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Southland Times, Issue 674, 24 May 1867, Page 3

Extraordinary Style of Living. — The home papers tell the following strange tale : — " Tbe Central Criminal Court, at its last sittings, disposed of a cause celebre which has excited much interest in commercial, legal, and general circles. Mr Wilkinson, the late manager of th© Joint Stock Discount Company, was sentenced to five years' penal servitude for paying a private debt with the funds of his company, and representing the transaction in their books as a loan to their creditors. So tbin are the partitions just at this point which divide civil from criminal liabilities, and so adverse are courts qf justice to conclude fraudulent intent, except on the clearest evidence,, that there was very even betting, even to the last, among the gentlemen of the bar, that Mr Wilkinson would escape altogether. But what most attracted pubhc attention to the case was the extraordinary stories which have been afloat as to Mr Wilkinson's style of Uving, for he seemed to model himself on the times of the French Regency, when Law and his assistant financiers outdid in reckless extravagance the fastest of the- dukes and marquises of the court. Mr Wilkinson's salary was £3000 a year ; he received £25,000 down for the goodwill of his business, and his wife had a handsome fortune ; but there is no nobleman of £100,000 within the range of our knowledge who ventured to do the princely things this 'city gent.' was in the daily habit of indulging his tastes in. Latterly he had two houses — one in a northern suburb, where they kept thirty servants, and ' another at Brighton ; and when he gave a party at bis marine residence there was usually a special train in waiting to carry his London guests to and -fro. For his own convenience, too, when detained in town by business or pleasure beyond his usual ' express,' he would think nothing of engaging a * special' all to himself rather than wait for the late train. At his dancing parties there was usually laid out in one of the anterooms an unlimited supply of gloves, mouohoirs, fans, bonquets, perfumery, &c, to which his lady visitors were invited to help themselves as their needs required ; and at his suppers a favorite delicacy was a York ham boiled in champagne. On the death of one of his children we are told that over £700 was spent in mourning rings alone. These stories, though they may not be absolutely true in all then; details, help us to understand how the income of, a Cabinet Minister was insufficient for the housekeeping of a modern finanoier. Mr' Wilkinson is expiating his offences at Pentonville ; but what about those who were set over him, whose servant he was, and whose negligent supervision made it possible for such frauds on the innocent and unsuspecting shareholders to be committed ?" Prior or a Broken Heart, — The late Robert 0. Sands, says an American paper, sued for damages in a case of breach of promise of marriage. He was offered two hundred dollars to heal his broken heart. " Two hundred 1" he exclaimed, "two hundred dollars for ruined hopes, a blasted life \ Two hundred dollars for all this l No. \ Maie i. thro hundred* mi it* ft-tMg&.l 1 '