Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1888-11-23
THEODOEE HOOK,s JOKE.
How He Made a Quiet street the TAX o
al London.

How He Made a Quiet Street the Talk OF
All London.
Theodore Hook was a famous .prac-
teal joker, and once, at least, he per
petrated a lest that disturbed all London
and amused ali England, writes William
Shepard IN Ljppj7IcOtFs Magazine.
This was the famous Berners street hoax.
Berners street In 1910 was a quiet street,
Inhabited by well-tO-do families living
IN q genteel way. One morning, soon
after breakfast, a wagon load of Goals
drew up before the door of a widow lady
living In the street. A van load of fur
niture followed, then q hearse with a
coffin and train of morning coaches.
Two fashionable physicians, a dentist,
and an accOucheur drove up as near as
they could to the door, wondering why
so many numbering vehicles blocked
the way. Six men brought a great
chamber organ; a brewer sent several
barrels of ale; q grocer sent carload of
potatoes. COachmakers, clockmakers,
carpet manufacturers, cOnfectiOners,
Wigmakers, mantuamRkers, opticians,
and curiosity dealers followed with sam
pies of their wares. From all quarters
trCOped in cOachmen, fOOtmen, cooks.
hOusemaids, and nurserymaids, In quest
of situations. To crown all, dignitaries
came in their carriges Commander
in-chief, the Archbishop Of Canterbury Y,
the Lord Chief Justice, a Cabinet Min
lister, q governor of the Bank of En-
gland and the Lord Mayor. The latter
one among many who speedily recOg-
nized that all had been the victims of
some gigantic hoax-drOve to MARI
burOugh street police Office, and stated
that he had received a letter from a lady
b, a. AI,0[ Oh
had been summoned to attend at the
Mansion House, that she was at deaths
door, that she wished to make q depO-
sitiOn upon oath, and that she would
deem it a great favor if his lOrdship
would call upon her. The other dig
nitaries had been appealed to in similar
way. Police officers were dispatched to
maintain order in Berners street. They
/ found it chOked up with vehicles,
/ jammed and interlocked one with
another. The drivers were Infatuated
| The disappointed tradesmen were clam
| Oring for vengeance. Some of the vans
and goods were overturned and broken
/ a few barrels of ale had fallen prey tC
! the large crowd that was maliciOusly
/ enjoying the fun. All day and far into
! the night this state of things continued
/ Meanwhile the old lady and the inmates
/ of adjoining houses We're in abject terror
/ Every one soon saw that a hoax had
been Perpetrated, but Hooks connec
tiOn with it was not discovered until
afterward He had noticed the quiet
ness of the neighbOrhOOd, and had laid
/ a wager with q brother wag that he
! would make Berners street the talk OF
all London. A dOorplate had furnished
! him with MISS name, and he ha6
/ spent three days in writing the letters
which brought the crowd to her door
At the appointed time he had posted
himself with two or three companions
in a lodging just opposite, which he hac
rented for the purpose Of enjoying the
scene. He deemed it expedient, how
ever, to go off quickly into the country
and there remain j7lcog for a time
Had he been publicly known as tn,
author Of the hoax he might have fareC
/ badly.