The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-11-09
THE HrNCHBAcK.

1hE ECNA4A2-A&As
In the year 1865 there landed IN
London from New Zealand g huncl-
back named George Melville agSa
twenty-fouF. he was not jig
hunchbaek, but there was a cast IN
one eye, he was almost bald y ms
voice was as harsh as a ravenss- Whel
they came to trace him back they eouIo
find out very little about him he
had been born and reared IN a back
township and he had sueh an ugly
temper hat men feared him.
How Melville became possessed OF
q large sun of money was announcer
matter that was never fully explained.
1t was believed by some that he and
his Father were highway robbers for
years. His arrival in LondOn was one
of the most brazen things a mar ever
aid. He had a dozen forged letters,
and giving out that he was immensely
wealthy he rented a large house and
installed himself and began to m1ngle
IN society. He could write his own
name fairly well and he could read
print after q fashion, but in a general
way he was as ignorant as a back
woOdsman. But for the story of his
wealth he couldn't have got a barmaid
to look at him. AS 1t was, he was
called delightfully."- eccentric" his
gross ignorance was termed 'pictur-
esque," and inside Of a month he had
the run of three or -four clubs and had
been taken up by society.
The physical appearance of the mar
was enough to make a woman shud-
der and his coarse and brutal nature
was repelling, and yet for many weeks
he was the fad. He had more intro
auctions during that time to handsome
young women thai any other two men
in London.
1t may have been the first purpose
Of the man to wreak a sort Of revenge
on society for the trick that Nature
had served him, but later on he ex-
tended it. He determined to marry.
Perhaps he fell in love: perhaps not.
At any rate. he selected the daughter
of a member of parliament and made
love to her so as that she was swept
of her feet n gave him her hand.
be was aided in this by her mother.
There We're men in the clubs who
would not dine at the same table with
the mtsshapen creature. though they
took care not to cross MIN, and how A
beautiful snd cultured girl OF twenty
could be brought to accept him as a
husband must be aid to the power OF
money. Her father was not rich and
her mother was determined that she
should make a brilliant match.
A certain widow, not yet thirty
years of age, had set her cap for Nell
vile, n when h had made sure
that she had lost him she determined
on revenge. She la a cousin who was
an OFFICER in a certain regiment then
stationed in England, and she knew
he had served in New Zealand. She
went to him for Information and the
cat was soon out of the bag. Captain
Burton had read and heard of the
millionaire hunchback, but owing to
illness had not met him. He had never
met m one by that name, but When
asked to set his memory at work he
recalled a certain incident. Ten years
previous while on a hunting expedition
on the Ashley river, on the east coast
OF New zealand, he had trouble with
a squatter and his son. The latter
was a bunch n had fired on him
with a rifle.
The captain had little Idea that the
mtHonalFe and the squatter's son were
one and the same, but he took his
chances that they we're. He threw
himself in the way of the MAJ and at
once Identified him, both by his voice
ana his deformity. Forty years ago
New Zealand was a long ways off from
England. There was no cable, few
steamships and letters took month to
90 and come. Their idea was to ex-
pose the man at once. The captain
MADE up his mind to bluff him down
IN his own house. He would either
compel him to leave London or ex-
pose him. The office did not npure
that the b~unchback would attemnt 10
strlke back but went almost at once
ana secured an interview. He was gra-
clousIy received and he felt that he
nad made no mistake in the identifca-
tlon. The boy of fifteen who had held
a rife within ten feet of his head. an
ger on the trigger and eyes blazing.
nad simply become ten years cider and
changed his squatter's dress for fash
iOnable clothing.
There IS no doubt that h ~so-called
Melville also recognized the officer
This the latter had not counted on.
he gave not the least sign, however.
The captain had plenty of moral corr-
age. and as soon as he could bring it
around he boldly charged Melville
with being an impostor. His charges
were met with smiles. Instead of be-
ing offended the h~unchbaek aid that
he was only too glad that the officer