The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-02-25 00:00:00

A BEGGING LETTER IMPOSTER DISCO TER.

At the Bow street Police Court, on Monday, a bald headed,
grey bearded old man, named William Wilson, very respect-
ably attired, was charged with obtaining money under false
pretences from Lord Rokeby. Lord Rokeby stated that ots
the 24th January the prisoner called on him with a letter
signed Louisa Duke, purporting to come from a person of that
name, whom he had known many years ago. The letter
stated that while the writer was well aware she she bad no
claim upon his lordship, she trusted to him to assist her in s
state of appalling destitution into which she bad fallen,
referring to the bearer of the letter, Mr. Wilson," for con-
firmation, and for further details. She said that Mr. Wilson,
though himself of limited means, and with a large family to keep
bad been very kind to her, and but for him she would have bees
without a dinner on Christmas day. She complained gr cad/
of ill health, having recently been attacked with paralysis, and
spoke very seriously of iLe leartl,ssness of her landlord, who
was on the point of turnln:t out. The prisoner confirmed
all that was contained in the leas,; and
woman's canse•with great earnestness, descr:..hing%in the most
pleaded the ro:
affecting terms, the sufferings she was exposed to. ;Zs alWear!!.l7,
also, to be perfectly fimilisr with this woman's
referring to circumstance! well known to his'lordship. Stit
dotihting the trulli of the prisoner's statement, and the genuinc-,
ne,s of the letters, and believing that the woman had been veri
much ill-used by those upon whom she night consider she had•
claims, his lordship thought her case one deserving ora.
passion, and handed hint £5 for her relief. Sub,quently
the prisoner again called with a second and a third letters.
following the style of ,the first, but the hand writing in each
growing more uncertain and tremulous. In these Shei
described her health as becoming daily worse and wove?:
especially in the last. Oa the second occasion his lordshilY '
gave prisoner £3 more for the poor woman ; but on the
th:r3, having in the meanwhile formed some suspicions, be
desired the Risoner to meet him at an appointed time on'
1°
Saturday, at the Wellington barracks The first 0
letters contained no address, but the third was dated from
Felix-street, Larnb,th. His lordship took the trouble to
go there to make inquiries, and found that no such pers°6
as Mrs. Duke lived there. He then communicated with oil'
IL Mayne, in consequence of which a couple of detective.,
were present when the prisoner attended at the Wellington
barracks. His lordship told the prisoner that he had mod°
inquiries, and had found that no such person as Mrs. Doke
lived at Felix street. The prisoner begged his lordship log
to prosecute him, and offered to repay the £B. His lordsll4
called in the officers and gave the prisoner in charge. Inquiries
were afterwards made by the police, who found that no O'
Duke lived in Felix street. The prisoner offered no defence,
but said he would leave the matter in the magistrate's 11.14)*
He appeared to be much agitated. Mr. Henry was about teoi
commit him for three months, when Inspector Thornby apPli
for a remand, as he thought ho could bring some fintber
particulars to light.