Six Years in the Prisons of England

MP3 Audio CD. Six Years in the Prisons of England

CHAPTER I.

MY COMMERCIAL ANTECEDENTS--HOW I GOT INTO PRISON.


In the beginning of the year 1856 I commenced business on my own
account, as a merchant in a Northern City. Previous to that time I had
been engaged in an unsuccessful partnership, but I paid my creditors in
full with the small capital advanced to me by my friends for the
purpose of my new adventure. When I began operations, therefore, I was
literally without a shilling in the world, but I had a spotless
character, enjoyed good credit, and possessed a thorough knowledge of
my business; advantages which I easily persuaded myself would enable me
to succeed without the actual possession of capital.--My business
connections were scattered over various parts of the world, and
generally ranked among the very best class of foreign merchants. I
usually received orders by letter, sometimes I gave open credits to
houses whose orders I could not otherwise secure, but frequently I had
remittances long before the merchandise could arrive at its
destination. The trade was one of confidence, requiring both character
and position for its development, and had I been prudent enough to
confine myself strictly to this branch of the business, I would now,
without doubt, have been a wealthy and successful merchant. At the end
of my first year's operations my ledger showed a satisfactory balance
to my credit. The year 1857 opened auspiciously, and I continued to
prosper almost to the end of it, when a storm swept over the commercial
world, which involved hundreds of firms in bankruptcy and ruin.