The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-08-06
SOME FAMOUS HOAXES.
Some Practical Jokes of an Earlier
Age Than Ours.

HoaXes exist in every profession
and walk of life; they flourish in ev-
cry age and cline; they ply their art
either as a means of livelihood OF
from the sole desire to gull the cred
ulous public. 1t was the latter which
melted that prince of practical jokers
Theodore Hook, to perpetrate the
most audacious of all hoaxes, the Ber-
ners street hoax, that for the time
reused all London to laughter and in
dignation. Hook bet a guinea that a
certain modest dwelling in a quiet
thoroughfare leading out of Oxford
street would become the most motor
ious house in town. and set about win
ming his wager by addressing over
thousand letters. containing orders
to tradesmen, with the request that
they would at certain hour on a GER
tain day deliver their goods at GER
tain house in Berners street. Besides
the unfortunate shopkeepers. who
suffered much loss through damage
to their goods, others were>included
in the fun" The lord mayor, the
lord chief justice, the archbishop OF
Canterbury and the commander-ln-
chief were among the many victims
that fell into the trap, and, duly ar
irving at the appointed spot, exper-
fenced most unceremonious treat
ment amid the turbulent and exas-
perated throng.
AS the result OF bet between the
Duke of Montague and Lord Ches-
terfeld that the former would, by
advertising an utterly impossible per-
formance, find fools enough to fill
playhouse, it was announced that
on January 10, 1749, on the stage OF
the Haymarket Theatre, a person
would get into a tavern quart bot
tie, and while there sing several
songs. On the evening appointed for
the accomplishment of this marvel
Gus feat the house was packed from
floor to ceiling, among the eXpectant
audience being no less parsonage
than the Duke of Cumberland. For
while all sat in patient silence. but.
on the curtain not rising. catcalls and
whistles soon swelled to open riot.
Someone threw a lighted candle up
on the stage and a general stampede
for that part of the house Immediate
ly followed, and in the melee that
ensued the Duke of Cumberland lost
his sword.
The papers, especially those of the
Jacobite party, made great fun of
this affair, and in old England ap-
peared this burlesque advertisement,
having reference to the Duke of
Cumberland's loss: Found entangled
in the slit of lady's demolished
smock petticoat, a gilt-handled sword
of martial temper and length, not
much the worse of wearing, with the
Spey curiously engraved on one side,
and the Scheldt on the other; sup
posed to be taken from the fat sides
of certain great general in his
hasty retreat from the battle of Bot
tie Noodles, in the Haymarket. Who
ever has lost it may inquire for it
at the sign of the Bird and Singing
Land, in Rotten row."
A hoax eqaully diverting, and with
no harmful issue, was that original
ing with Daily, the manager Of the
Dublin Theatre, who wagered that
within twenty-four hours he could in
troduce a perfectly meaningless word
into the English language, to effect
which he chalked on every wall to
which he could gain access the four
letters, @ U / q, which at once set
all Dublin wondering as to their
signifcance-wondering in vain, the
sole result of the general bewilder-
ment being the calculation of word
that has remained current till the
present day.
Astounding News By Express, via
Norfolk. The Atlantic Crossed IN
Three Days! Signal Triumph of Mr.
Menck Mason's Flying Machine. Ar
rivel at Sullivan's Island, Near Char
lesion, S. c., of Mr.. Mason, Mr.. Rob
ert Holland, Mr.. Henson, Mr.. Harri'
son Ainsworth and Four Others in
the Steering Balloon Victoria After
Passage of Seventy-Five Hours
From Land to Land! Full Particu-
lars Of the Voyage!" was the an