Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-09-20

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
ticuiar case carried the trifing interest
of about 100 per cent per annum. James
was cognizant of his friend 8 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.
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-
tion, 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 given 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 a single guinea how much and
to whom he was owing.
His discovery Of the forgery was ac-
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 $4,000 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 So
cret to o few within a month it was
known in every clubroom in London.
From there it got into the newspapers,
and they, under thinly disguised alias
of 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 all Indictment and
have this man, who had moved prince
among men, arraigned in the dock at
the Old Bailey, there to plead and stand
trial like any common criminal
And he fed. Of course, like all fugi-
tives from justice throughout the old
world, he looked to America for city
Of refuge, and here he came Not to
keep my readers too long from the main
narrative, it will suffice to say that soon
after his arrival he applied for admis-
sion to the bar Of New York, but first
he won to his cause the high souled
Richard O'Gorman, then leader Of his
profession
1t was for Edwin James a lucky
stroke, for at this time O'Gorman was
in the full possession Of his magnificent
powers. Few could resist his magic. His
great heart was stirred, and he took up
the cause of his friend as if he had been
his brother. The English lawyers repu
tation was known to every member of
the bar Of New York, and there had
been and still was bitter opposition to
his admission, but when it became
known that their eloquent leader was
his champion many began to feel that
perhaps after all "the poor fellow ought
to be given another chance" and when
at the next meeting Of the Bar associa-
tion O'Gorman in a set grafton brought
all his splendid eloquence into play the
cause was Won
Great hearted O'Gorman had helped
this lame dog over the stile, but the
dogs heart was not in the right place,
and, as my reader will see in the So
quel he soon went lame again
In the rear room Of somewhat lux
urious range of offices in a building on
Broadway facing the city hall four
men were engaged in discussing what
was evidently an exciting topic. The
door of the main office bore the sign,
Edwin James, Counselor at Law and
Register In Bankruptcy. He was one
of the four He had failed lamentably
in his efforts to secure practice The
effects of O'Gorman's eloquence had in
the gray light of commonplace day faded
away, the more so when the ideal his
magic had created in the minds of men
was in hourly contrast with the man
himself and his history. His profession
al brethren looked upon him with sus-
picion, and there was q general impress
sion abroad that his escapades were not
over yet
Brea, with a keen eye to business,
had married the discarded daughter of
wealthy but not overrespectable New
York family, and he had, mlsuspected,
pulled the wires so that james had been
employed .ts the family lawyer, and in
that capacity had drawn the will of the
mother. She was all imperious, hot tenn
pered body, one who when aroused was