HomeMy WebLinkAboutExeter Advocate, 1907-01-03, Page 2•
BANK FAILURE RECALLED'
'.\uta 11u'1'1:Nl:tr 111E GL.tet:OW
11.eN1 Ulltkt%1'UILS.
Cash epeculanens nnd Large Stens
Advanced to Directors Led to
(False Returns.
ngz: , directors and secretary hnd been
re. ee ing advances from the bank in
ran:dly inert•asing amounts, until In
IS?d, the year in which the bank step-
pe] paym-nt, out of $28.1e6,400 shown
in tee beeeks as "lent to customer..," the
directors had received •16,886,130, or
three -fifth; of the whole.
DID THE DIRECTORS KNO\Vt'
In charging the jury the Lord Justice-
Ctcr:c said the points to be decided were
wh.•thcr the balance sheets were false,
whether the directors and manager, each
or any of !hent, knew them to le false,
Tee trial of the directors of the City and w•hclh. r the published reports were
of Glasg..w Bank ranks is probably the Intended to deceive the shareholders.
mist iruporteet whtar has ewer 1'L•en! A drector was entitled to trust the • 1-
rtace in Scott 1• .n modern lents. IL O eats of the Lank ns long as he had
e.oak place so -o as January, 1570' no reason to suspect their integrity, but
but it may net . ogether until
!ng to relate : fee ,.1 its salient features,
to;,el'.:er with fe • causes that led up !o
the trial, al tee i resent time.
FINA:NI :LAI. Itie del ESSNESS,
The magnitude )1 the financial crisis
brought about the c.dtapse of the Lank,
the social standing t 1 the directors to
whesc hone, Inc inanugoutent of it was
entrusted, and wig Ito shamefully abus-
eu the conudenee reposed in them, the
unparalleled disclosures of financial tur-
f itude an i recklessness revealed in the
report of the pro:essional gentlemen
who coeducttd the investigation• of its
affairs immediately after the stoppage,
and the startling nature of the evidence
nddu-'ee by the pre.secution, all com-
bined to invest this trial with an inter -
en, rarely, if ever., surpassed in the an-
ua's of criminal jnriai )':•lance.
UNSCRUPULOUS SPECULATORS.
The evidence showed hew a once
sound and prosperous banking concern
was converted into a mere machine for
the atstraction of the hard-won savings
of the small and all -too -confiding in-
vestor, only to throw thein Into the lap
of wca'thy anti unscrupulous specula-
tors, elie dissipated than in schemes
of reckless folly and insensate gamb-
ling.
1t also revealed the tart that the
reclors while posing as pillars of com-
pncr•eci;d integrity, were in reality the
roitcn props of a worthless and decay-
ing concern.
HISTORY OF THE BANK.
nothing could for a moment justify, -.r
excuse, or palliate the deliberate state-
ment of what is known to be false.
A \'tall' GREAT CRIME.
"Th's is a crime of very great mngni-
tede. The larger the interests committal
to their etre:rue, the more they were
boued to absolutely honest administra-
tion," saki his Lordship.
The defcnre of the directors was that
they did not know how the accounts
were dealt with in the books, and that
they- were entitled to assume that the
offseials were not playing ttern false,
but the judge pointed out that if the
position of the accounts was such that,
whatever the details, the directors must
have known they could not possibly be
accurate, then they were guilty of al-
lowing a false representation of affairs
to pass.
VERDICT OF GUILTY.
At the conclusion of tho mnsterly
summing up by the Lord Justice the
jury retired, and, after an absence of
two hours, returned into court with a
veedict of "Guilty" against l►rl, man-
ng.,r of the bank, Robert Stronaeh, and
one of the directors, Lewis Potter, cf
falsifying and fabricating the balance
sheets; also the sane verdict against
the other directors, Robert Salinon(1,
John 1. Wright, Willinm Taylor, Chas.
Leresche, John Stewart and Henry In-
glis, of publishing them, knowing them
to bo false.
"DID 11' FOR BANK," NO EXCUSE..
