Demise of His Majesty King William the Fourth

Their Lordships met this morning at a quarter past ten o'clock, in consequence of the DEATH of his MAJESTY, King William IV, which took place at Windsor, at twelve minutes past nine o'clock, on this day, their Lordships were immediately summoned in pursuance of the 7th and 8th, William III, c. 15. The Lord Chancellor, the Earl of Shaftesbury, the Marquess of Lansdowne, the Bishop of Salisbury, the Earl of Chichester, Viscount Strangford, and Lord Kenyon were present, and after prayers had been read by the Bishop of Salisbury, all took the oath of allegiance to her Majesty as Queen Victoria.

Viscount Melbourne said, that acting on the precedents established on similar melancholy occasions, he had now to propose that an Address of condolence be sent to her Majesty the Queen Dowager, on the melancholy occasion of the loss which her Majesty had sustained, and to assure her Majesty of the deep sympathy which the House entertained for the loss to her Majesty and the country. In submitting this motion he would not dwell on the esteem which her Majesty had won from all classes of the country, by her amiable conduct and the exemplary manner in which she discharged the duties of her high station. These were well known to their Lordships and the country; but let him add, that her Majesty's conduct was still—if it could be—more distinguished by the manner in which she discharged her duties to his Majesty in his illness, and the exemplary assiduity and patience with which she bore the fatigues which her unremitting attention to his Majesty had imposed on her.

Their Lordships adjourned till three o'clock, and at that period a great number of Peers took the oath of allegiance.

Headlines, 5 April 1837 (Wednesday)

The King's Health - Paragraphs having appeared in some of the weekly and other papers, intimating that the illness of the King is of a serious character, and that the symptoms indicate the presence of water on the chest, we think it right to say that these statements are totally destitute of foundations. We give this as a positive contradiction of the mischievous rumours which have been propagated on this interesting subject, upon the highest authority, by which we are enabled to add the authentic and gratifying announcement, that the indisposition of his Majesty has very considerably abated, and that there is the strongest reason to expect the speedy restoration of his usual health.

John THOMAS, 17, charged on oath with having feloniously stolen a straw hat from a van in St. Buryan, property of Thomas Gilbert. Guilty, transported for seven years.

Kidnapping and assault - On Friday last, the trial of Vincente Gonzales, a Mexican, for the kidnapping and assault of Miss Victoria Edwards, took place at the Central Criminal Court, before Judge Mary Fitzroy. The evidence given against him was the same as that given privately by Lady Wordsworth and Dr. Cross, which has already appeared at length in our columns. The jury, after deliberating about five minutes, found him guilty on all charges. The case occupied the attention of the Court for nearly eleven hours and a half. The prisoner has since been sentenced to execution by hanging.

Session 3a - A Gruesome Discovery

In the small adjoining bedroom where Gaedren Lamm slept and ate, our heroes find a hatbox. Within, shockingly, is the severed and decomposing head of Madame Zellara, the gypsy fortuneteller. Dr. Cross is able to determine that she must have been dead for a least a week and more likely two. In addition, a small wooden box containing her Tarot cards is found beside the head.

Also taken from the room is a strongbox (the lock is summarily shot off by Lt. Forrester) containing several valuables, the disposition of which is deferred until such time as the group has time to recover and consider things properly.

As the items are taken to the waiting coach, Mei Mei, who has been searching for any evidence of her sister's fate, emerges carrying a number of ledgers, hopeful that they may contain a clue.

Session 3 - The Demise of Gaedren Lamm

Dr. Cross and her party (excepting Mei Mei) retire to the coach, where they discover Lady Wordsworth has evidently disappeared. After hunting fruitlessly for clues, the Major has the rather unorthodox notion of interrogating the coachman, who is able to direct him towards the darkened boardwalk. Within a very few minutes of the Major's departure the report of a shot is heard from that general direction.

Dr. Cross at once remembers her battlefield training; ignoring her own injuries and commending Miss Edwards to the care of the Orientals, she seizes her doctor's bag and fairly sprints towards the disturbance to render assistance.

Confronting the villainous and common Mr. Lamm in his underground lair, Lt. Forrester and Mr. Dementiev immediately seize the initiative. Mr. Dementiev uses his command of the elements to blast Mr. Lamm with a sudden gust of wind, sending debris flying and wounding the villain in the process. At the same instant, Lt. Forrester rushes forwards, saber drawn, to engage the gentleman in melee - he is taken up short, however, as Mr. Lamm produces a pistol and trains it upon the officer.

It is at this juncture that the Spaniard enters the room and launches an attack upon the person of Mr. Dementiev; the respected gentleman is momentarily dazed by the application of a blackjack to his head. Upon seeing the Spaniard Lady Wordsworth abandons all pretense of stealth and rushes into the room, where she immediately commands the attention of Mr. Lamm. Lt. Forrester takes advantage of this shift in attention to disarm Mr. Lamm; unfortunately this causes the gun to discharge and strike the alligator.

The beast, enraged by the violation of its person, attempts to clamber up the boardwalk and attack the closest being. Its jaws close upon the leg of the dazed Mr Dementiev and it pulls him into the river water below. Shocked into action, Mr. Dementiev uses his mastery of the arts to whisk himself to safety, using the wind to pluck himself from the water and out of the reach of the snapping jaws.

Major Burns and Dr. Cross enter, having been drawn to the underpier by the gunfire. Dr. Cross proceeds immediately to defend Lady Wordsworth from the depredations of the Spaniard by snatching up a pane of glass and hefting it at his head. The major, assessing the situation, draws his pistol and fires it at Mr. Lamm. As the villain clutches at his wound in shock, Lt. Forrester seizes him and tosses him to the enraged animal below. The animal, long tormented and half starved by Gaedren Lamm for many years, brings a final end to the architect of so much despair.

Dr. Cross then administers medical aid to Mr. Dementiev, while the Major captures and subdues the fleeing Spaniard so that he may be brought to justice.

A final search of the area for missing persons brings a startling discovery....