked both Latin and French, aud
10 his great surprise, told him who the
lady was, which, proving to be a person
he knew, he could not help u~ncoyerlng
the face. In short, the gentleman con-
fessed he was the earl of Rosbery's son
1.-THE name in print rose), and his title
Lord Delamere (Dalmeny); that he was
born and educated in Italy, and never
was in England till two o. three years
ago, when he came to London, and was
in company with this lady, with whom
he fell p~assionately in love, and pre-
vailed on her to quit the kingdom and
marry him; that having bad health, he
travelled with her all owe Europe, and
when she was dying she asked for pen
and paper, and wrote. Il am the wife
of Rev. Mr., rector of III, IN
Essex My maiden name vas Cannon;
and my last request is to be buried at
Til. The poor gentleman who had
last married her protests he V knew
till this confession on her death bed
that she was another's wife; but Ill
compliance with her desire he brought
her Over and should have buried her at
TIL (f the corpse had not been
stopped, without making any stirabout
it. After the nobleman had made this
confession they sent to Mr.. G. who
put himself into a passion and threat
ened to run her last husband through
the body; however, he was prevailed
on to be calm. 1t was represented to
him that this gentlemanha had been a. great
expense and trouble to fulfil her desire,
and Mr. G., consented to see him. They
say the meeting was very moving, and
that they addressed each other civilly.
The stranger protested his affection to
the lady wa so strong that it was his
earnest wish not only to attend her to
the grave. but to, be shut M, forever
Will hCA bllCAC- ~ Hhb LIiLioCAt III nv
most solemn mourning and ON Sunday
last in a coach attended the corpse to
The, where MI. c., met it in
solemn mourning likewise. There
never was anything like his behavior
to his dear, dear wife; for so he would
call her to the last. MI. C. at
tended him to London yesterday, and
they were civil to each other: but my
lord is inconsolable; he says he must
fly England which he can never see
more. Kitty Cannon is believe, the
first woman in England that had two
husbands attended her to the grave
together. You may remember her to
be sure; her life would appear more
romantic than a novel," This old let
ter appears in the Cambridge Journal
of October. 1852.