The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1895-12-19

from my former employers down to my
old waiter at down town Delmonico's,
where dined, but will pass over all
these matters and proceed with nv his
tory of the Primrose Way.
In 1866 there lived in London IA
nous queens counsel, Edwin James.
Fame and fortune were his. A born ora
tor, talented scholar, he rapidly pushed
his way from the very bottom Of the le-
gal profession to all but it's topmost
height At 40 he found himself facile
princeps Of the English bar, and public
opinion, that potent factor in popular
government, had already singled him
out for the high position of attorney
general. That secured, only one step re-
NAMED to place him in the seat of the
lord chancellor-truly an imperial po-
sition, one that satisfied the proud am
bition Of Wolsey and fitted the genius
of Thomas Beckett. It carries with
it the position of keeper Of the conscience
of her majesty, giving the possessor
precedence in all official functions over
the English aristocracy, next to royalty
itself.
But about this time dark whispers
began to fly about through the clubs of
London. Soon it became known that
Edwin James, the lord chancellor to be,
was in the tolls, and it shortly tran
spired that, in spite of the fact that his
income from his profession was nearer
$4,000 than e10, 600 per annum, it had
proved insufficient, and he was heavily
in debt and worse.
It would seem he was keeping up
what in the polite language of society
is known as dual houses. A woman of
brilliant beauty presided over one, and
the marvellous beauty Of its mistress was
only equaled by her extravaganza. He
also had fondness for associating with
younger men than himself and had got
into particularly fast set of young
lords and army men. At his club he had
lost large SUMS at baccarat and loo, and,
in an unhappy hour for himself and his,
he stopped from his high position and
miserable to think of-committed a
crime, this in the expectation that he
would relieve himself from some of the
more crushing obligations he had heaped
upon himself, either through the extrav-
agant vagaries of his imperious mis-
tress or by his own raslness in trying
his luck among lot Of titled sharpers.
He had among his clients one fast, even
madly extrayagant youth, heir of a
historic name and of lordly estate To
supply his extravaganza ''my lord" had
applied to the money lenders-those
sharks that in London, as elsewhere, fat
ten on such game. These gentry were
eager to lend the young blood money
upon what are known in English law
as post obits, which loans in this par
ticular case carried the trifling interest
Of about 100 per cent per annum. James
was cognizant Of his friends excursions
among the money lenders, and no doubt
he thought the young spendthrift, when
he came into his fortune, would never
know within good many thousands
how much he had borrowed nor even
the number of post obits he had given.
I will just explain that post obit is
form of note or due bill given by the
heir of an estate usually of an entailed
estate), which natures the moment the
drawer Of the document enters into that
estate. That is to say, the tender heart
ed son discounts his fathers death to
provide fuel to feed his fame So Ed
win James, driven to his own destruc-
ton, stopped from his imperial position
into what one might call ankle depth Of
crime.
He made out two post obits for e5, 900,
wrote his clients name at the bottom
Of each, gave them to the money lend
ers, who, never doubling that the prodi-
gal son had signed and gwen them to
his counsel, had made no question, but
gave James the money for them at once.
But James had reckoned without his
host, for this nineteenth century prodi-
gal was made of keener metal than he
of the first Strange to say, and utterly
unexpected as it was to all who knew
him and had looked upon his riotous
living, he kept his books straight and
knew to single guinea how much and
to whom he was owing.
His discovery Of the forgery was &C
celebrated by the sudden and most unex-
pected death Of his father, his return
home and stepping into his estate.
The various post obits were presented
and placed before him. He instantly
pronounced the two for 1000 each to
be forgeries, and the crime was easily
laid at the door Of the queens counsel
The heir Indignantly refused to condone
the offense, and revealing the fatal Sc
cret to q few within a month it was
known in every clubroom in London.
From there it got into the newspapers,
and they, under a thinly disguised alias
Of a distinguished member Of the bar, !"
gave more or less accurate details Of the
damning truth. His former client even
tually said he would not prosecute the
forgery if the criminal left England; if
not. he would Immediately go before the
grand jury, procure IN indictment and
have this man, who Lad moved prince
among men, arraigred in the dock at
the Old Bailey, there to plead and btal.d
trial like any comrl,n criminal
And he fed. Of course, like all fugi-