Originally published in Reynolds's Miscellany of Romance, General Literature, Science, and Art (John Dicks) vol.8 #207 (26 Jun 1852).
About sixty years ago, Messrs. Elmore, respectable wine merchants in London, had in their possession a hogshead of Madeira, which they had endeavoured, but in vain, to render fit for sale. The ordinary methods used to fine wine had been resorted to, but without success; and, as a last resort, the principals desired their cellarman to have it racked off into bottles. This order was immediately put into execution, and a man was set to rack off the wine, whilst the rest were busied up-stairs. He who was thus employed proceeded with his work, but had not filled above a dozen bottles when he found the cock suddenly ceased running. The cocks used for racking are very large, and the man thought to remove the obstruction with his finger, with which he drew out the cause of the stoppage; but what was his surprise and horror when, on looking at it, he found it to be a piece of a human scalp, with the hair still clinging to it!
Those who have been in a spacious wine-cellar, cannot have failed to notice the dismal appearance of the place, to which the faint light lends additional effect. The poor fellow who had made such a disgusting and terrifying discovery almost fainted at the sight; but with a sudden effort, he dashed down the bottle which he was filling, and fled up-stairs in an agony of alarm and terror. All crowded round him to hear the cause of his affright, which he with difficulty explained to them; and one of the partners, with several of the men, descended into the vault, determined to ascertain the truth of this statement, which they attributed either to drunkenness or a diseased imagination.
Without a moment's hesitation, the hogshead was turned up, the head turned out, and the wine poured into another vessel, when a frightful spectacle was presented to their view. Within the hogshead lay a skeleton, to the bones of which the flesh in some places still clung, while a horrible mass of putridity had settled at the bottom!
Shocked at the sight, they replaced the head of the hogshead, and information of the discovery was immediately sent off to the island of Madeira, when an investigation took place, the result of which was the apprehension of a wine-cooper there, who confessed that, being jealous of his apprentice, he had one day picked a quarrel with the youth, whom he killed by a blow of his adze; and that, fearing a discovery, he had immediately crammed the body into a hogshead, which was shipped off at once to England.
Many instances of retributive justice are on record; but none of them can be considered more remarkable than the one above related.