The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-09-18
GOSSIP OF THE
FAMOUS STUART PAPERS,

Copyright. 1872 by Court Gc.sp syndsote.) :
Some seventy-five years ago. in q
London tavern. q man committed sui
eide. The other day there was found.
in the libraries Of Windsor Castle. one
OF the treasures that broke tho mans
heart and life.
The tnstallment Of the Stuart papers
is one of the most enthralling pages Of
British history, but the story of the
finding of the Stuart papers Is hardly
less romantic than the tale these docu.
ments tell,
The end of Robert Watson. of Elgin.
near London Bridge, in 1888, came with
dramatic intensity BETTING a wild.
strenuous life. He lived under four
English Kings. and saw the dawn of
the Victorian era. He was the man who
unearthed the Stuart papers in Rome.
into his story came the names of car
dinals and princes, of Napoleon, OF
washington. of the Pope. officers and
judges and revolutionists His wan
derings In the end brought him to a tav-
ern at st. Mary-at-Hill. where at the
age OF ninety-two. he strangled him.
SELF
Robert Watson left his native Scotland
- -hhhNAASos anu W his ldSI Gay MS
lameness bore out his boast that he had
fought under George Washington. and
was wounded in battle. When Lord
Gordon led the mob in the streets of
London. heading the rioters who burned
Gown Newgate prison and turning loose
two thousand jailbirds upon the streets:
when he marched upon the Houses of
Parliament with 5000 men, Watson was
with him. Secretary to Lord Gordon and
president of a revolutionary society,
Watson was a central figure in the
stormy and rebellious scenes which shook
London In lIs6-a reflex OF what was 60
ing on at Paris. II is. therefore. not sur
pr!sing that he was thrown into prison
and kept there for more than two years
At last his turn came, and he was ac-
quilted. But the law reserved for IT.
self one revenge. 1t set a price on his
head. At last. however. leaving a friend
ly lords house In disguise, and aided by
a distinguished, titled lady. he escaped
from England.
Abroad. the rebel was at home. He
issued from Paris an address to the
British people. calling upon them to rise
and to welcome the French as their de-
liverers. The enemy of England found
him a man after his own heart. and Ma
poleon took lessons In the language of
IHS nation oI snOpheeptrS from wat
son. and made him principal of Scots
college in the French capital For six
years he held this post: and then. when
England forbade the export of cotton and
indigo to France. and Napoleon offered a
prize of 10000 francs for its cultivation.
II was Watson who was the hope OF the
then consul But the experiment went
agley. and the rebel went back to his
school.
h. 10 ~ All -
whose portrait of Watson at this mo-
rent hangs in the picture gallery of
Scotland at Edinburgh. Had Watson
remained in Paris two years longer the
world might nave never known OF the
Stuart papers.
In 1913 he went to Rome. and in the
Eternal City" the capital of the Popes.
he found the very paving stones. so to
say. alive with the history of the world.
But that which appealed to his fancy
lay IN a garnet. forgotten or overlooked.
a dusty heap OF papers. scorched by the
rays Of a Southern sun and nibbled by
rats and mice. which do not spare even
kings palaces. Watson saw in this heap
of papers a chariot on which he could
ride to power. These ''tradesmen's bills
and kitchen accounts" should grace
kings library and bring him favor in
the state. and Watson bargained for the
papers in exchange for 40 lire (E3O.
Such a heap of waste paper was worth
more, they said, in Rome.
There was never so peculiar situa'
ton in the life OF an everyday man.
Robert Watson, who had lain for two
years in a dungeon. upon whose head a
price was set in England. had within
his grasp the great collection of the Stu
art family. Even so. Watson was
powerless TO grasp the prize which
fortune had brought within his reach.
and 1t was TO Lord Brougham. who hap