A Burglar Caught by a Skeleton & Other Singular Tales from the Victorian Press (9 page)

Jacques Boullaud, being arrested, was now brought up for trial, and pleaded in his defence, that he had only continued a state of things commenced by his father. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty, and he was set at liberty.

The Illustrated Police News
, July 9, 1870

An Unfortunate Man Who Unwittingly Went In For Bigamy

The strange case of Hiram Macdermott came before the Old Bailey on Monday. Discovering that his wife had a husband living, Macdermott imagined himself free again, and becoming tired of Mrs Macdermott No. 1, quickly replaced her with a sprightlier spouse.

Then it came out that his first wife’s previous marriage was itself a bigamous one, and that he Hiram, was now a bigamist himself! Mrs Macdermott No. 2, when she heard all this, promptly gave her husband up to the police, and charged him with bigamy. The prisoner pleaded guilty, and he had to serve six weeks’ hard labour.

The Leeds Times
, February 18, 1893

A Ludicrous Romance

A tragic-comic romance lately occurred at Budapest. A stripling of seventeen fell in love with a girl three years his junior, and these children were in such despair at the prospect of having to wait so long before they could be married that they decided to commit suicide.

Their last meeting was behind the Custom House. Tears were shed on either side, and some kissing and hugging were gone through. The juvenile couple then repaired to the Danube, and with a fortitude worthy of a better cause the young lady jumped in.

Fortunately she could swim, and availed herself fully of her capabilities in that art. She shrieked for help, which was soon at hand.

Just as she was safely landed her lover fired three revolver shots against himself, but none of them took effect; and a quarter of an hour later the young folks were handed over to their respective parents.

The Tamworth Herald
, December 22, 1888

Romantic Story of a Hermit’s Life

A telegram from Madrid states that a man has just been discovered who for several years has lived alone in the wild and deserted mountains of Cape de Gata, situated in the south-eastern extreme of Spain.

Some years ago he was employed in a factory at Lugo, in Galicia, which is at the opposite end of the country to Cape de Gata.

Becoming enamoured of his employer’s daughter, the passion was reciprocated, but the lady’s parents had a rich suitor in view, and the factory-worker was discharged. Subsequently the couple eloped, but were overtaken, and when, a few months later, the disconsolate lover ventured to return to Lugo, the lady had married her parents’ choice. In his despair he resolved to leave the country, and set sail for Algeria.

The vessel was, however, wrecked, and he was tossed by the waves on to the shore of the desolate Cape de Gata. Here he has remained ever since, and when seen a few days ago by a hunter who had ventured into the country, he presented a savage-like appearance in his covering of wild animals’ skins, and with hair and beard grown to an extra-ordinary length. All efforts to induce him to return to civilisation were futile.

The Midland Daily Telegraph
, Coventry, September 9, 1892

A Remarkable Story.

A Widow Married To Her Own Brother

From the
Detroit Free Press
: There passed through this city yesterday
en route
to Chicago, a lady whose history is one of the most remarkable ever brought to public notice.

In 1838 her parents emigrated to this country from England, leaving behind them an only son some ten years of age, who had engaged as a cabin boy in a merchant vessel in the East India trade, they landing in New York, when, a few months later, the subject of this sketch was born.

While she was yet a helpless infant, both her parents died, and she was sent to the Foundling’s Home, where she remained some time, when she was finally adopted by a lady and gentleman, who then resided in Elmira, N.Y.

Of course she knew nothing of her sailor brother, and she grew up in the belief that she was really the child of her foster parents. At the age of eighteen she married an industrious young mechanic, and set out for the great West.

After travelling in various states, they finally settled in Missouri, where they continued prosperous and happy until the storm of war burst upon the country.

Then her husband, in common with the thousands of his misguided countrymen, enlisted in the service of the rebellion, and was assigned to General Price’s army. He served faithfully during the first eighteen months of the war, but was finally killed in one of the South-western engagements.

From the breaking out of the war the lady of whom we write had lost all trace of her foster parents, owing to the disturbed condition of that portion of the country in which she resided, and after her husband’s death she removed to St Louis, where she sought to maintain herself by serving.

In 1863 she again married, and her husband embarked in business in St Louis. This marriage was a thoroughly happy one, and in the course of time two children were born unto them.

The husband gradually extended his business operations, so that much of his time was necessarily spent in travelling about the country, and during one of his business tours he visited Chicago, where he became acquainted with a lady and gentleman, who by a fortunate chain of circumstances, he ascertained were the long lost foster parents of his wife.

Delighted at the discovery he had made, and pleased no doubt with anticipations of the joyful surprise he should give his wife, the husband at once concluded his business with the intention of returning to St Louis and bringing her to Chicago for the purpose of reuniting her with her friends, without having first prepared either party for such an event.

On the night of his contemplated departure for home, while conversing with Mr and Mrs ––, it happened that he was led into a recital of his adventures about the world, and before his narrative was finished his listeners knew that their adopted daughter had married her own brother, who, before she was born, had sailed for the East Indies.

Horrified beyond expression, the wretched man fled from the house, and from that hour no tidings of him have ever reached his friends. This was in March last, and a few weeks later the wretched sister-wife was rendered comparatively poor by the destruction by fire of a large portion of the property left in her hands.

Although written to by her stricken friends, their letters never reached her, and a few weeks since she started for Elmira, her native home. Upon her arrival here she learned the address of her foster parents, with whom she at once communicated, giving them full details of her experience since she had first bade them farewell, upon setting out for her Western home.

Their answer to her letter contained a statement of the terrible discovery of the identity of her husband and brother, together with an affectionate invitation to come to them with her children and share their home.

Heart broken, and nearly crazed by the strange
denouement
of her happy married life, the wretched woman hastened to accept the offer, and this morning will doubtless see her re-united to her earliest and dearest friends.

The Dundee Courier and Argus
, December 10, 1868

The Baby and its Endowment

The stationmaster at Preesgweene, near Oswestry, received on Tuesday a box containing a live baby and a letter requesting him to adopt it. He declined, and handed the baby with the box and contents over to a signalman, who took the little thing home. On looking over the box he found, besides wearing apparel, £200 in bank-notes. The signalman has now been asked to surrender the baby, but he declines.

The Illustrated Police News
, May 5, 1894

An Extraordinary Marriage Ceremony

A few days ago the report of a singular, and we may add melancholy, wedding reached us from Florida, the sum and substance of which is as follows: It would appear from the account furnished us that a Mormon gentleman, named Bradley, left the City of Utah, and after travelling from place to place with samples of his goods he made the acquaintance of a young lady.