The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-08-04 00:00:00

POLICE.

EXTRAORDINARY TRANSACTION.
BOW•STLIEET.—Yesterday afternoon, as Mr. Biennium., the
Sitting Magistrate. was about leaving the Bench, a young Scotch-
man, who butted his name to be Robert Frazer, and that he was a
no :ice officer of the City of Edinburgh, entered the cffice out of
breath, anti begged leave to inform his NVorship that lie had just
been robbed of Ins watch in a very extraordinary manner. He said
that he came to London a day or two since, on business connected
with his office, and that morning lie was standing at the corner of
Castle-court, Strand, when a smertlyalressed fellow came up to him
and asked him if lie wanted to buy a watch, at the same time taking
one almost as big as a turnip front his fob, and handing it to him
for inspection. The complainant said he was in no want ola watch,
for he had a good one of his own, and had no desire to bargain for
another. " Well," said the stranger, " I should like to deal wile)]
you, and since you won't buy my watch, I will, if you like, pur.
chale yours." The applicant declined any dealing, but the
stranger having requested very civilly to look at his watch, he, as
a matter of courtesy. and not suspecting a trick in the middle of
the day, was drawing it from Ids fob, when the stranger snatched
it from hint, and ran off: The applicant followed ham, and saw
him go into the shop of Mr. Harris, a pawnbroker in the Strand, I
whither he followed him, and saw him put his ONO and applicatt's I
watch down upon the counter, and ask the loan of 355. upon the
two, 'f he applicant immediately informed the shaman, who took
op the watches, that one of them was hie, and had been St:den from
him, but the shoptaan, who seemed to be on very familiar terms
with the stranger, only laughed at hint, and took the watches to an
inner room, whete Mr. Harris, his master, was sitting, and the lat-
ter, having examined them, gave him the amount required. This
the ahopman banded to the stranger, who immediately left the box
in which he was standing, and applicant was about to follow him,
when lie was called by the shopman, who said, if one of the watches
was his, he had Netter take a duplicate fin it. He waivedfur the
ticket, thinking that he had better have something to show fur his
watch, but in the mean time the stranger hail gone entirely, away.
He remonerrated with the shopman and his master, Mr. Harris,
but they both treated him with ridicule, and said they had nothing
to do with the matter, and that he must get his watch as other
people did, by redeeming it, and if the stranger had done him
wrong, he must seek his remedy against him.
Mr. 3litesintee asked the applicant why he did not prevent
the stranger from pledging his watch, when in the shop?
Frazer said the stranger got into a bee, where he could not well
get at him ; anti he told the shaman that the watch was his, and
warned hint not to take it in, which he thought was all he could do.
Mr. 31 festive'. immediately despatched Conyers, a constable,
to desire the attendance of Mr. Hans and his ehopman, who ap-
peared in a few minutes.
Frazer repeated his statement; and Mr. Mieslittll having ex-
pressed an opinion that the case, as it stood unexplained, was a
very extraorciiiimy one, asked Mr. Barris and his ehopman what
they had to say ?
Mr. Ilarris, who evinced great confidence of limner, treated the
matter very lightly, and said the fact we., be was in his parlour
when his man came, showed him the watches, and mentioned the
amount di mantled upon them, which he (Mr. Harris) gave him as
a matter of course.
The ehopman, whose name is Richard Winghani, said he ad.
vanced the money as a matter of course ; and he did not know
but that the watches belonged to the person who offered them,
havit:g only the assertion of the complainant, who was ..n utter
stranger to hint, to the contrary.
The shopmen being sharply questioned by the Magistrate, ad.
mined that he was not acquainted with the person who pledged
the watches; sad being hard pressed, said he thought he might be
able to find him,
Mr. Al testier. e said the transaction was a very shameful one;
and the Amman would do well to find the fellow who pledged the
watches as se teddy as possible. There was strong ground for be-
lievieg that lie was leagued with the stranger; and even if the
latter should be caught. lie (Mr. 31insbull) cloubted if it would not
be his duty to commit hint (Wingham) as en aectreary. There
was not sufficient at present, perhaps, to dentin him, but be should
require security for his future appearance.
Mr. Harris said he would be answerable for Ids shaman's ap.
peanttice ; and 3lr. Minshull accepted his bail ; at the same time
ordering Conyers to exert himself to apprehend the fellow who
pledged the watches.
MASTERS AND APPRENTICES
HATTON HARDEN.—Yeaterday, Edward Lamb, a spectacle
frame-maker, residing in Albemarle-street, St. John's.square, ap-
peared to a summons Waged
against him, on thefollowing charge :
Mrs. Hardin, spoor widow, who maintained knell by taking

