Can't understand what it means (an excerpt from a novel of 19th century)
"May I be hanged myself," exclaimed Dominicus Pike, aloud, on reaching the top of a lonely hill, "if I'll believe old Higginbotham is unhanged till I see him with my own eyes and hear it from his own mouth. And, as he's a real shaver, I'll have the minister, or some other responsible man, for an endorser."
"as he's real shaver" <- I don't get this right.
What is shaver? I found some meanings like "one who swindles, a person who is hard or grasping in bargaining", but I still don't get this expression.
Dominicus is a person who spreads a rumor that an old man('he' in the paragraph above) was murdered by someone, but that rumor is just a rumor and no one knows the fact.
Why is Dominicus worried? Because "he(=a shaver)" is an important person and it might cost a lot in case the rumor is all lie?
Is there anyone who could help me?