The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-08
LORDS WHO WORKED
SALISBURY OvERToILED As GOLD
MINER IN AUSTRALIA.
Numbers Of the Titled People Who
Welded the Pielsax and Spade,
but with Little Success.


bread. True, IL was not In England, but
in the Antipodes. In the early part of the
fifties. when gold was first discovered in
Australia, many young men Of good family
who experienced difficulty in making both
ends meet in the mother country deter
mined TO emgrate TO Melbourne. believing.
OF course. that there was an easy road TO
fortune by means of the discovery Of mug
gets in the gold field OF Ballarat. Among
the number were young John Millais. who
had not found painting profitable. and Lord
Salisbury. The latter was in those days
only younger son, and. having quarreled
with his steDmother. the now widowed
Q Countess of Derby, he was turned out OF
the house by his father, with loss of his
allowance. Compelled TO earn his own
living, he resorted 10 literature and journal
ism. But those were even more unsatisfac-
tory as a means Of livelihood forty years
ago than they are to-day, and soon as
he heard OF the discovery of gold in Aus
tralia he determined, like many another
scion OF aristocracy, to try his luck with
the pick and shovel. He spent about eight
months in the gold fields at Ballarat. with
but Indifferent success. and to this day
hut is shown there which he inhabited dur
ing his stay. That it was not a pleasant
experience is shown by the fact that Lord
Salisbury never on any occasion refers to
his stay In the Antipoaes and that he has
always throughout his political career mani
Tested very marked disregard. and even
aversion, for the Australian colonies and
everything connected Herewith.
1t is a peculiar fact that of all the arsto-
Gratis who have welded the spade and pick
not one has had his efforts in that direction
crowned with success. Thus. there is Lord
Douglas of Hawick. the eldest surviving
OF the Marquis OF Queensberry, who,
four years ago. after a sensational quarrel
with his erratic father. whom he had Of
Tended by marrying. contrary to his COM
mands, penniless girl of humble parent
age. emigrated to the gold fields of Cool
gardie, leaving his young wife in the mean
time on the sheep ranch OF his friend, the
Hon. David Carnegie, who accompanied him
10 the gold fields and worked with him in
his search for nuggets. Their labors were
fruitless, and they had just about decided
some more profitable venture. when Lord
Douglas received the news OF the suicide
OF his eldest brother, which neceSsitated his
immediate return to England, the Hon.
David at the same time resuming his by no
means Improbable business of sheep farm
ing.
THE COOLGARDIE PROSPECTOR
On returning home, Lord Douglas, who
succeeded TO the baronage held by his elder
brother in his own right, independently OF
his father, the Marquis OF Queensberry, put
the knowledge and experience which he had
obtained in the gold fields TO some good
account b permitting the use Of his name
and title as director OF number OF those
gold-mining companies which have sprung
up like mushrooms since the last year. OF
course. he did not do this without an ex-
cellent cash return and the result is that,
although he has no allowance from his
father and has penniless wife, he is quite
we'll off.
The Earl of Fingal the head of the great
Irish house OF Plunkett, who had been one
Of the sufferers through the depreciation of
irish land, about a couple OF years ago was
compelled to sell his country seat Killeen
bred as a peasant on the Ffngal estate
With what little money ne could save after
of the mortgages with which Il was Charged
he emgrated to Australia and engaged in
gold mining. Identifying himself with the
TO have discovered with his own pick and
shovel.
Jubliant at what promised to be a great
success, he had the so-called mouth of his
diggings sealed" and the shaft over ii ce-
mentsd to prevent It being tamPered with.
object OF disposing Of his mine TO COM
pany for large price On reaching home
In selling the mine 10 a company for a
very big sum OF money-in fact. for over
$soo,ooo-and then FASTENED back to Aus
tralia. He had scarcely reached the gold
fields before a telegram reached London.
bearing his signature, explaining that the
mine had been robbed during his absence.
and thai ii was entirel, useless. To make
matters worse. this dispatch. instead of
being Immediately made public. was with
the purpose l e' of enabling their friends IDS
and themselves to dispose or their shares
at a good price before the crash came. OF
70 a terrible public outcry, which was only
partly. sileneed by the promise on the part
king. who had been one OF the promoters
OF the concern, that he would turn over
10 the trnS,es , mt aoL the n
shares forming his part Of the purchase
price. to be devoted to the benefit of the
stockholders.
FINGAL's MINE sALTED.
1t has since been brought TO light that
poor Lord Ffngal was as much deceived as
any one else, that the mine which proved
so disastrous TO his name and reputation
had been sailed by designing persons and
that what there OF gold ore had been
placed there by the persons interested in
the swindle few days before he made what
he believed to be one OF the greatest finds
OF the age. He has done his best to repair
the injury and ruin which he unwittinsly
brought upon the many investors i'm the so-
rallied Londonderry mine-investors who had
mainly embarked their money in the con-
Germ in consequence of the unblemshed
honor OF his name-and to-day he Is a poor
Lord Headly is peer OF the realm who
has tried his luck with a pick and spade
I'm the gold fields Of South Africa to which
he did not emigrate until he had been re-
duced to such restitution in England as to
be positively without shelter and Obliged to
seek his nights rest the seats of the
Thames enSbankment, which at dark is the
happy hunting ground OF the English tramp.
II IS scarcely necessary TO say that Lord
Headly Is an Irishman, and he IL not un-
known in this country. for he has done a
considerable amount or prospecting In Mon
tana, Idaho. Wyoming and other Western
States and Territories. For more than two
years Lord Headly was lost TO sight in South
Africa and IL was believed at one time that
he was dead. A few months ago. however
he turned up al johannesburg. where he now
has a clerkshp. his search for gold having
proved fruitless. IL may be added that ne
greatly distinguished himself in the French
army in 1870. winning the cross OF the Legion
OF Honor.
The present Earl OF Delawar-. who sue
ceeded to his fathers peerage but a few
weeks ago. Is another OF those members of
the House of Lords who can claim exemp-
ton from the reproach OF being drones on
the ground that they have not only worked
for living. but labored with their hands
TO their daily bread. He Is a red
headed young man. possessed of no end of
grace. and. after having tried his hand with
little or no success in the gold fields OF