ADVENTURE AND VICISSITUDE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 18, 27 May 1871, Page 16

ADVENTURE AND VICISSITUDE.

Australians and New Zealanders, typographers particularly, will remember the familiar sound of the name of Corfitz Cronquist, a celebrity who commenced his colonial career in Melbourne in the establishment of another “ character” now equally celebrated with himself—the fickle and once fortunate Mr Shaw, who by latest accounts was in a complete state of impecuniosity at Honolulu. Cronquist’s volatile and buoyant temperament soon brought him to the surface, though not in a way that redounded much to his credit, and soon after he made his way to Hobart Town. Finding no scope in the mechanical application of “ type snatching” for an exuberant intellect such as his, Corfitz determined to strike out another track, and made his way to Sydney, where he was employed in the capacity of merchant’s clerk, but mistaking his master’s cash box for his trouser’s pocket, received two years as a reminder of his mistake. After this he made his way to Hokitika, and in due time the appearance of “ Professor Cronquist, Phrenologist,” was announced. During the flourishing times of the "West Coast diggings Corfitz did a roaring trade, but again his income was not sufficient for his requirements, and after a short incarceration he made Christchurch his sphere of operations. Nothing could have been more opportune, for the redoubtable A. S. Hamilton, the phrenologist of world wide fame, was preachings in eloquent hypocrisy, on the organs of “ love, affection, patriotism, &c.” The “ affinerty of nature ” was too strong to be subdued, and the two-agreeing to share fortunes, a partnership was struck up.

This lasted a very short time. Being admitted -proficients in the not. yet accepted science which they practiced, the recondite qualities of each were soon laid bare to the other, and their connection ended by Hamilton charging Cronquist with stealing the cash. box, con-taiuing £6o—Corfitz. “ Still on my daughter.” Cronquist then betook him to the up-country districts of Canterbury as compagnon de voyage to a well-known geological amateur —a Pickwick in search of treasures —the ocject being the collection of fossils from the petrifying waters in the neighborhood of the Hurunui, He then made his way to Dunedin, and was employed in the capacity of reader upon the “ Sun,” and having made love in a quarter where his overtures were not acceptable, he made a show of making away with himself, but Corfitz was too fond of dear life, and did himself no barm, though he had to appear at the Police Court. The next we heard of him was his being sentenced to two years for forgery at Dunedin, from whence, after a short incarceration, he was liberated on the representations of the chaplain of the gaol (Mr Torrance) late a brother “typo.” Corfitz was then completely lost sight of, and the next hear of him was in the Fiji “ Times,”, and of his doings there we let the “ Times ’ speak for itself: —

A public meeting was held at a hotel, and a .jury appointed to try the charge, when, after bearin gthe evidence and consulting, they arrived at the following verdict: —“ We, being a jury of thirteen appointed at a public meeting held in Levuka on the sth instant, to inquire into and decide on a charge of theft preferred by Mr O’Donnell against Mr O. Cronquist, and after having carefully considered the case, are unanimously of opinion that Mr C. Cronquist is guilty of the charge laid against him, and consider that the publication of this verdict and evidence be sufficient punishment for the offence committed. (Signed) J. A. Manton, chairman, for himself and jurors.” Mr C. Cronquist, however,was not satisfied with the verdict, and writes to the same issue of the “Times” a letter, in which, amongst several scriptural quotations, he calls the charge “ a malicious, mean, and dastardly allegation,” speaks of one of the jurymen as ‘Dr Judas,’says that ‘the whole proceedings originated in Mr o‘Donnell’s desire for excitement and hope of selling a few extra nobblers,’ and while knowing that he shall * have the consolation that I shall have the opportunity of living it down,’ 4 beg to place on record that if I am assailed again I also shall take the freedom of resenting any attempt to interfere with the liberty of the subject.