The judge in passing sentence said
The City of Glasgow Bank commenced that although these acts did not neces-
business in the year 1639, having its sarily involve, and probably were not
head office in Glas cow, and numerous actuated by any design, or desire. of
branches Thr glum. Itiee-eounlry, Cpn1 Pegs el -advantage, taut were commit-
•l;jti easiness until the end of the yeor led as they thought for the benefit of
1x•54, n it suspended payment.
The hank was, however, immediately
resusciated, and continued its operations
until it finally ceased to do business,
and closed its doors on 2nd October,
1S; 8.
There were in all 1,249 partners cnn-
necteil with it, and the paid-up capital
amounted to $5,(X0,000.
r
year ;.1
Al the beginning of 1S78 the
the smash, the reserve fund was stated
" S2.250,000, the dividends and surplus
fit; in hand at $742,505, the deposits
$tI,913,iG0, and the "circulation, ac-
eptances, etc.," at $10,571,115.
nllwithstrending its apparent pros -
wily, the ba•ek had, hpwever, begun to
experanee s,an^ difficulty in carrying
on it; business; and for several weeks
before the crash came slnster rumors
had been floating around in bank cir-
cle; as to the likelihood of a calainity.
GAVE iIISICY CREDIT.
it was said tint the directors hnd
cn lending countenance to unsound
culations, and had been giving risky
i1, and that in consequence the in -
nal position pf the bank Itself had
jeopardized.
n=t This suspicion there was the
at the bank stock was keeping
e well alongside its neighhors.
toppage of the bank, (herefore,
a surprise to the general pub -
though it wns thought that the
ns of the hank would prove
e concern itself, no fear ex -
led as to the depositors not being ful-
ly provided tor.
11AD CONFIDENCE iN SYSTEM.
No better testimony of the public con-
fidence in the Scottish banking system
could have beam given than the calm-
ne-s with which the announcement c.f
the stoppage was received.
No run on the bunk took place, In-
deed there was a pretty general feeling
of relief. 'A rotten branch had been cut
many. and the gond three of Scottish
banking it as felt, would be the better
for its absence.
DEPIC1ENcY \VAS 825.000.000 -
On the day following the stoppnge
Be directors pinend the books of the
hunk in the hands of eNpert necountnnts
for investigation, who reported that Bre
deficiency amounted to nearly $25,000.-
00 1.
The honk hnd lest. on a moderate es-
timate, $31.000,010. That Is the whole of
the pnid•up capital, and reserve fund.
togelh r with fully 825.000,000 he.tdes.
The story set forth in the report w'n<
one of the most disgraceful in the This.
tory of banking.
Arcnunts had been (1 liberalely falsi-
fied, securities entered al fictitious
values, hnd debts taken as good nssets,
and the very gold which ought b have
been held against the note issue by the
Dunking Act, had been deliberately
squad red to the extent of over $1,-
600.000.
1;600.(X10.
MAf1E FALSE RETURNS.
The Government hnd leen deceived
by fol: a returns, the shnrcholdcrs by
"crooked" balance sheets, and every-
thing done That it perverso ingenuity
Conti! Think of to conceal the bankrupt
condition of the bunk.
Ileckleesneea 1e(1 In difficulties, and
dhlTicullica to fraud in order that lite
true state of matters might be kept Froin
the shareholders, and the public.
It ens proved that the directors had
hnd ':: re- ndvnnccs from the hnnk
ire ! e r to millions of dollars, while
th 1 ' stock held by them only
of . ie d to $21.1.111.
The whole of the dircetors, together
te th the manager and secretary, were
1 im'p'ly nrreeted. !tail being refused,
ntthou�h npplicanion wns made in the
L gh retire tart for that pun pose.
Nitre Melte* i1ECEI\'ED ADVANCES.
:\t tee trial, which took place before
f.nrel J.rsti-es .Innerieff, Mime and
(:magi 11, nnd lnsled a fortnight, the
foremost advocates of the day were en -
1•:1g d fear the defence.
the ry delve show ed. that lot Ave nr
Mx seas pre .evtuig ibe crash the roan -
the bank, they were not removed from
the category of crime by any means.
However, the fact that they had not
been actuated by motives of personal
gain would weigh with him in the sen-
tence he was about to inflict.
