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Article THE MYSTERIOUS MR. B. ← Page 3 of 4 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Mysterious Mr. B.
nature , as the press was heard , generally speaking , at work . It was on a Saturday evening , at the beginning of September 1796 , that in answer to a knock at the street-door I opened it , being in the passage at the moment . A couple of men were standing there , who enquired if Mr . V was at home ; I answered them in the affirmative , and requested them to walk into the front parlour , where my master and his famil y were sitting . They did so immediateland being asked b
y , upon y my master what their business was , they stated that they were police officers , with a warrant to search his liouxe . I cannot describe to you the scene which followed ; I shall never forget the awful exclamation which was uttered b y Mr . C ; " Almighty God , forgive me , I am a ruined man . " The effect of these words , and the agony which he pourtrayed , was quite sufficient to prove his fears . The mother and daughter were both in fits , and it was found necessary to procure
medical assistance in order to restore Amelia to life . The officers immediatel y proceeded to search the house , and sure enough , in the room in which the press was fixed , they found sufficient evidence to convict Mr . C of having committed forgeries of the Bank of England notes . They arrested him and myself , and we were both conveyed to Bow-. street , and upon their allegations Mr . C was committed to Newgate for the capital offence of forgery . I was allowed to be at large , the solemn
upon assurance given b y Mr . C that I was innocent , and totally ignorant of his actions . Upon my return home , I found the family in the deepest affliction , although surrounded by numerous sympathising friends , who had heard of the dreadful event : for sure ¦
enough , and it is trul y said , " that ill news always flies apace . " Mr . p being tried at the ensuing session , was found guilty , and adjudged to suffer death , upon the evidence of the journeyman printer who appeared as king ' s evidence . On the morning of his execution , his daughter Amelia died , of a broken heart ; and I was thus deprived of the only real comfort which I aspired to attain—a cordial and affectionate participator of my future career . I could dwell much , and do this
inwardly , on painful subject , but I dare not , by words , linger on the drama . Mrs . C carried on the busines for some years , anil kept me in her employ until her death . I should have stated to you that I was initiated into Freemasonry soon after I arrived at the age of twenty-one , and can safely aver that I found great solace in the kindness and brotherly affection which is the main groundwork of our Order . In the year 1810 , 1 suffered very much from
an opthalmic disease in my eyes , and was under the necessity of refraining from my business for a considerable period . I had at this time a considerable sum of money at my command , which enabled me to lay by for some months . I was also " favoured b y fortune in meeting with a sincere friend in my Lodge , Mr . Burgess , a gentleman holding a very lucrative situation in the excise office , who kindly interfered on my behalf , and by the interest and influence of the late Mr . W , member of Parliament , succeeded in obtaining an appointment for me in that establishment , 1 continued there wending mv
way m peace , and saving as much as my small salary would allow , until 1830 , when material reductions were made officially , by order of the Government , and I was one of those who was superannuated on an income of 50 / . per annum . This , added to what 1 had saved , would have been quite sufficient to have supported me in a style of comparative comfort , had I not unfortunatel y become attached to a member of my L-odge , a medical gentleman , who , under the guise of brotherl y
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Mysterious Mr. B.
nature , as the press was heard , generally speaking , at work . It was on a Saturday evening , at the beginning of September 1796 , that in answer to a knock at the street-door I opened it , being in the passage at the moment . A couple of men were standing there , who enquired if Mr . V was at home ; I answered them in the affirmative , and requested them to walk into the front parlour , where my master and his famil y were sitting . They did so immediateland being asked b
y , upon y my master what their business was , they stated that they were police officers , with a warrant to search his liouxe . I cannot describe to you the scene which followed ; I shall never forget the awful exclamation which was uttered b y Mr . C ; " Almighty God , forgive me , I am a ruined man . " The effect of these words , and the agony which he pourtrayed , was quite sufficient to prove his fears . The mother and daughter were both in fits , and it was found necessary to procure
medical assistance in order to restore Amelia to life . The officers immediatel y proceeded to search the house , and sure enough , in the room in which the press was fixed , they found sufficient evidence to convict Mr . C of having committed forgeries of the Bank of England notes . They arrested him and myself , and we were both conveyed to Bow-. street , and upon their allegations Mr . C was committed to Newgate for the capital offence of forgery . I was allowed to be at large , the solemn
upon assurance given b y Mr . C that I was innocent , and totally ignorant of his actions . Upon my return home , I found the family in the deepest affliction , although surrounded by numerous sympathising friends , who had heard of the dreadful event : for sure ¦
enough , and it is trul y said , " that ill news always flies apace . " Mr . p being tried at the ensuing session , was found guilty , and adjudged to suffer death , upon the evidence of the journeyman printer who appeared as king ' s evidence . On the morning of his execution , his daughter Amelia died , of a broken heart ; and I was thus deprived of the only real comfort which I aspired to attain—a cordial and affectionate participator of my future career . I could dwell much , and do this
inwardly , on painful subject , but I dare not , by words , linger on the drama . Mrs . C carried on the busines for some years , anil kept me in her employ until her death . I should have stated to you that I was initiated into Freemasonry soon after I arrived at the age of twenty-one , and can safely aver that I found great solace in the kindness and brotherly affection which is the main groundwork of our Order . In the year 1810 , 1 suffered very much from
an opthalmic disease in my eyes , and was under the necessity of refraining from my business for a considerable period . I had at this time a considerable sum of money at my command , which enabled me to lay by for some months . I was also " favoured b y fortune in meeting with a sincere friend in my Lodge , Mr . Burgess , a gentleman holding a very lucrative situation in the excise office , who kindly interfered on my behalf , and by the interest and influence of the late Mr . W , member of Parliament , succeeded in obtaining an appointment for me in that establishment , 1 continued there wending mv
way m peace , and saving as much as my small salary would allow , until 1830 , when material reductions were made officially , by order of the Government , and I was one of those who was superannuated on an income of 50 / . per annum . This , added to what 1 had saved , would have been quite sufficient to have supported me in a style of comparative comfort , had I not unfortunatel y become attached to a member of my L-odge , a medical gentleman , who , under the guise of brotherl y