Bridport, Beaminster, and Lyme Regis Telegram and Dorset, Somerset, and Devon Advertiser. — 1883-12-14 (Bridport, Dorset, England)

BEIDPOBT. DEATH OF A "NOTED VAGRANT."  One of the most noted characters Dorset has ever produced saw the last of a truly eventful career at the Bridport Union Workhouse early on Sunday morning. Arthur Norman, alias Snapchain, commenced his "career "—as far as the public are aware—ac far back as 1837, when he was first convicted at the Dorset Sessions. Since that remote date the annals of the police furnish a long category of larceny, vagrancy, stealing goods, receiving stolen goods, assault, and almost every crime except log murder and manslaughter has been brought against this old " gaol-bird." Norman, who came from the neighbourhood of Whitchurch, was in his early youth in a comfortable position. However he disagreed and parted company with every species of morality and honest labour at an early age, and before he reached his fiftieth year be had become one of the most consummate hypocrites it were possible to conceive. It is a question whether George Brine exceeded him in this respect. One of his favourite whims was to "tramp the county" on a begging expedition, and his visits to old ladies of a benevolent tarn of mind generally resulted in a few coppers (and not rarely silver) finding their way into the secret compartments which Arthur had arranged about his tattered clothing. After " canvassing the majority" of Dorset towns, and amassing a few pounds, he invariably put up at the third-rate wayside inn, and having placed the proceeds of his beggary in the hands of the " Boniface,, ' he would start for' fresh fields and pastures new," ultinratately to be captured by the police for vagrancy, larceny, or assault. After release from the care of lier Majesty's servants for a month or six weeks, as the case might be, he would, penniless and bad-tempered, tramp his way to his nearest " publican banker." His appeal for the des posit was often refused; a row would ensue, and Arthur is again "run in," to be confined for another brief term as an incorrigible rogue and vagabond. The police reports latterly claimed Arthur as having seen 82 summers. During his perambulations of the past five years he has given conflicting accounts of his "age." He has been 80 and 85, or 90 and 95 in four consecutive weeks, and it was not twelvemonths since that the compassion of a charitable gentleman was so aroused by Arthur's whining declaration of— 'loO years old, sir, and pat work," that he " raised " a shilling in a moment. Dorset claims about 40 convictions against Arthur, but, as his peregrinations extended to distant localities, it is possible that the charge sheets of neighbouring counties reflect Arthur's character to a similar extent. His last conviction was about two months since at Bridport, and reoorded at the time in this paper ; and soon after release from his favourite atmosphere at Dorchester, he was picked up in the Bridport streets in a revolting state, and ordered to be detained in the workhouse. He died as he had lived. Almost to his last moments he cursed and swore at those around him, as if disgusted with a clean bed, and longing for the filth of the roadside. It is stated he has no friends—if he has any they have long since ceased to own him. Report is current that " Snapchain has left behind him a lot of money." If he has it is in the hands of the bankers, who will declare that "Arthur has long since overdrawn his account."