18 MONTHS JAIL.
Potter and Stronnch would be im-
prisoned for 18 calendar months; and
1
in the case of the remaining directors,
bet ween whom and the other prisoners
a greet distinction might be drawn, in
consideration of the fact that they hnd
been in jail for nearly four months,
malting trial, he would order lhr.t they
be further imprisoned for eiglht calen-
dar months.
This brought to a close one of the
most sensational bank trials ever re-
corded.
A MEASURE OVERFLOWING.
?eghly Prussia is Fighting
Children.
The following is a sample pcssage of
the open letter which ilenry•k Sienkle-
w•i: z, the famous author, recently ad-
dressed to the German Emperor in re-
lation In the treatment of the Poles in
the German provinces, and especially of
the Polish chiktren in the schools:-
"Thia, may it please your Majesty, is a
form of jersecutinn, both of bodies and
of souls, which fills the measure till it
is overflowing. And what of that bru-
tal and inhwnnn law that prohibits a
Pone to build a roof over his head upon
t�ls own land? Even wild beasts need
a den; but the law cares nothing for
dont. And what of Ilio.se pitiless mea-
sures, who -e wickedness no possible ren -
son of State can excuse, and which have
brought tears to the eyes of thousands
of helpless children? Now, in Prussia,
'llhe teacher is no longer a guide who
lead; Polish children In God and en-
lightens their way thither. Mather
let us slay, he is a churlish gardener,
whose official duty it is to fence the
t•cbust young saplings that spring up
on Polish soil Into s!ekly and stunted
ti, rmnn trees. And so. yenr by yen r.
their martyrdom grows heavier. and the
kcund of blows nnd weeping Is louder
and more frequent in the schools. The
'measure is overflowing; and its overflow
'brings with it, I cairn's God's wrnlh and
tee roti•gnation nt men. your own (lu-
te ,e as well. The many wars waged
trier Mnjdsly's nncestors, whether
leeeessf l or unfo,tunnle, whether just
• r unjust (as history tnny decide), have
'always been great both in their object
ten 1 in the fees encountered. In your
Ale. sire, there is but one momentous
conflict, one hand strt►ggle-thnt of
t'russin, mighty Prucsin, fighting with
little children. On one side. rads nnd
the prison; on the other, tear's. Most
assuredly, this present disgrace is rill
The greater lmnauce of the gnat victor -
fes in the peat; nnd, therefore. your
Malet!y enn neither wish nor allow this
l^hildren's weir In become the prime and
'mein business 01 your successive Gov-
ernments. nnd to give its name to your
vier) in history ns being forever asso-
Ciale d therewith."
Little
s♦n
� IMMO
Here is the Infest went Wry: A cer-
tain retired general of the Indian Army
possessed a parrot, and also a very
irascible leniperarnenl. The pnrrot was
a valuable hint, but was rather a nui-
sance by reason of els extreme ladkn•
Itveness. One day. while the general
was writing his business letters, the
parrot kept up a continual chatter. very
disturbing to the writer. Al last the
generni coned stand It 110 longer. and,
jumping up, the seized the Inge of the
unhappy bud, which he whined vigor-
ously round anti round. at the some time
shunning furiously. Then lie set the cage
down again, and silence for some time
ensued. At length, however, a feeble
voice come from the interior of the cnge.
"Gen• ral," it inquired, in qunvering ac-
cents. "w here were you when that cy-
clone struck us?"
TO PROMOTE LONGEVITY
LONG UPC i. tu.i:Ll' A \741TEit OF
JIOD1L1CARE.
Sir Limiter Reunion, Noted Entlli.h
Ph) �iriau, tiays System Should be
'1i lined to Resist Disease.
Long life and a healthy one may t•e
atlaine.l by observing a fewsimPlo
rules -living on pauper's faro if so di-
re..ted--and making use at the progress
of medical science, according to the
views of Sir Lauder Brunton, consult-
ing physician of St. Bartholomew's Hos-
t -qui, London. His address, which was
(Vivi red before the Manchester Medi-
cal Asociation, and published in the
Lancet, has attracted widespread atten-
tion In England.
