“Samuel Buttons, page to the Right honorable the Earl of Bareacres, was
ordered on Friday afternoon at eleven o'clock to fetch a cabriolet from
the stand in Davies Street. He selected the cab No. 19,796, driven
by George Gregory Macarty, a one-eyed man from Clonakilty, in the
neighborhood of Cork, Ireland (of whom more anon), and waited, according
to his instructions, at the corner of Berkeley Square with his vehicle.
His young lady, accompanied by her maid, Miss Mary Ann Hoggins, carrying
a band-box, presently arrived, and entered the cab with the box: what
were the contents of that box we have never been able to ascertain.
On asking her Ladyship whether he should order the cab to drive in any
particular direction, he was told to drive to Madame Crinoline's, the
eminent milliner in Cavendish Square. On requesting to know whether he
should accompany her Ladyship, Buttons was peremptorily ordered by Miss
Hoggins to go about his business.
“Having now his clue, our reporter instantly went in search of cab
19,796, or rather the driver of that vehicle, who was discovered with no
small difficulty at his residence, Whetstone Park, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
where he lives with his family of nine children. Having received two
sovereigns, instead doubtless of two shillings (his regular fare, by the
way, would have been only one-and-eightpence), Macarty had not gone out
with the cab for the two last days, passing them in a state of almost
ceaseless intoxication. His replies were very incoherent in answer to
the queries of our reporter; and, had not that gentleman himself been a
compatriot, it is probable he would have refused altogether to satisfy
the curiosity of the public.
“At Madame Crinoline's, Miss Hoggins quitted the carriage, and A
GENTLEMAN entered it. Macarty describes him as a very CLEVER gentleman
(meaning tall) with black moustaches, Oxford-gray trousers, and black
hat and a pea-coat. He drove the couple TO THE EUSTON SQUARE STATION,
and there left them. How he employed his time subsequently we have
stated.
“At the Euston Square Station, the gentleman of our establishment
learned from Frederick Corduroy, a porter there, that a gentleman
answering the above description had taken places to Derby. We have
despatched a confidential gentleman thither, by a special train, and
shall give his report in a second edition.
“SECOND EDITION.
“(From our Reporter.)
“NEWCASTLE, Monday.
“I am just arrived at this ancient town, at the 'Elephant and Cucumber
Hotel.' A party travelling under the name of MR. AND MRS. JONES, the
gentleman wearing moustaches, and having with them a blue band-box,
arrived by the train two hours before me, and have posted onwards to
SCOTLAND. I have ordered four horses, and write this on the hind boot,
as they are putting to.
“THIRD EDITION.
“GRETNA GREEN, Monday Evening.
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