 He refused but was spared death because of public sympathy for his blindness.He would later become a frequent traveller between the United States and the United Kingdom and Europe, and in 1871 helped Thomas Armitage to establish "The Royal Normal College and Academy for the Blind" near Crystal Palace in London.It was during a visit to London after studying in Berlin that he called on Dr. Armitage with a letter of introduction and was invited to dinner.