In washing, was the complainant. She stated that, about three
monthit ago, she had put a son of hers as apprentice to the Men-
dant, who represented himself as a householder, having several men
at work foe him, and doing a vast deal of business. lie demanded
• premium of 201. with the boy ; but afterwards consented to take
ill. 10a., umlertaking to find hitn:in board and lodging for the full
term of seven years. The articles were drawn up and perfected,
and the lad was set to work ; however, lie was so irregularly and so
seantily.fed, that he was compelled to come to his mother almost
every night latterly to get something to cat • and, for wantof
cient nutriment, was evidently reduced in bodily appearance, and
his constitution impaired by over-exertion, being often kept In the
shim until one or two o'citrel‘in the morning, and on more than one
occasion he was faced to work all night with a very miserable sup-
ply of food. About a week ago, the boy got a very severe wound
n the hand, which inearacitated him from working, and his master
sent him home, and refused to take,hiro back any more, as be had
no further occasion for his services, and when applied to by •
friend of Mrs. Burdin's, he refused to get either another master for
the boy, or to refund any part of the premium.
Mr. Sergeant SELLON asked Lambe if he had any complaint to
make against the boy ?—Lambe, who treated the mother very WM.
Hedy, replied, that be had rot any particular cause of complaint;
hut the fact was. it did not suit his convenience to keep him any
longer, because his business had fallen off so much that he had no
occasion for a boy.
Mr. LAIWII—Then why did you presume to take the poor
woman's money ?—1 thought that I should have work.
Mr. Sergeant SELLON—Are you prepared to refund the money?
—No, Sir ; I have not a penny in the world, and more than that, I
expect to be arrested every day for 2511., which I owe to a person in
Smithfield, for silver and other things.
Mr. Lance—When was that debt contracted ?—Within the last
twelve months.
Mr. LAINO—And do you mean to tell me that you did not
know your busisc-• was declining when the boy was articled to you ?
—I thought that it might improve.
Mr. Sergeant SELLON—DIIt can you reconcile it to yourself to
plunder this poor widow of her hard-earned money, and to throw
her child upon the world without a master ?—What can Ido ? I
have not the money now.
Mr. Lei tw—li hat have you done with it P—l here spent it t n
he boy.
Mr. Latrrc —You have not, Sly ; it appeara that he has lees
principally supported by his mother, even while he was doing you r
work.—What he states with regard to want of food is wholly

fal6e.
The apprentice was then sworn as to the fact of Ling compelled
to go home for food, and his evidence was corroborated .!ly the oath
of the mother.
Mr. WING said he had seldom met with so gross an imposition
as this, because the mater must be aware that he heal no occasion
for an apprentice if his business was so bad as he himself feint-
. ..

sentpd it.
The Magistrates then ordered the parties to withdraw : and of e
referring to the Art of Parliament, ar.cl some short consuhatio n

they were brought in again.
Mr. Sergeant Sec Los then informed the defendant, that if he
did net immediately refund the whole of the premium, a warrant of
distress would be issued against his goods and chattels, the inden-
tures having been previously cancelled.—But, Sir, I have no effects
whatever.
Mr. LAING—Had ',you any when the boy was bound to you ?
Yes, but I have parted with them.
Mr. LAING—Tu whom have you disposed of them ?—To
father.
Mr. LAING—How long since was this assignment made ?
About a fortnight or three weeks ago.
Mr. Larwc —Only three weeks ago ! what consideration did you
receive for these goods ?—Eleven pound,.
Mr. Laisro—What have you done with that money ?—I paid it
away. I was in prison at the time.
Mr. Laixo—W hat, for other debts?—For a bastard child that
was sworn to me, and for which I ant now under an order to pay
3/. Me. at 10s. per week, the expenses of the lying.in.
Mr. Laiwu—A pretty excuse, indeed. Do you attempt to jus-
tify your conduct to this poor woman by admitting you guilty
of another offence ?
Mr. Sergeant Szt.t.oN-At is. indeed, a most impudent fraud,
and I regret that the law dues not allow us to punish you agreeable
to yout deserts.
The indentures being cancelled, pro forma, a warrant of distress
for the full premium was made out, and put into the hands of an
officer for instant execution; but, as Lambe mated, all the effects
were claimed by his father, who returned to the office to establish
his claim thereto.
Wainwright, the officer, returned the warrant with now eat
stratus on the back.
The father said, that for his part he would not pay a single far-
! thing to keep hint out of prison, because he had no right to take
the boy, and the woman was very much td blame in having ap-
prenticed her son to hint, without making inquiry as to the stability
of the person whom she had selected as a master for her child.
Mr. Sers,eant SELLON said, that if he could not be made to do
justice to the poor woman, by Wangling the money, he should be
committed to the House f Correction for seven weeks, which was
done accordingly.
I LIABILITY OF CHILDREN TO SUPPORT THEIR
PARENTS.

