The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-01-13 00:00:00

POLICE.

GUILDHALL.
On Monday, about two o'clock, Mr. Villiers Pearce made his
appearance at this office, in the custody of the keeper of titltspur-
street Compeer, for the purpose of putting in the necessary bail re-
quired of him by Alderman Cox, for threatening the life of
Mr. Thomas M. King, of Well-yard, Little Britain, who had by
stratagem taken away his intended bride a day or two previous to
the connubial knot being tried.
Mr. Alderman VENABLE!, who was the sitting Magistrate,
after questioning the parties as to their being housekeepers, and the
extent of their property, accepted them as bail, and the young
Gentleman was forthwith discharged.
The Worthy Alderman, addressing himself to Mr. Pearce, said,
that he was happy that things had terminated so happily ; and, as
he perceived Miss Emma Louisa Priddle in Court, with a counte-
nance expressive of much pleasure and exultation, he (the 'lVorthy
Alderman) was convinced that Mr. Pearce had gained his desired
purpose, and consequently there would be no fear of his again
breaking the peace.
Mr. Pearce, whose exterior was rather discomposed, on ac-
count of his four days residence in the Giltspur-street Hotel, where
the accommodations are not of the best kind, thanked the Worthy
Alderman, and retired from the office in company with his bail,
Miss Pearce, his sister, and his fair inamorata, )lie Emma, whom
he grasped round the waist, and with a look of stern defiance,
(which he is well capable of displaying) mixed with triumph, put
her into a coach with the rest of the party, and drove off:
Mr. Pearce is a young man, about twenty-two years of age.
bliss E. Priddle is the third daughter of Mr. Priddle, of
Chelsea ; the young lady is in her Iffth year, and altogether fasci-
nating.
MARY-LA-BONNE OFFICE.

Yesterday !Isar?, ilardon, a young man, was brought up in
custody, charged, on the evidence of three boys, with the following
daring robbery:—
It appeared that early in the course of Tuesday the boys were
standing at the end of Hector-place, Homer-street, when they per-
ceived the prisoner and another go into the court, into which there
is au entrance from the back of the houses in Ilomer-sweet. The
prisoner carried an empty sack in his hand, and looked very closely
at the witnesses as be passed. After loitering for a minute or too,
the prisoner's companion opened the back-dour of the house No. P.
which is kept by a woman named Moss, and is let to occasional
lodgers. 'rite prisoner followed him into the house, and 'Ante time
after they came out by the same way. carrying a sack full of some
articles. The boys 'followed some distance, suspecting a robbery
had been committed ; but, from the threatening looks and manners
of the prisoner's companion, they desist.d from the pursuit. and
ran back to the house, where they found all in confusion, as it had
been discovered that the wash-house was broken open, and the bed-
fumitures and sofa-covers taken away. They n:emioned what they
had seen, and one of them, named Ridgood, having seen the pri-
soner smoking and drinking repeatedly in a public-nouse, judged
that he might be again found there, and on the sante evening 'eta
there with a constable, and pointed out the prisoner, who was sitting
in the tap-room, and who, after some altercation, submitted to be
seemed, although lie declared his total ignorance of the robbery.
This the prisoner persevered in before the Magistrate, but he was
identified as being the man who some months since was committed
to Newgate from this office, for a highway robbery upon astable-
man, named Thorne. in the Edgware-road, which was attended
with circumstances of peculiar atrocity, Thorne having sworn that
the prisoners knocked him down, and having beat hint unnierci.
fully, robbed him of 13s. rd., which he had that evening received
front his muster ; and while he was lying nearly senseless, one said
to 'heather. d—n his eyes, throw him into the canal," but the other
refused, and left him. He afterwards crawled back to the Hop
Poles publie-house, and the prisoners being sitting in the tap-
room. he gave them into custody ; they were capitally convicted,
and left for accretion. This afterwards excited much commi-
'entice, and through the inquiries of Sir Peter Laurie, numbers of
1 persona came forward in their behalf, and established an alibi, in
consequence of which they received his Majesty's pardon, and were
liberated.