The physician deals with the diseases
vvh ch commonly beset old age and
shows how the power of (ho system to
resist them may be built up by strict
attention to a regimen which is in ac-
ccrdanoe with the latest advances in
medical science. lie calls attention early
nit his paper to the case of a man of
seventy-six who althougho h apparently in
rugged health, had too large a tension
of the blood, which finally resulted in
a breaking down of the weakened wails
of his arteries and produced death. The
physician calls attention to this phase
of his subject first because there are
many persons in these days, when men
of advanced age take on severe mental
activities, of whore no examination is
made of the state of their circulatory
systems.
That men are living to advanced age
these days and maintaining their facul-
ties unimpaired to the last is demon-
strated by Dr. Brunton hy. reference to
many recent instances which have come
under this observation. Ho recalls,
among others, Senor Garcia, a well-
known leacher of !music, whose death
occurred recently at the age of one hun-
dred years. 1)r. Brunton attended s
dinner party given for him, 'and was
much impressed by the physi(jn1
strength and intellectual vigor which
were shown by the venerable instruc-
tor.
' "LIFE 'BECOMING Weeni:ir.
Dr. Brunton says that it is by no
means easy to rend statistics aright, but
he: points out that there has been a con-
tinuous increase in the expectation of
lifo from a little under forty years in
1854 to a trifle less than forty-eight
years in 1900. Although the average
longevity has increased there has been
a slight diminution in the nuniber of
persons of advanced age, such as nine-
ty and one hu
dred years. The number
of octogenarians, however, is increas-
ing. These figures are based on reports
of the Registrar General of Great Bri-
tnin.
Speaking of the re.is!ance to diseases
of outside origin, Dr. Reunion seine at-
tention to the great development' in an-
tiseptic methods of s'.rgery in the last
few years. Ile dweus especially on a
crass of diseases which are likely to de-
velop into blood poisoning, saying that
the slatislics of surgical operations,
and especially statistics of deaths (1
mothers, show very clearly the high
beneflls which have been derived from
the modern snnitary methods.
"Detpite antiseptics," the continues,
"erysilelns is a common cause of death
among the aged, and this disease ought
le be diminished greatly by antiseptic
methods. Respiratory diseases, bron-
chitis and pneumonia carry off a great
number of ngea persons. Both of (hese
nre usunlly ascribed to the effect of a
cold, but, it should be borne in mind
that, while both are consequent upon
exposure to cold. yet in loth pathologi.
cal organisms play a great purl"
The physician points to the infection
which Is due to flying dust. snying that
one of the severest colds thnt lie ever
had was due simply to inhaling dust
through one nostril white in railway
enrringe. Ile mnintnins that a cold is
readily communicable, nnd Ihnt persons
liming such a malady should be especi-
nlly careful not to corununicate it to
the aged.
"it seem. to me." he odds, "lint very
often children convey infection from one
tr nnelher, and often n child goes to
school and coma; buck with a cold
which, as the common saying ha.s it,
GOES TIIROUGIi '1111: HOUSE.
"This possibility of infection by chil-
dren is nultu•ally to he borne in mind in
regard 10 the relations of old persons
to thein. as well ns to frineds anti visi-
tors. It is to be remembered also that
persons who are apparently well may
carry disease germs and convey Them
t•. others. Those who mny be in alien -
delve nn n case of pnemnonia, diph-
theria or bronchitis may convey the
germs without apparently being affect-
ed themselves. It might cause n little
trouble. but 1t would be an error nn the
right side of all those who hnd been
near suet' n erase were compelled to dis-
infect their threats' by gurgling with
an nnliseplic before visiting or attend-
ing upon old persons."
That temperature affects the (tenth
rale Is a conclusion drawn by the phy-
s:rinn from the fact Ihnt when the wea-
ther is especially cold the number of
Genths of persons of advanced age re-
corded In the newspapers is greatly in-
creased.
