EXTRAORDINARY CAREER OF BENJAMIN HIGGS.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1920, 1 July 1869, Page 3

EXTRAORDINARY CAREER OF BENJAMIN HIGGS.

The Twickenham Observer says ; Benjamin Higgs, late of Tide End Hoxise, Teddington, absconded on the 6th of March from the employment of the Great Central Gas Company, in whose service he had been for several years. His salary at the time of his disappearance was under L-100 per annum. His establishment at Teddington, however, was of almost princely character. Mr Higgs’s habits were luxurious and extravagant in the extreme. The house, which contained about thirty rooms, ■was fitted and furipshed in the mpst sumptuous style. A large pleasure-ground ran down to the river Thames, where he had built a massive river wall. He had also a large kitchen garden and a model farm. He was building extensive stabling, fitted with all modern appliances; kept two pair of carriages, nine horses, and several ponies, and his family carriage and brougham were the most substantial and elegant in the neighborhood. The domestic arrangements were in keeping -svitlx tine general ebaraotev of the establishment. There were eight female servants, five gardeners, one groom, a coachman, and under coachman. The furniture, the sale of which took place on Monday and Tuesday last, was of remarkable style and quality, as may be judged from the fact that a pianoforte sold for 155 guineas (which originally cost 300 guineas), but this was regarded as the greatest bargain of the sale. Mr Higgs’s personal tastes and habits were not less extravagant: his gold watch and diamond rings -were the envy of connoisseurs. He was musical too, and his weekly musical parties were graced by the presence of our most celebrated artistes, who were sumptuously entertained and sent to London by special train. Mr Higgs’s benevolent instincts were as large as his expenditure was liberal, not to say extravagant. On three occasions he gave concerts at the Clarence Hotel, Teddington. The most

celebrated professional singers were engaged, the programmes were marvellous of artistic beauty, the expenses were paid by Mr Higgs, and the entire proceeds were devoted to the building of new schools. On one occasion an insolvent received a cheque for LIBO, with which he effected a composition with his creditors. On another occasion an unfortunate man, who was seriously injured by an explosion of the kitchen boiler while at his house, was established in business with L'JOO. The Free Chinch of England at Teddington, which, however, Mr Higgs , attended, received a new organ at a cost of L3OO, and the same congregation now meeting in an iron chureh, recently rejoiced in the promise of L 2,000 towards a new and more substantial structure, which promise, however 1 , has vanished with Mr Higgs. On the morning of his “ departure” there were 90 men employed upon a new mansion which was in course of erection upon land he was to have purchased at a cost of LGOO per acre ; the purchase, however, was never completed, although the buildings rvere in progress. The mansion was estimated to cost L 5 0,000. The contract for the brick and stone work was LI 2,500, and the contractors’ sheds and outbuildings actually erected upon the ground cost LSOO. The freeholder w r as informed on the Tuesday before Sir Higg’s departure that there would he some difficulty and delay in the pm-chase and completion of the freehold in consequence of Higgs’s wife’s trustees having failed to meet their engagements. It should be observed that he accounted to his wife and friends for this extraordinary expenditure by saying that he had received a legacy of LOO,OOO from a relative. The immediate cause of his sudden departure—the mysterious advertisement the still more mysterious paragraphs in the evening papers, and the long delay in publishing the facts have yet to be explained to the public, and especially to the shareholders of the defrauded company. It is certain that for several days before leaving he was making preparations for

his departure. We are informed that on Friday afternoon, the sth of March, he entered the Waterloo train as usual, but, instead of alighting at Twickenham, proceeded on to Heading, thence to Liverpool, and that night went on board a steamer for America. There is one side to this extraordinary story which is indescribably painful. Mr Higgs has left behind him a wife and eight children (probably by this time nine), who until now were ignorant of the source whence all the comforts and luxuries of their home were derived, and therefore innocent of all participation in the fraud, and, we are sorry to add, are rendered absolutely destitute and dependent upon others.” A correspondent states that from further information now in the possession of the detective police, there is no doubt that Higgs travelled by Great Northern Railway to Liverpool, and there took steamer to New York, where he is at the present time.