THE PRINCE OF WALES’ LEPER.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1932, 20 August 1889, Page 2

THE PRINCE OF WALES’ LEPER.

Any doubt whiob may have still continued to exist about the truth of the Prince of Wales’ statement that “ a leper is carrying on his business in one. of the large London meat markets,’’ (says a Home paper), has •been swept away. The statement was literally correct. The salesman in question is one Edward Toxall, and the business he has carried on is that of . retailing calves’ feet,, ox sweetbreads, pluck, and liver, at moderate prices from a basket or wheelbarrow just the gate of the Central Meat Market at Smithfield. For at least ten years he has been thus “ outside the gates ” in more senses than one, Tf he stands on the pavement with his basket he is accused of blocking the way, and is liable to be “ moved on,”>or “ run in ” by the City police; if, in the ,effort to escape the city bobbies he : shouid have taken his basket , and stood inside the gate, the, market constable would have driven him forth. Consequently he was, by tacit consent-gamed probably after years of persistent determination-allowed; to stand on that neutral ground, just; outside the half-closed gates,, which; was neither on the pavement nor in the market. And hence he literally carried on his business’"within the; purlieus of the market. It is also stated that he sold meat to the poor of Hpifcon and other districts. As*;for the diseased condition of his hands, 1 this was a very generally known fact, but it was understood that he had been injured in some accident, and his fingers had been amputated. The Prince is now providing for him.