"In order," he continues. "to prevent
the effect of such colt, the clothing
should not only he warm, but especial
care should be token to prevent of:1
persons from going tram the warm
rn-ens into cold parts nt the Thome. A
chill of the whnle body lowers vitality
and renders patients morel linblo to
disease. len a Incni chili to particularly
injurious. Wind which comes fairly in
one's face is to be dreaded; but if wind
catches one back of the neck or behind
the ear or even on the side of the head
it is much more dnngeernus. i.argely
open windows are Comparatively sole.
but a chink Ihrnueeh which the wind
brows is In le carefully nvoided. One
reason of this prolably Is that wind
blowing through a chink Causee a more
rapid current of air and thus chills the
part of the body against which It 1m-
pinge.s much more quickly than air
which Is moving slowly or not moving
al all
MUST INCREASE POWER TO RESIST.r1,1AN'S GREATEST ENEMY
"Rut whale," continues the authority,
"we should take all due precautions .o
prevent injury from without, we must
not forget that one of the most import-
ant methods of obtaining health is to
increa_e the power of r. sistance.
"By training the vessels to altei nate
heat and cold as we do in our faces,
they react more quickly to changes of
temperature and become more efficient
regulators of the animal hent. This
may be dune to a certain extent by
tinily baths, cure being taken, however,
that the application of cold is not sulll-
cienlly great or sufficiently prolonged le
depress the patient. 1 think one of the
best ways is to apply hot writer -as hot
as can be borne --and then a little cold
afterward; just enough to get the re-
action.
"But it is not only the vessels of the
skin which require exercise and train-
ing. Tho resistant power depends very
largely upon the general circulation and
the i-erfection of respiratory move-
ments."
Dr. I3runton says that while old age
le not so liable to intestinal diseases
due to bacteria as youth and childhood.
he gives warning against cancer of the
stomach. One of the commonest cans-
ee of cancer of this malady is due to
the effort of naure to carry masses el
and:gested fond through the pylorus.
which Is the opening leading from the
stomach into the intestines. Masses
o: fond which on account of their size
cannot Le penetrated by the digestive
juices procluae irritation, which may
gradually develop into cancer. The fond
is thrown back from the pylorus into
the stomach, and the result is acidity.
"A little store lime," continues the
physician, "spent on the mastication •-1
food might be exepnderl not only in in-
creasing present comfort, but in lessen-
ing the probability of organic disease
The practice of gobbling may be to b
certain extent, at least, responsible for
the larger proportion of the cancer (1
the sloni ich which more occurs in men
than in women at the age of fifty
years."
Speaking "of food, the doctor quotes
the investigations of eletc:hinkoff, who
says strawberries which, because .1
their lying on the ground, may be con
laminated, should be avoided as wee
as uncooked snlad and fruit generally
Ile nista thinks the drinking of sour intik
is often of benefit, provided the milk 11-
sel! is pure.
.wrema..........•
WANTi;D SOLDIER TO BITE HOUSE.
Latest Escapade of the Crown Prince of
Servia.
IL is reported that the eminent lunacy
expert, Dr. Flechsig, of Leipzig, Ger-
many, has been summoned to the Court
r, several
days.
as
to of
a c for
.rd
n f R e Y
1
evidcn(1y in connection with the men-
Inl elate of the Crown Prince George.
Nevertheless, the. Government continues
to issue clumsy denials of what aro no-
torious facts.
Tho latest story reported from Bel-
grade relates to nets in the street, which
were witnessed by a crowd.
Recently a mouse was caught In
Prince George's room. With the living
animal in his hand, he went to the
two sentinels at the entrance of the
roynl palace, and, lifting it near the
mouth of ono of them, commanded him
to "hate oft the mouse's heed." The
startled soldier refused, wehereupon the
Prince began to cudgel him terribly
and threatened to shoot him down.
On hearing lho shrieking of the
'crowd which had meanwhile assembler!,
the officers on duty carne out of the
palace. and it was orily their interfe'?-
ence that saved the poor soldier's life.
Dr. Uinilisch, the court physician.
and King Peter's intimate friend. has
resigned his office owing to maltreat-
ment on the part of Prince George.
IX(:R1•:TI.\ BORG! eat.
Wholesale Poisoning Carried on
In Town of Hungary.
Five men and two worsen were rec-
ently nrrested at Knee., in the 1'enresvar-
district of Ilungary, for having poison-
ed (heir wives and husbands.
Martha I'otromany, a woman who
is known ns the "Poison Mixer," was
also pinced in custody for having sold
them arsenic to commit the murders.
A judge, who has been investigating
the cases, now reports that there has
Leen wholesale poisoning in the district,
and further arrests have been made.
