St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-11-15
BIRCHALL'S LIFE.
His Career Was Nothing But Gun
ming and DupIicity.

His Career Was Nothing But Cum
ming and Duplicity.
Birchall was not quite thirty years of
age, but for half of that period he had
lived a haphazard life of adventure,
held up by his dupliclty and cunning,
and used his dishonesty, inherited or
acquired, to make him a parasite OH
responsibility and wealth. His father
was clergyman. well known and loved
at Bricole, Worcestershire, and the
son, the only child. by the way. was
reared like all English boys of respecta-
bic parents, and given IA start rather
early in life, in the hope that his way
ward tendencies would be curbed by
contact with the business world. That
this expert ment failed is only too evil
dent. In 1856 he was student in Lin
coin college. Oxford, and was educated
for the church. Though only
twelve months in college. Birch
all lived at a fast pace and
contrived to contract debts amounting
to $4,000. During this time his father
died and the property was divided
among his two sons and daughter.
BlrchallS share was nearly $4,000,
and by the provisions of the will the
money was not to come into his posses
sion until May, 1891. A year ago last
June Birchalf. just before sailing with
Benwell, was notified by his solicitors
that his creditors proposed to throw him
into bankruptcy. Birchall replied that
he had disposed of his interest i'm his
fathers will to raise the ready money
to pay his creditors, and asked the soil
citors to come and see him. When the
solicitors arrived at Oxford they found
that Birchall had left town with the
money raised on the will, leaving his
debts unpaid. About two years pre-
viOus to this time he came into prom
inence in Canada. He was handsome
fellow. good cOnverSationalist and
with something of the air of Douleva-
der about him. He told G good story,
dressed well and first made his debut
In the provinces as "LOrd Somerset"
and he claimed to be the natural son of
the Duke of Somerset. A colonist loves
a title and a coat of arms, even if the
bend sinister is across it, and in Mont
real the young pretender
Lived I'm Gorgeous Style
and drove tandem, drag and dog cart
at various hours during the day. and
was voted to be great swell. Trades
men gave him anything he wanted, and
the hotel landlord did not dare present
bill, and as result one fine day they
went into mourning for their deadened
confidence, and Birchall turned up i'm
the Western part of the province,
sometimes calling himself Lord Somer-
set'' and other times Lord Hugh Les
lie Courtney" and again PLAIN Mr..
Birchall. While in the city of Montreal
he had no oStenSible occupation except
cutting imaginary coupons. In the
West be was attached to the Horse
guards, and was buying horses for the
British army. History does not give the
description of single horse which he
ever bought for heT Majesty's mounted
service. but it did tell of lots of bills
which he ran up. Once again he disap-
peared. and this time he turned up
in England and posed as rich Can
adam farm owner, and in this guise he
committed his greatest crime against
manhood up to that time. He Wooed
and won the love of bright, respecta-
bic, Well-connected English lass and
married her, He never told Of his ILL
fated theatrical scheme; never said that
he was once clerk, and at all times an
impOSter, but took the girl from the
home in which she had been carefully
reared. He brought her to America
with Pelley and Benwell, kept her in
absolute ignorance of bis true life. as
he did his victim and intended victim.
and with that utter disregard for the
circumstances which implicated any
but himself, he actually allowed her to
be placed in position to be arrested,
as he was arrested, for the murder Of
his fell0W-cOuntryman and dupe, and
only on investigation Of the grand Jury
declared that she was not in any way
Implicated i'll the dastardiy CRIME