Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 11.djvu/90

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [9* s. XL JAN. 31, 1903.

time, and indications of whose existence in very recent days have not been wanting. One of the witnesses for the Crown in O'Coigly's trial avowed himself an informer. Was it to be conceived that a conspirator would be so reckless, even if he carried such a document at all, as to leave it carelessly in a great-coat on a chair ? Would it not be concealed care- fully on his person 1 And, indeed, what would be the use of carrying such a document at all ? Froude (p. 359) very rightly comments upon the absurd bombast it contained, and says, "It seemed like the production of a lunatic." Again, there were no signatures to it to give it any intrinsic value as a docu- ment recommending the bearer (it is printed in extenso on p. 8 of the 'Trial'). Even a novice in secret correspondence, such as Andre, put his treasonable papers in his boots. And of O'Coigly we are told by Froude (p. 357) that he was a ready, busy, cunning person, was skilful in disguises, and had learnt the art of passing to and fro without detection. The historian has just been telling us of O'Coigly's constant visits to France. It seems to me absolutely incredible that the Irish priest could have acted in such an idiotic manner as to carry with him a childish unguaranteed proclamation, and leave it carelessly in a chair while having his breakfast at a public inn.

It is not a little curious that before the trial began a certain liev. Arthur Yonge was accused of tampering with the jurors. That gentleman had said that he had been trying to convince them how necessary it was for the security of the realm that the felons should swing (* Trial,' p. 4).

I therefore do not believe that O'Coigly died with a lie in his mouth, just as I do not believe that Arthur O'Connor was a savage, the less so because the Hon. T. Erskine, the Duke of Norfolk, C. J. Fox, Lord John Russell, and Mr. Whitbread spoke in favour of the latter, and no doubt secured his acquittal. The prisoners were five in num- ber : O'Connor, O'Coigly, Binns, Allen, and Leary. Of these only O'Coigly was executed, because in his great -coat the letter was found.

1 shall be glad if some readers will furnish any new facts to elucidate this curious case. If more damning facts are known about the prisoners, let them be stated ; but it seems to me that Froude, as in so many cases, is here little solicitous about accuracy. We look for the historian, and find the rhetorician and even in that rhetoric how frequently there is much to offend one's taste !

OXONIENSIS.

THE JUBILEE OF THE 'FIELD.' ( Concluded from p. 64. )

AMONG other early contributors to the Field were the Hon. Graritley Berkeley and Du Chaillu. The trophies of the latter, when exhibited in the old office in the Strand, at the corner of Wellington Street now occupied by the Morning Post, created remarkable interest. At a more recent date the late Henry Jones ("Cavendish") represented whist ; Steinitz, the greatest of chess masters, chess ; and the late Mr. Dixon Kemp, yachting. Mr. F. Toms succeeded Mr. Walsh as editor. He is described as " a walking encyclopaedia, and one of the most unassuming of men."

It was John Crockford who purchased the paper for Mr. Cox. He obtained it from Benjamin Webster for a trifling sum, and it proved a very remunerative investment. In a short time the net profits amounted to 20,000. a year. The management was placed under Crockford's control. He was a splendid man of business, and in 1859 founded the 'Clerical Directory' which bears his name. In his career he had but one failure. He tried to establish a literary paper, the Critic. To this he brought all his great ability, but after fifteen years he gave it up in despair. I had occasion to call upon him a short time before his death, when we joined in a hearty laugh over his former furious attacks on the Athenceum. " Dilke's Drag" he used to call it, and would accuse it of "vulgar insolence and coxcombry " and "the coarsest vulgarity." As we parted he said, " You have the Athenaeum to be proud of, and we have the Field" His sudden death on the 13th of January, 1865, was a loss which seemed to be almost irreparable, but Mr. Irwin E. B. Cox, who was editor of the County Courts Chronicle and sub-editor of the Lato Times, stepped into the breach, gave up his career at the Bar for the time being, and assumed the control. He had as his assistant his cousin, Mr. Horace Cox, who has now the entire responsibility of the large business of Windsor House in his hands. This develop- ment has been enormous. The machine room is one of the finest in London, and contains seven rotary machines besides about thirty Wharf edales. These are kept at work almost day and night. The amount of paper used per week is 800 reels, besides 1,200 reams of quad-royal art paper. If the paper duty still existed the amount payable weekly would be 12,180. Of course, this consump- tion of paper includes other publications than those issued from Windsor House.