Catherine Biber Is necused'of poisoning
her son-in-law, Nouse he was a drunk-
ard, nnd also her parents, in order to
obtain the family estate.
Vases Ardalean is chnrged with pois-
oning a wealthy widow punt, whose
sole legatee he wns; Lenka Hogyok with
pot: ening her husbnnd, who hnd willed
his properly 10 her; Nicholas Glass with
poisoning Anton Braun, to marry his
widow, nnd Julia Wulcsitch with pois-
ontng her elderly husband to marry a
young lover.
The poison in all cotes is slated to
have been provided by Martha Petro.
many, who is alleged to have charged
2t.51 in each case. The attention of the
police was directed to the murder epi-
demic by an anonymous letter.
REPAID HOSTILITY.
Two Men Entertained by Countess
Force Der to Yield Money.
The Bussinn Polish landowner, Coun-
teas I'oninskn, was robbed of $12,,00 •n
notes and gild and of family jewels
worth many times that amount the
other night.
Two well-dressed Cyclists nsked for
shelter at the Castle Snpozyn late In the
evening, staling that they hnd last their
way. The Countess treated them with
every hospitality, and had rooms pre-
pared for them.
During the night they entered the
Countess' bedroom, and, under threat
o' death, forced her to hand over the
money end jewels. They then made
their e_ cape on their bicyclee.
Both were captured as tleey were try-
ing to Cross the frontier into Austrian
territory, and the booty was recovered.
The men had in their possession ac-
curate plans of the castles occupied uy
the Countess. by Prince \\'olkenski and
Ly Prince Sangusko, all in i;iusian Po-
land.
Now
QLESTION WIli:THHER IT IS 11.00DI,
FIIIE OR STORM.
lbw F uni.he Iles Ileaped It. Human
Hari est - ielece-tine Farts
and Fitures.
That there are any human beings up-
on tee eel to is quite n marvel, w•len
we lht:.k of ail the ways in which na-
ture has always tried to destroy them.
Famine, iloods, frosts storms have no
terror. now for us in these safe islands.
But the:o was a time when they and
many other natural foes worked havoc
among our ancestors, and still they
wok it in less fortunate lands. The
numl cr of people killtel by nature's de-
slruclice forces and the quantity of crops
ruined is enormous. Which is the
greatest enemy -flood, drought, fire,
otorm, frost, hail -it is diflicutt to say.
FAMINE TERRORS.
In the early ages famine prevailed in
some pert (,f the world every year. 1'ro-
bebly, most of the people were always
near storvalior. As early as 310 A. D.,
we have record of a famine which killed
t),e0J out of the small population of
England. The whole world was in a
state of starvation in the year 897, and
millions must have perished. Half the
populetion of Gcrnnany was carried off
by fanino in 1125. In those limes it
wes the custom, when scarcity of food
oc.:urretl, to drive all needy people out
of the city gales and let them perish.
CHINA THE WORST SUFFERER.
The last s^riots famine in England
occurred in 1321, so that this land, which
has now to import over half its food
was the first to escape from the grip of
starvation. In Ireland, however, two
famines in the nineteenth century car-
r ed off 1,71G,000 people between them.
Populous India and China, of course,
are the great lands of hunger. Here
are a few of livir famine afiliclions:
1769, India, 3,000,000 perished; 1866.
1861 and 1878, Indic, 11,300,000 perish-
ed; 1870, Persia, 1,50.1,000 perished; 1877,
1878, 1879, China, 18,000,0,00 perished.
Floods do mere damage lo property
than to life; but the number of people
drowned is in itself terrible. Ties,
originate in many ways -in excessive
rains, breaking down of river hanks,
bursting of r. servoir.;, sudden inciting
all, erruptions of the sen. Every enure
et ice and snow, and, most terrible rf
try has suffered. In 1014 many English
seaports were destroyed, and a few
years Inter, -1098 --East Kent was inun-
dated and the famous Goodwin sands
t rmed.
FLOOD AND E1i1TIiQUAKE.
