[list-cumbria] Carlisle Patriot, 10 Apr 1824 - A Wholesale Swindler (1)

[Petra Mitchinson]

Saturday 10 Apr 1824   (p. 3, col. 3-5)

 

A WHOLESALE SWINDLER. 

 

          —— "Oh, Mammon, Mammon! great is thy name, 

          And half the world doth worship thee!" 

 

We slightly adverted in last Saturday's paper to the swindling exploits of a person, who, it will subsequently appear, has run a
long career of deception, but is now in a fair way of meeting the proper reward of his numerous and cruel impositions. 

 

On the 28th of February, a rather good-looking man (resembling a superior kind of horse-dealer in appearance) arrived by the coach
at the King's Arms Inn, in Carlisle, kept by Mr. DONALD. He called himself Charles Samuel CAVE, and professed to have come into the
North for the sake of his health. He had "a dangerous pain of the heart," he said, which subjected him to sudden illnesses, and Sir
Astley COOPER had ordered him down here for the benefit of our bracing and renovating breezes! 

 

Notwithstanding a rather inanimate physiognomy, a no very engaging address, and a most palpable ignorance so far as education goes,
the adventurer managed matters with an ingenuity highly expressive of his natural talent for mystification. 

 

Before he had been under the roof of the King's Arms four hours, he began to lay his train of operations, by throwing out hints to a
lodger about the extent of his property, and the great respectability of his connections in Cambridgeshire; and he soon formally
announced himself as Charles Samuel CAVE, Esq., of Thorney-Abbey, in that county, the seat of his paternal ancestors. 

 

On the following day, he inquired of Mr. DONALD if there were not Bankers in the town of the name of FORSTER. Yes, was the answer;
their establishment is in Castle-street. "But are they respectable? are you sure that they are respectable? for I have a large sum
of money which I want to deposit instead of carrying it about with me, and I wish to be cautious!" His fears on this head were soon
removed; and the rich gentleman went out to deposit his load of treasure with Messrs. FORSTER, and came back, having, of course,
done the thing to his entire satisfaction! 

 

A few days passed on; and many were the golden stories told at the King's Arms of the rich stranger from the South. His property was
immense: servants, horses, and dogs were on the way to join him. He made many acquaintances; received much attention in the house;
and, worse than all, unfortunately insinuated himself into the good graces of Miss CAPE, Mrs. DONALD's sister, an interesting young
woman not yet of age, possessing a fortune of about £900, left by her late father. 

 

On the 7th of March the "dangerous pain in his heart" was so overpowering that he was taken ill in the street, while in company with
some of Miss CAPE's friends, and was obliged to be supported to the King's Arms. This was alarming. He had previously been compelled
to come out of church by the same "dangerous" malady. And as his life was so very precarious, and he had large worldly possessions
to settle, it was prudent, he thought, to make his will; and Mr. Geo. SAUL was sent for in a great hurry to enable him to perform so
necessary a duty—he was even called out of the Assize Court, where he was employed in the defence of a prisoner, so "dangerous" was
Mr. CAVE's illness, and great the urgency to quiet his mind in respect to a proper disposition of his posthumous liberality. 

 

Mr. SAUL waited on him and received instructions in due form for his last will and testament. He described himself as "Charles
Samuel CAVE, late of Chichester, in the County of Sussex, Gent." and named as trustees, "James BIFLIN, of Chichester, merchant, and
James FARNELL, of the same place, builder," to whom he bequeathed all his real estate in or near Chichester, and at Horsley Down,
consisting of "freehold dwelling-houses and closes of land, in the occupation of William ARTON and others, as tenants;" also, at
Whittlesey, in Cambridgeshire, in the Isle of Ely, "a house and four acres of land, copyhold, in the occupation of Thomas CAVE," his
brother; and "£6000 in the Funds, new four per Cents." All this he gave in trust to the aforesaid gentlemen, they to receive the
rents and interest, "and pay the same to my mother during her natural life (except £500, which I give to Joseph SCHRIMSHAW, natural
son of my brother, Thomas CAVE, and for whom I stood god-father);" and upon my mother's death," the trustees were authorised to sell
his real and personal estate, and divide the proceeds thereof amongst his brothers and sisters in equal shares and proportions. In
case of the death of his brothers or sisters, the property to go to their husbands or wives, in the event of their death, to their
children in equal shares, &c. Also "£100 to fit out my godson in any apprenticeship or trade he may think proper to go to; and my
remains to be buried at Thorney." "Signed, sealed, published and declared by the said Testator, as and for his last will and
testament, in the presence of us, who, at his request, in his presence, and in the presence one of another, have hereunto subscribed
our names as witnesses. C. Samuel CAVE, Joseph SCOTT, John DONALD, Geo. SAUL." The names of his brothers and sisters he gave as,
Thos. CAVE, Wm. CAVE, Geo. CAVE, and John CAVE; Susan, wife of James SISSON, of Whittlesey, farmer, and Ann the wife of Charles
PAGE, of Thorney, Cambridgeshire. 

 

The design of this pretended will will appear in the sequel: at present it is enough to say that Mr. SCOTT is Miss CAPE's guardian,
and Mr. DONALD her sister's husband, with whom she resided. 

 

 

[to be continued] 

 

 

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