Mr. Rawr.trlsoN sent for Mr. Barre,' Baker, of Lisson-street,
with whom be said he fired, and who, on attending, said, the pri-
soner had only been in his employment one week, and he was
informed had bean twice in custody un charges of capital felony ;
one* five years since, for a burglary, fur which he had been two
years in the Penitentiary.
Mr. Rawxtirsow said he did not know that before, and it might
be soma satisfaction to the man Thorne to hear of thi► circum-
stance, certainly in a great measure exculpatory of himself.
The prisons seemed very indifferent. He was fully committed
for trial.

Mr. John Pratt, coachman, residing in Seymour Mews, was
charged with horsewhipping slink., miserable-looking urchin, am-
clooyed by Andrews, the sweep of Moore-street, as a climbing-
71:he boy was traversing Seymour Mews about seven o'clock on
Monday morning last, calling " Sweep!" and met the defendant,
who shook or trundled a map, saturated with water, over him, and
afterwards flogged hint with a horsewhip, fur no other reason than
that he called „Sweep!"
The defendant said he stopped the boy, who was, in • very shrill
and pitiful tone, bellowing the nature of his culling, and begged
of him to desist until he got out of the Mews, as there was •
woman lying on her death-bed, and the least noise produced the
most unpleasant and jarring feelings to her fading constitution.
The boy, on hearing this, exclaimed, " Eh, my muter, she shall
have • parson's chatint from me;" and commenced, in louder
tones, and quicker than before, to mar out " Sweep ;" and Indeed
every description of noise calculated to annoy and disturb; which
so irritated him, that he certainly did give him sonic alight Wows
of a whip.
A witness was called, who proved that the boy had conducted
himself as the defendant had described.

Mr. Rs wt. t Naos, observed, under such circumstances he thought
the bad conduct of the boy sufficient to authorise Mr. l'ratt in act-
ing as he had done; he would therefore dismiss the warrant; bet
the muter could, if he pleased, indict at the Sessions. The worthy
Magistrate asked My. Andrews why he did not give the urchin
stockings, and in other respects treat him like the apprentices of
other trades ?

Andrews replied, that it was not customary to allow sweeps
stockings.
Mr. RAWLVSSOI-110W, Sir, not customary? Are these poor
children to be about in the depth of winter in this deplorable state?
Andrews.—Why, your icorship, they are used to it. I went
through my eiOt years sarnitade, and never wore a stocking, only
of a Sunday. Look at the inconvenience of pulling off stockings.
Mr. Rawt.txsox—Starcely as much as pulling off shoes. I
have received a letter from a gentleman who has not given his
name, who states, that his commiseration was strongly excited by
seeing a group of chimney sweepers, who complained of want of
livid, and nn his offering them some, they declared themselves
afraid to eat It, as they were now almost too big to get up chimneys,
and their masters stinted them in food, for fear of their becoming
more bulky.
Andrews said this was not always the case; he never practised it.
Mr. Kelly, the dust contractor, said, he had known chimney
■weepers to send out their boys, when they became too big for
climbing, to collect ashes, cinders, &c. and encourage them to in-
jure and rub the dust contractors. (A laugh.)
Mr. Kawtaxsox said, he wail determined as much as possible.*
resist binding boys to sweeps. lie was aware that in one pariah
none but orphans were apprenticed, and he also contemplated hay-
ing the sweeps within the district of that office inspected occasion-
ally, and would obtain their names and residences for that purpose.
Be was determined, if possible, to obtain some amelioration, as he
was convinced man► s poor boy was apprenticed without any wish
of hie owo. The Slagistrxte said, all he meant was to treat the
boys kindly, and the masters could not object to the course be in-
tended to pursue.

