The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-08-11
KNIGHT IN 1908
IS NOW PAUPER
PitifuI Ending of Career of Sir
Luke White, Once Member
of Parliament.
BANKRUPT And A WRECK
Some of His Poor Constituents Lost
Their All by intrusting 1t to Him
War Makes Financial
Distress Known.

London-From a position of afflu-
ence, popularity and public service
which won him a seat in parliament
and knighthood, Sir Luke White Is
ending his days as the inmate of a
workhousc infirmary in Driffield. Clev-
err enough to rise from poverty to
noted career, injudiciOus investments
brought him low. and at the height of
his political power he was forced to
confess himself bankrupt. He carried
down with him numerous trusting con-
stituents, and his liabilities of $135,-
600 included $4,000 in loans from
poor people who had confided their all
to him. The shame of having thus
wrecked the savings of those who be-
lieved in him completely unnerved
him. Now he is dependent on public
charity, his spirit utterly crushed, and
he is one of the most pitiful figures in
the north of England.
. Began as Office Boy.
Born in Deighton, near York, in
1916, he was an office boy at fifteen
for solicitor, who paid him about 30
cents week After eight years in
that service, of course with increasing |
income, he became managing clerk for
another solicitor in Driffield. In an
other six years he was admitted to
the bar as solicitor and in the same
year he succeeded to the practice OF
his employer, who had died.
He speedily became known as
local preacher and speaker for large
district, and he was highly popular
and successful. For years he was
chairman of the local board, and then
of the urban district council. Then he
went to the East Riding county coun-
ill In 1896 he was appointed one of
The coroners for East Riding. He act
ID as election agent for Sir Angus
Holden, Liberal member of parlla- (
nent for the Buckrose division. and
when Sir Angus died in 1900 White
vas chosen as his successor. In 1908
lie was knighted.
He continued to divide his time be-
ween his attendance at Westminster !
nd his business in Yorkshire, but as :
le gave more time to his parliament :
ry duties than to his private affairs, '
is practice suffered The. war brought S
ut the fact that he was in financial I
istress, and last fall he resigned his
eat and filed a petition in bankruptcy.
appeared in the bankruptcy pro-
ceilings that some of his poor con-
tituents had confided their money to
i'm to put into war loans.
Popular For Years.
Friends provided for him for
while in a saiitarium near Scar
orough. When that fund was ex-
austed he was removed to the work
Duse infirmary, which almost adjoins
lie court in which he formerly prac-
sed. His tragic misfortune caused a
.eat sensation in East Yorkshire;
here for years he had been so well
lown and liked that in the town of
particularly his photo
'aph hung on the walls of every
her house. He had been eminently a
,or mans lawyer.
His fate is now brought afresh to
Iblic notice by an action against
erbert Brown, deputy coroner for
e East Riding Of Yorkshire. who is
arged, jointly with Sir Luke, with
wing appropriated TO the personal
e of Sir Luke in 1907 $1,000 intrust-
to them by Witham Hatfield for in
stment. Sir Luke escapes arraign-
mt owing to his physical and ner-
us rO1lapSn