The Times this morning exposes a double hoax on the
newspapers which has just been committed. "In common with every one of our contemporaries, we received, on Wednesday evening, a report under the signature of a well-known and general contributor to the dally press, of the death of a Lieutenant-Colonel Metcalfe, at Elstree, under very singular circumstances. The report had every appearance of genuineness; not only the signature, but the general character of the handwriting, resembled extremely that of our ord=sizeoonmtributor; and, as
Our readers are aware, the report appeared in our Th s impression. We
have since, however, been favoured with a communication the Coroner of Hertfordshire, who was said to have presided at the inquest, in which he assures its that no such inquest has ever been held, and that no such occurrence has ever, within human memory, taken place at Elatree. Upon reference to our files, it appears that the report appeared originally in our columns in 1840, and has been copied, with some slight changes of names and dates, verbatim by the perpetrator of the fraud. So adroit was the forgery., that, as we have already said, every one of our contemporaries were equally with ourselves deceived: and a long report, probably with no better foundation, of an alleged Case of Shoplifting by a Lady of Fortune,' by the same hand, appeared in most of them yesterday. The ease was alleged to have been heard at Brentwood; and we have no doubt that the report will be found to be a transcript of one which was published about a year since. Fortunately, we possess some clue to the discovery of this public hoaxer; and no exertions shall be spared to bring him to justice. We regret to announce to our readers this week the death of Sir(dory Allnutt Lewin, the Recorder of Doncaster. The learned gentleman bad been for some time labouring under indisposition; and he dosed his mortal career on Sunday last, at Exeter. Sir Gregory was appointed Recorder in May 1842.— Dosoaster Gazette.
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