MARLDOROVOH-STREET.—Yesterday Mr. Bigg, the perms.
neat overseer of St. Giles's parish, summoned George, Frederick,
and James, the three sons of William Coles, for allowing their
tither to become chargeable to the parish.
The sons were summoned under nn Act passed in the 50th year
of the lest reign. The father is a shoemaker, aged 60, who, be-
sides being so defective in sight as not to have the ability to recog-
nize the features of Mr. Roe when standing at the table, is other-
wise affected in his intellects, and unable to earn his own bread.
lie formerly kept the Bull's head, in Hyde-street. Bloomsbury,
which gained him a settlement in St. Giles's parish, to which he
applied for relief. Mr. Iligg said he should rot have acted in the
prompt way he had, hut as thinking it a case of peculiar hardship
to the pauper, who had been thrust out of Ida home under the pre-
tence of being allowed 4s. per week by hit sons, and to have a
room of goods given-him, which 4+. for a few weeks had been paid
him, and then discontinued altogether.
William Colts, the father, said he now lodged at the Black
Lion, in Thorney-street, Bloomsbury; that he formerly kept a
house, No. 11, Carmarthen-street ; hut, after the death of his wife,
his sou George took possession of his furniture, under an erect tion
for 1501., alleged to be arrears of rent, promising him a room of
goods and four shillings per week, which he now refused to con-
tinue. Ilia two sons, George and Frederick, had taken a house,
No. MI, Titornhaugh•etreet, and therein removed the furniture from
Carmarthen-street, into which they had put his other son, James.
This was a common lodging-house; it is a house cf ill fame.
George is a pocket-hook-maker in Cursitor-street, Chancery-lane ;
Frederick is a shopkeeper at Blackheath.
An agreement, signed by the father, giving up possession of the
furniture, was put in. It stated the consideration to be for paying ar-
rears of rent t 3 the amount of I AL, allowing the old man 4s. per
week for the remainder of his Lfc, and a room of goods; dated the
20th February, 1126.
The three sons attended, one of whom treated the matter with
such indifference. and was so disrespectful to the Magistrate, that
Mr. ROE ordered hint within the bar.
George said he did not consider himself bound to pay anything
to his father ; he had frequently annoyed him, and belonged to
another parish.
Mr. ROE told him that his father belonging to another parish (lid
not release him from the obligation.
Frederick said he had not agreed to allow his father anything.
Why should he keep his father, who had tried all in his power to
Nitre him ?
James said he had no means of keeping himself; he did not get
above six shillings per week for taking care of the house in Thorn-
haugh-strect.
Mr. Hot:—Who pays you the six shilling ?
James—lt is a lodging-house ; I black shoes, clean knives, and
do such like things.
Mr. ROE permitted them to go outside the office and come to an
arrangement among themseirea, as to what they would allow the
father, with the observation that he should send diem to gaol as the
alternative of not agreeing.
On the return of the brothers, one agreed to pay 2s. 6d., another
25., and James said he could not afford anything.
Mr. ROE, after consulting with Sir GEORGE Fanitaxm, told
them the old man could not subsist os 4s. Gil. per week ; and that
George and Frederick should each pay 2s. 6d. per week, and James
Is., and that if the latter neglected to keep up the payment, the
goods in Thornhaugh-street :ghoul(' be seized for the arrears.
Six shillings were instantly put into the hand of the father for the
Snit week, with al injunction that each should pay his quota at the
workhouse weekly.
Blizalie h Lock, a married daughter of the old man's, applied to
the Magistrate, as to the restitution of a feather bed, chest of
drawers, half-a-dozen silver tea spoons and two table spoons, given
to her by her mother, which her brother had seized, and kept with
Iter father's goods.
Mr. ItoE told her he had no jurisdiction in her case, and the
young woman went away.
PRIVATELY STEALING.

