DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70302#0301
LIFE OF JOHN ELWES, ESQ. 267
abode in one of his empty houses. Colonel Timms, who
wished much to see him, accidentally learned that his uncle
was in London ; but how to find him was the difficulty.
In vain he enquired at his banker’s and at other places .
some days elapsed, and he at length learned from a person
whom he met by chance in the street, that Mr. Elwes had
been seen going into an uninhabited house, in Great
Marlborough Street. This was some clue to the colonel,
who immediately posted to the spot. As the best mode
of gaining intelligence he applied to a chairman, but he
could obtain no information of a gentleman called Mr.
Elwes. Colonel Timms then described his person, but
no gentleman had been seen. A pot-boy however, recol-
lected that he had seen a poor old man opening the door
of the stable, and locking it after him, and from the
description it agreed with the person of Mr. Elwes ; the
colonel proceeded to the house, and knocked very loudly
at the door, but could obtain no answer, though some of
the neighbours said they had seen such a man. He now
sent for a person to open the stable door, which being
done, they entered the house together. In the lower
part, all was shut and silent; but on ascending the stair-
case they heard the moans of a person seemingly in dis-
tress. They went to the chamber and there, on an old
pallet bed, they found Mr. Elwes apparently in the ago-
nies of death. For some time he seemed quite insensible ;
but on some cordials being administered by a neighbour-
ing apothecary who was sent for, he recovered sufficiently
to say that he believed he had been ill two or three days ;
“ that an old woman who was in the house, for some rea-
son or other, had not been near him ; that she had herself
been ill; but he supposed she had got well and was gone
away.” The poor old woman, the partner of all his jour-
nies, was, however, found lifeless on a rug upon the floor,
in one of the garrets, and had, to all appearance, been
mm2 dead
abode in one of his empty houses. Colonel Timms, who
wished much to see him, accidentally learned that his uncle
was in London ; but how to find him was the difficulty.
In vain he enquired at his banker’s and at other places .
some days elapsed, and he at length learned from a person
whom he met by chance in the street, that Mr. Elwes had
been seen going into an uninhabited house, in Great
Marlborough Street. This was some clue to the colonel,
who immediately posted to the spot. As the best mode
of gaining intelligence he applied to a chairman, but he
could obtain no information of a gentleman called Mr.
Elwes. Colonel Timms then described his person, but
no gentleman had been seen. A pot-boy however, recol-
lected that he had seen a poor old man opening the door
of the stable, and locking it after him, and from the
description it agreed with the person of Mr. Elwes ; the
colonel proceeded to the house, and knocked very loudly
at the door, but could obtain no answer, though some of
the neighbours said they had seen such a man. He now
sent for a person to open the stable door, which being
done, they entered the house together. In the lower
part, all was shut and silent; but on ascending the stair-
case they heard the moans of a person seemingly in dis-
tress. They went to the chamber and there, on an old
pallet bed, they found Mr. Elwes apparently in the ago-
nies of death. For some time he seemed quite insensible ;
but on some cordials being administered by a neighbour-
ing apothecary who was sent for, he recovered sufficiently
to say that he believed he had been ill two or three days ;
“ that an old woman who was in the house, for some rea-
son or other, had not been near him ; that she had herself
been ill; but he supposed she had got well and was gone
away.” The poor old woman, the partner of all his jour-
nies, was, however, found lifeless on a rug upon the floor,
in one of the garrets, and had, to all appearance, been
mm2 dead