Again again ain Holland has Lee
f,
inundated. One flood destroyed seven-
ty-two villager, and the death roll cf
this and three of its successors amount
e► to 330,0f0 persons. During the firs:
quarter of the nineteenth century the
North Sea broke over Denmark, sue
merging one•lhird of the land and form-
ing the island of Jutland.
Frnrn flood; in the south of France
just half a century ago, the loss was
six million pounds, and the Toulouse
flood. some years later. caused a lose
of fifteen million. sterling.
in quite recent limes we have hnd the
Japan flood of 1890, which killed 27,-
(f,0 people; the Oregon cloudburst rt
1903, which drowned 300, as well PS
inore recent disasters.
RAUYERS FORTU' ES
1.11 1:..s OF I►! l 1:i r IN L(►\:l0\
Nein!:Knot -1e.
Ltnuti;rus Palaces for the Pour Oa
sphinx of the \'i:iuus Live
in Luxury,
if a stranger coming to London
wishes to see how Poor Law.relief is dis-
bursed tie should go to the offices of the
Camberwell Molted in l'ee:Junm Road,
says a London paper. 'There he will
find a rnagni!!cent building, which cost
1:20,000, to ncconum:date rnemlicr8 of
(ho board. This is a building totally dis-
tinct) from the workhouses belonging to
Uaniberwell. It is perhaps the finest
building of its kind in the world. It
would put many provincial town halts
to shame.
A short time ago Mr. Bracey Wright,
a member of the board, proved for a re-
turn of all paying pat: nts in the Cam-
berwell infirmary. And Mrs. Edmonds,
who seconded the proposal, pointed out
that the infirmary was being maintained
lee poorer people than those found in-
side. The actual cost each week of these
well-todo {mutters is LI Gs. 4d.
PAUPER'S PALACE.
Again, most people have heard and
read of the wonderful paupers' palace -
built by the Ilammmersnnitli Guardians
at Wormwood Scrubs at a cost of a
quarter of a million for the accommoda-
tion of 750 paupers. But few people who
mass up Kingsway see the handsome
block of buildings which form the finest
and most complete workhouse of its size -
en London -built by the Strand Guar -
The architecture is pleasing; the in-
terior is magnificent; the structure it-
self is a triumph for the architect and
-he. builder. This building, which cost
.C27,000, accommodates 127 tramps and
;'; regular paupers. the part devoted to
the "regulars" costing 1:14,000, or about
£230 per head, excluding cost of site.
inside the building the stranger would
never imagine himself to be in a work -
'louse. l'olish, art shades for the walls,
elosaic, or gleaning wood block for the
!leers greet him e,t''•ywhere.
IIOOMS FOt "LADIES."
Upstairs there is a suite of rooms for
"ladies." The wolfs nue faced with pale
rcun tiles; a rug litre and there, chairs,
.i few plants in the corners, and pictures
en the walls give the room the appear-
-ince of great luxury. In nn adjoining
room there stands tee beds clean and
aright, and by the side of each one is a
lull's cot, over the head of which is a
lainty canopy. in ills cot the offspring
if the vicious lie surrounded by more
luxury than can be given to children of
:he virtuous poor in their homes.
'Mete in a nutshell Is the whole prob-
lem as shown by the clergyman-guar-
finn, Father Higley :-
Every Thursday when 1 go down to
xtr workhouse at Bronitjr 1
ones of of young men, t!1l hou(
fed, Well clothed, wee shod, hwlatee,
our workhouse. Orrroad down 1
my
=eo nirn afflicted- in every way -under-
sized, knock-kneed, badly clothed, bad-
ly clothed, badly shod, workiue in all
weathers -rain, cold and snow; and my -
blood foils, becatr_e I know that these
poor afflicted men who are selling wcod
er some commodity inthe streets,
tar a t , have
-
to pay a large part
•arned money to maintain teen for abler
fan themselves to fight the battles of
.ife. And yet the workhouse purasites
ane musters of the situation.
VALUE OF VIGILANCE.
Tho value of vigilance and the loss
through laxity may be gathered from
the following facts shout Holborn, the
guardian board of which wake up sud-
denly one day and had a can over" -
an examination Into the pauper history
of every inmate. In one of their two
workhouses the cases of 1,300 paupers
were examined, with the resndt that 25
were lawfully pinced with other untuns
to whom they belonged -some of them
having lived on the Iloalorn ratepayers
for many years; and 55 were found to
possess relatives who could pay for their
tnnintenance.
