The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1897-11-06
AN ECCENTRIC DIPLOMAT.
The Quaint Personality and Strange Life
of Minister Fox.

The Quaint Personality and Strange Life
of Minister Fox.
The former representative of the
government of Great Britain to this
country, Henry Stephen Fox, Of
whom the good story is told that
when he met acquaintance in day
light he remarked how strange was
their appearance, or they had never
seen each other except by candle
light, is we'll remembered by few
of our older citizens as a most &C.
centric character. He was a figure
as we'll known as most of the nota-
bles of his day. He had long been
in the diplomatic service Of Great
Britain, and when sent here from
South America to succeed Sir Charles
Vaughan, one of the most affable as
we'll as brilliant members of the
diplomatic corps, Mr.. Fox was ex.
pected to fill his place in society cir
cles. Indeed, so much had been said
of his witticisms and eccentricities
that Washington was locking for a
social lion. If any knew of his dis
like Of some of the society functions,
our upper ten was not informed,
and there was much disappointment
that he did not step in the shoes OF
Sir Charles to the highest social po-
sition. A great-grandson of the
Duke of Richmond, son of general
who had fought against our fathers
in the Revolution and nephew of
the great Wing leader in the British
parliament, Washington society ex-
pected in him a leader.
Mr.. Fox proved an acquisition to
the society Of the capital, at least so
far as to furnish a subject for soci-
ETY. gossip, and it was not long be-
fore his eccentric habits, his pecul-
lar attire and his brilliant witt
cisms were known not only in soci-
ETY. circles, but by the general pub
lie. Even the street gamins recog-
nized him in his late afternoon
strolls. Once seen, he could not be
easily mistaken for another. In
person he was tall and slim-ex-
ceedingly so-with the cadaverous
complexion of an opium eater. He
was scrupulously neat in his attire
and usually in his walks wore blue
cloth swallow tailed coat with brass
buttons, nankeen ants-minus
straps, then worn by all classes.
broad brimmed hat and to his shirt
a high, standing collar, reaching
the top of his ears. His identity was
further emphasized by green silk
umbrella in his hand, and this to.
him was useless unless it rained, for
he was seldom out of doors when
the sun shone IA
Mr.. Fox lived here in large brick
house on K street, west of what is
now Washington circle. He was
almost a hermit, going in official So
oiety only SO far as duty required
and receiving but few visitors. His
few entertainments took the form Of
dinners to gentlemen, after which
the night was often spent at the
card table, on which there were no
small stakes. His day began about
] 3 O'Clock in the afternoon, when he
rose from bed and dressed and took
a walk to the capitol grounds and
back to his br eakfast In the even
ing he would attend the society
functions of the diplomats, seldom
of any others, and after watering.
his flowers, of which he was excess
lively fond, would return to bed ere
the sun had risen. He had an aver
sion to shaking hands with ladies
and gave that as an excuse for not
opening his house to receptions, but
in reality his residence was so lum-
bered up with old furniture, for
which he had mania, that there
was not much room for entertaining
any considerable number. Another
hobby of his was entomology, and
he had a large collection of speci-3
mems slowed away in boxes, many
of which were never opened. i
It was thought that he was a vic
tim of the opium habit, and the sup,
position proved correct. His serv-
ants were charged never to disturb
him or enter his presence. except
when summoned. One night in the
early part of October, 1S46, he re-
manned in his chamber undistured,
but when late the next day one of
the. domestics, despite the usage,
went to his room he found him in a
lethargic condition.
Physicians, hastily called, worked
on him, but their efforts proved fu-
tile. Death came in a few hours.
The supposition was that death was
caused by am overdose of the drug
he had long been addicted to using
His funeral was large and impos
ing one, attended by the president
4 =: L.