the arrival of the Magistrate, Alderman J. J. Saul's, bet,,,,,
whom, en his taking his seat, he was placed, and the : illOWieg
Statement made :
1,..
This morning, at four o'clock, the crews of the ram T,
Captain Charles Worth, and the Friends, Captain Jr., Pattinger
of Liainsborough, layn.g at llayne's Wharf, Took. treet, were
' alarmed by a noise on the deck, sod left their hammocks to Ince .
lain the cause, when the prisoner was perceived in the act of lower.
ing a copper funnel over the side of the Friends, Coto a lug.bor
alongside, where he was seized, but made so furioualv-desperate a
resistance, and attempt to cut his throat, that it became neer:mars
' to lash him to the deck till the arrival of an officer, and on search-
ing the lug-boat, they discovered, besides the copper funnel, a tar.
paulin and ship's-lender, and that the boat belonged to Mr. Scott.
Mr. Percival Scott, lighterman, said the name of the_priaorx?
was John Harrison, and that he was in his employ until Thuridsr
last, when lie discharged him. None of the proporty found in tic
boat belonged to him. He declined interfering in any shape in by
favour. _ _

John Kinsey, the officer, informed the Magistrate, that on his
being made acquainted with the prisoner's conduct, he went or
board the Friends, and found him lashed to the vessel's deck, trj
his back. Ha released his hands from the ring-bolts, and to pr..
vest mischief, pinioned them behind him with a pair of spnag,
handcuffs, when the other parts of his person were set atlibeey,
for the purpose of taking hint on shore, which was no sooner don;
than the prisoner, pinioned as he was, suddenly leaped overbesh%
and plunged into the river between the two vessels, and was
prevented front effecting his desperate purpose by the efforts of 11',
sailors, who seized him by the hair on his coming up the seized
time. _ .

Captain Pattinger had no donbt of the property found hat 4
been stolen from the Friends, and belonging to his owners, 31eitm
Richard and William Furly, of Galnsborough, but there being to
particular marks. he declined swearing to it.
Under these circumstances, Alderman &mil" .said the ch.
of felony must be abandoned, and measures more lenient than tt,
prisoner deserved adopted.
He o s then convicted in the penalty of 40s. under the Bum.bat
Act.

The prisoner scowlingly muttcrred he had not the means of pa,
log so many farthings, when he was committod for one mooth to as
Borough Compeer.

UNION-HALL.

Yesterday Mr. Et•ith,ai,;iii;r:;„zi in the neighbourhol
of Long-acre, attended at this office for the purpose of apply...
for a search warrant, in order to recover upwards of MAI. wortk'n.
property, which his wife had absconded with, being assisted by 'ac
paratnour.
The applicant entered into a long statement of his misfortunes:
He said, that on the 'Nth December he married a woman, who tai
lived as housekeeper with a gentleman of considerable fortune
Northamptonshire. At bin death, which occurred a short time le.
fore I ltristmas, he bequeathed to her the sum of 1301. per &smut,
together with the whole of the plate and household forniture, ha:
after the gentleman's death, the housekeeper visited the meta
polio, and the applicant having become acquainted with be.%
match was struck up between them, he having in the first insurer,
at her desire, made over the 1501. pet annum for her whole wit
separate use. Matters being thus arranged, the marriage tut
place, and the very next tiny after the ceremony, his a ire tool::
into her head to elope with a Mr. Brown, taking with hate
whole of the valuable furniture, &c. which he (the applicant) erg
wanted a search-warrant for the purpose of getting back.
The Magistrate (L. U. ALLEN, Eoq.) to whom the ahove sta.
mint was made, complied with the request, and the warrant sti
executed by Gill, the officer, who, accotupanied by Mr. Lei.,
proceeded to a house in Lambeth, where the runaway wife and
paramour had taken up their abode. On seeing the parnes a:.
proach the house, the fttgitives ran away, leaving the furniture, des
in the possession of Leith and the officer. The latter circur.
stance wan also made known to the Magistrate, who advised 31r
Leith to keep possession of the goods, and allow his Torthless
to go where she pleased, as it was evident she was not worth 10:
ing after.
Mr. Leith thanked the Magistrate, and withdrew.