Some astounding discoveries were
made. A married woman, who tied
lived in the workhouse for ninny years,
eonfrssed that her husband was living
in Marylebone. Ile was discovered and
ennlpelled 10 take his wife out.
he
hod. however, cost tee ratepayers hun-
dreds of pounds.
POSED AS A \\ IDOW.
DA\VSON'S CONQUEST.
Things hnd gone his way in town, nnd
Dawson wns in quite an amiable and
even melting mood when he carne home
in the evening and settled himself for n
quiet hour with his cigar and book.
Presently he said to This wife:-
"Now,
ife:"Now, here's something that's got
peed sound sense to it. You listen to
it: -'Real glory springs from the silent
conquest of ourselves.' That's the talk.
Give lee the mean who is muster of him-
self. 1 have a perfect contempt for those
unbalanced fellows who go all to pieces
over nothing rind- Why, what's the
matter with this lamp? It gives a miser-
able light."
"1 think it needs brimming," replied
Mrs. D.
"Why didn't you have it trimmed be-
fore night ?"
"I didn't know that it needed trim-
ming."
"I should think it wns your place to
know in what condition the lumps are
in."
"Humph! it's your place to know lots
of things you don't know. It you'd
known. as a man ought to know, the
condition of the drainage pipes on his
own ground, we wouldn't have had that
illness last spring, anti—"
"Oh, there you go and bring up those
old drainage pipes 1' howled the con-
vert to the self-control theory, as he
flung his book clear across the room nnd
kicked the hassock nt his feet against n
frail table and sent it over with a crash.
"1t beats Inc that a mon can't have a
minute's peace in this own home. I'll
just be eternally ding-squizzled it 1 don't
join a club or hoard awny from horse
it 1 can't hove any pence under my own
roof 1 What with smoky old lamps and
your tongue gning like a trip-hammer all
the time, and the young ones bawling
and the servants quarrelling, and dirt
and disorder everywhere. and—"
"A beautiful specimen of self-con-
gnetl you are, Mr. !Meson I"
"Don't you say 'self -conquest' to me,
nr i'll--1'11-well, i'll not be responsible
for what hnppens 1 The idiot who wrote
that didn't have to put up with smoky
lamps and--- Well. leave the room if
you want to. madam I I'm going to
leave the house, madam, do you under-
stand 1 -do you tnndereland t"
OBEDIENT.
1 hope this time you've matchers
brought
Me that will tight. my Run."
"Yes, mother." said the little lad,
"I've tried them every one:"
A man who harps on rine string i'-n't
noressany Wet strung.
In nnother case quite recently a wo-
man who posed as a widow find received
outdoor relief was living with her bus-
band, who was described as the lodger.
These are but typical of the condilinn
el the management of seine of our Lon-
don workhouses. Instances such as
that of the pauper Stourtnn, with !:bleu)
in consols, are frequently occurring.
The moneyed class among the paupers
is larger than is imagined. but if gunr-
diens had more concern for their duties
and less for their love of power no
should have a whplcsorne and whole ale
clearance of the professional pauper,
whose flourishing condition is tho result
:f appalling laxity.
Ti1L'. RESULT .. TZAiNING. -
The iri-hman wonted to sell the dog,
but tic. peospe•tive huger was susencr•
ons, and tinauy deeidevl not to buy. The
man then tole Trim why he was so anx-
b u
"see,uto seesalt, he said, "1 bought the dog
find lhreineel Irian meseelt. I got Rine so
he'd bark all the toime it a person step-
ped inside the gale, and thought 1 was
sate from burping. Then mo wolfs
wanted me to thrain him to carry
bundles,- and I did. It 1 put a packet
in his mouth the dog would keep it there
till someone took it away.
"Well, one night 1 woke up and henrd
semenne In the next morn. 1 got up
an' gralelreel the gun. They were there.,
three of the scoundrels. and the doe-'
"Didn't tie lark?" interrupted the man.
"Serra n hark, he was to busy!"
"Busy! What doing'.'"
'Carrying a lantern for the burglarar