Etizabeth Evans, anold ;t7inar,;vfitili,td been servant at a
brothel in a court in the Straw', was brought up for stealing a
quantity of wet linen, on Wednesday the 19th of July, the property
of Mr. Brown, cheesemonger, in Blackfriars.road, and others,
entrusted to Martha Thorne to wash. She had been examined
twice before, and remanded for an owner of the property.
Edmund Dwyer, the watchman, stated that he stopped the pri-
soner in Brnad-strect St. Giles's, at half-past three in the morning
with a bundle; he asked her where she got ii, and she told him the
things were her own ; that she had them from a woman named
Evsns,wholodgcd In the second floor of Mr. Stephenson's, in King-
street, Seven-dials. Ile told her she must come with him to the
watch-house ; hat when near the door, she said if he would come
with her to the house, she would convince him. Ile went buck with
her, when a man abswered him front the window, that be knew
withing of her. Afterwards he took her the watch-house and
de-
tained her.
John Green, the beadle, received the prisoner into custody, at a
quarter to tour in the morning ; on searching her bundle he found
three shirts, three shifts, waistcoat, table-cloth, three aprons, anti a
pillow-case, all wet. In the watchhouse she said a woman had
given them to her to take care or. The prisoner told him she had,
been is St. Martin's workhouse as a sick patient. By inquiries be
found that her person was known at the workhouse in the name of
Ford. At St. Martin's lie was directed to a brothel-keeper in
Charles-court, Strand, who hearing of the prosecutrix's loss, sent her

. .
to Idol.
Martha Thorne, the prasesnttix, lives at No. 11, St. Martin's-

lane; is s laundress ; knows nothing of the prisoner. On wee
needs, fortnight, at half-past twelve at night, she left the tine:,
produced, in a basket, on a table in the wash-house, and did:wt.
miss it till twelve o'clock the next day. The articles were wet,
and soaped, ready to put in the copper for boiling. Site cannot tell
how the prisoner got access to the trasli.house.
The prisoner persisted in the same story she told a fortaight
since, at the watch-house, and was fully committed for Mal.

tIOUSEBREAKERB.
David Wilßamo. John Thompson, and Joins Prior, three sot&
rioua burglar*, were brought up by Daniel Riordan, mom of
Giles's, on suspicion of breaking into the house of a woolien4liver—,
in Southampton-row, Bloomsbury, and stealing woollen cloths to
the amount of 20W. .

---...—.
Riordan stated, that he saw the prisoners, last night, in Soma.
ampton-row, near a house that bad been broken open oo sum.,
morning. Having had all three convicted before, he thaopht it hi,
duty to take them into custody. One he seised, and asked a gentle.
man to hold while he went after the others ; but had scarcely left
him, when the thief knocked down the gentleman, and tried to get
away. With assistance he secured the others, and took them to the
watch-house. On the spot where the first was taken he picked spa
crow-bar, phosphorus-box and matches, and taper.
The woollen-draper said Ida premises were broken open on sm.
day morning, and woollens packed •p in two bundles to the min.!
of Val., which the thieves had got off the premises and over gee
garden walls; but having to pass a skylight, titer slipped, and
iamb:ea the bundles through the glass, the crash. of which awoke
the lady of the house, who giving the alann, the ribber% escaped
without their booty. As he saw nothing of ft, he could notspeak
to the identity of the prisoners.
The prisoners were examined separately, and contradicted each
other materially.
Williams said lie did not live anywhere. lie slept in George.
street, St. Giles's, last. He had been with his brother since he
came out of the House of Correction. He had been in prison thee
months. Onl► came out last Friday.
They were all remanded for a week.
'faro men, who carry showy banned of the Panstereornaellit, in
Regent-street, were brought to the office, with their Isenons, by
Alexander, inspector under the New Street Act to the Commis-
sioners of Woods and Forest., for obstructing the foot-path it
Regent-atreeY, by standing en the pavement with their banner..
They were each fined 40a., and ordered to be imprisoned Immo%
days in default of payment. The bantam were detained In the
office, and Alexander desired to give the peeprietor notice that they
, would be sold within five days to pay the expenses, unless re.
' deemed within the time.