LORD HALDON 153 



for leathers are not very popular wear in this wet 

 country, and before the days of steam-rollers few people 

 went to cover on wheels because of the bad roads, 

 and so, even with leathers, had no need of an apron. 



Mr. J. H. Ley of Trehill, whose family has been 

 associated with the sport in the Haldon country 

 since the days of John King, or Mr. O. Bradshaw 

 usually acted as field-master in Lord Haldon's 

 absence, on which occasions North handled the pack. 

 It happened that on the day that John Lee, the 

 Babbacombe murderer, failed of getting hanged in 

 Exeter gaol after three attempts, Mr. Bradshaw, the 

 High Sheriff at the time, was engaged in trying to kill 

 his fox instead of hanging his man, and it was 

 commonly reported at the time that his commendable 

 choice of occupation involved him in a fine of five 

 hundred pounds for the failure to carry out the 

 sentence of the Court. I believe this report was 

 wholly untrue, the supervision of an execution being 

 always the privilege of the under-sheriff. 



Lord Haldon had not only overrated his abilities 

 as a huntsman ; he had also overestimated his 

 financial position, and at the end of a couple of years 

 he found himself in monetary difficulties and com- 

 pelled to give up the hounds. In this he was more 

 to be sympathized with than blamed ; there are 

 always those who are ready to take undue advantage 

 of a man's good nature, and in his case it is to be 

 feared that he was the victim of dishonesty as well. 



The trouble came at an unpropitious moment, for 

 it was not until September, 1886, that he definitely 

 resigned the mastership. After one or two fruitless 

 meetings in Exeter, Mr. Studd generously offered to 

 take on the country again, and his offer was accepted 

 at a meeting held on the 24th September, 1886. 



