The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-03-09 00:00:00

BOW-STREET.

On Monday evening and yesterday a young man, attired in a
blue surtout, cut in the military fashion and covered with braid-
ing. and wearing a cap with a broad gold band upon it. in the
style of the undress caps of the Oxford Blues rind Royal Artillery,
underwent an eaamination before Mr. HALLO, on charges of
having commit ed f. ands upon several tradesmen. The prisoner
is • tall thin young man, of dark complexion, and would by many
be taken to be of Jewish descent. He gave his name Francis Ed-
ward Douglas Browne.
The first charge was preferred by Mr. Oliphant, the army
accoutrement maker in Cockspur-strem, Charing-Cross. The
prisoner, it appeared, went to his shop on Friday last, and repre-
senting himself to be an officer in the Royal Artillery, selected •
sword ant' t wo.scabbards, the price of which was 61. Bs. 6i., and
ordered them to be sent to Osborne's Hotel in the Adelphi. He
gave in payment a cheque for the amount upon Sir John Ladbroke
and Co. the barkers. His appearance, and the respectability of
the hotel at which he was lodging, lulled suspicion, and no inquiry
was made; but when the ebeque was presented at Ladbroke's the
answer was that no such person as the drawer was known there.
One of Mr. Oliphant's clerks went immediately to Osborne's, but
found that the prisoner had left that hotel. He traced him after
much inquiry to the New Hummums, Covent-garden, and when
he was shewn to his room he held out the cheque and informed him
of the answer given at the barkers. The prisoner affected surprise,
and took the cheque, as the clerk supposed, merely to look at it,
but he instantly tore it in pieces and threw it in the fire, observing,
that it was of no use to any body.
Mr. Harrison, one of the proprietors of the Hummiims, sent for
an officer, and Leadlitter, one of the patrols of this office, took him
into custody. On the way to the watchhouse, they were followed
by a young girl, and the prisoner taking something cautiously
from his pocket, held it towards her, saying—" destroy this—burn
it—it Is the principal thing against me." The constable, however,
seized it, and found it to be a cheque-book of the house of Ladbroke
sad CO. He next took out a piece of paper and attempted to tear
it, but the officer got it from him, and found it to be a bill and
receipt for goods to the amount of 91.41. 6d., purchased at the shop
M Messrs. Milne and James, drapers. Oxford-street. At the
watchhouse he was searched, and a great number of papers and
letters were found on him. Among these were several blank stamp
receipts of the well-known house of Mordock, the porcelain and
china warehouse, Oxfo,d-street, sod some letters sealed and ad-
dressed to the Right Honourable Lord Bexley, the Rev. T. F.
Dibdin, the Rev. Noel Digby, Dowager Lady Abdy, and other
persons of consideration. The officer also found a pawnbroker's
duplicate for a watch, which the prisoner said he had pawned to
pay his bill at Osborrfe'm Hotel.
The prisoner when brought np yesterday was put to the bar,
and his manner was considerably altered; he seemed depressed.
He was remanded for further examination until Friday next.
In the course of the hearing of the case on Monday evening, the
prisoner reminded the Magistrate that he had once appeared before
him in • very different character from the present, and being de-
sired to explain, he told the story which, we •emember, was shortly
this:—He was employed as a collector of advertisements for a
weekly publication, which existed for a time, caelld the British and
Oriental /Jerald, and some underling of his own forged a receipt
for 21. es. He brought the fellow to this office, but after getting
him locked up for a time, he compromised the matter for money,
for which lie was strongly censured by Mr. Halls.