The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1822-12-23 00:00:00

i• person to proceed to the scene of ini
direction a sisoressfol descent was made,
'tea of the house were socuHid, and taken
for the night.
. eleven o'clock yesterday morning they were conveyed h.
aches to a public-house near Bow .street office, where they
cruised till one o'clock, when they were conducted into the
- and placed before the her. Their panes were called
• Mr. Stafford, and they answered.. follows :
Jones. Michael Holder, James Thompson, Francis
Thompson, William Sanger, Samuel Page, George Smith,
Hill, Samuel Pell, George Johnson, John Reed Bayer.
William Lanffitun, Frederick Peters, John Paton, Wil-
Batchelor, Thomas Redstone, James Jones, Hugh
and Thomas Ridsdale.
John Richmond sworn.—l am one of the clerks of the
Bow-street. On Friday night, about ten
'Mock, Mr. Halls, one of the Magistrates 4.f Bow.street,
ye directions to me as clerk, to aeempliny him to a house,
to, Bury-street, in the parish of St. James's.
Stafford—Do you know why he directed you to attend
ioess—lt was in consequence of Mr. Halls haring re-
' information, on oath, that the house to which he re-
.ed me to accompany him, was a common gaming-bouse,
that there weraot that time a number of persons playing
inlawffil game of roulette, that I went with the Magis (rate
party of police of to the house. 1 was the first per-
at the door, the Magistrate and officers remaining at a
' distance from it. I rang the bell of the outer door, and
the porter coma from as inner door, leading into the
, to the outer door where I stood, which led into a
sod lie opened a little door or wicket which was in the
door, and looked through, and asked ma what I wanted.
lied, by asking him whether the game of roulette was
I at that house. He said, " Idu not know you." I
fed, '6 Won't yon admit me ?" He then opened the
about a fool, and I observed that it was fastened by a
chain to prevent it opening further, and he looked
3 the opening of the door into the passage, and with
iiolence forced the door to instantly. 1 demanded ad.
ice, and said that Thomas Halls, EN. a Magistrate
r-stroet, was present with a warrant to enter the house,
his name again demanded admittance. By this time the
Irate and officers had arrived at the outer door. We
' for about two minutes, when having again called
by the direction of the Magistrate, to be admitted,
being refused, Mr. Halls gave directions for entrance to
'tanned by force.
Halls—You said the door was shut forcibly
less—Yes, with great force and violence; and, accord-
the directions of the Magistrate, after waiting some
I told the lacers to force open the door; and Ruthven,
ad called to them to open the door, assisted in raising
imond, one of the officers, over a wall that led into the
.; he unchained the outer door, and admitted me, the
igiatrate, and the officers, into the court in front of the
!batmen tried to open the front door, hut not being
effect it, he broke in the pannel • and I got throug%
aterture into the. house. By Mr. Hall's directions the
liras then opened, and the officers rushed up stairs and
,trended the persons found in the house.
Alley, who attended for all the prisoners, examined the
alley—Wasmot your application at first to play at the
roulette ?=-I certainly did not go to play.
alley—l don't mean that you did, but you asked about
at roulette P—Yes, I did.
illey —You wished to get into the house under the pre-
deAring to play ?-leertaialy wished to get in.
Alley—And you said that a gentleman awned Halls, a
tratc, wanted to obtain admittance)—Yes, I did; I said
'll3, a Magistrate of Bow-street.
Iley.—Yes, you did; hut nothing was said about ea-
ting only that it was a Magistrate wanted admittance;
know a Magistrate might have a taste fur playing,
id whet I have stated.
-.—The talk about • '-al roulette was a trick

and nineteen
to the watch-

saio
Alley.— _ _ . playing
I don't*: it, hut so it was.
linshull. got into the house first ? I did, through
Ittitliven otadn in the door.
George 'Melbas Joshua Rothven, swom.—l em an officer
now-street, and went last night, under the direction of Me.
' the Magistrate, with a number of ciliary*, to execatet
int at a house, Nn. IS, Bury-street, Saint Jam s.
e had obtained admission, in the 'mover stated by MA,
Ind, I went up stairs, into the front room on the &SC
I found the place in the greatest confusion. Eke chairr
upset, and tables were removed from their places. In
ntre of the apartment stood a large roulette-table, co-i
Ath green baize, which was marked with figures are
There were the words " odd," " even," " under,'N
..rer." There were thirty different compartments or di.
tow on the cloth, in which were different nunibers...lC
Igures 1,3, 3, meaning first, second, and third throys:
Ism% a cloth as is commonly used in playing the aainal
-tte. There was en aperture in the cloth to admit the
balls through, into a revolving wheel, which is marked
ambers corresponding with the cloth. 'rho roulette
ras on the table, but the ch cuter wheel with the figures
been taken out, and placed by the side of the table.
on each side of the roulette table, in places formed to
them, small oblong mahogany boires ceutaining rou-
ards and prickers. (Witness produced the various ar-
which he described.) Upon the cards were letters print.
tho tops of different columns, viz:—N. fur Noir, It. for
+, U. fur Under, 0. for Over, E. for Even, 0. for Odd.
were holes in the cards, in which the prickers arc put,
k the game. On a sideboard I found a tie box, in which
Irds, two empty money-bogs, and a paper on which
Men-
-0 ill Is to put into the hank 311., Mr. Odell 391., oil-
, and eight sovereigns." I also found six scrapers
used in the game of roulette. When I entered the
found no person therein; the parties bad run up and
stairs, evidently in a great burry, from the condition in
the room was left. Before we went op stairs we left
Jffieers at the dour, to prevent the escape of any one. The
risoners present were all taken in the house.

Alley—The game of roulette cannot be played without
which you describe as being figured, is in the box?
it cannot.
Alley—And the wheel, you say, was not in the box ; but
corner of the ruom,on the flour ?—lt was close by the
'the table, and with the greatest ease could have been
to the hos again.
Ilalls-1 do not see what difference that makes in the
liam Phillips, who stated himself to be a clerk out of
yment, was next called and sworn.
Alley, before this witness was examined, desired to
whether it was intended to proceed for penalties?
Minshull said they were proceeding under the Fe.%
Act.
witness was then examined by Mr. Stafford.
was at the house N 0.16, Bury-street, St. James's, fast
. when the premises were entered by the officers ; bad
there the c%ening before. When the magistrates entered
as in the gambling--room ; he meant when they demanded
ittaocc. At that time the game of roulette was playing ;
c wore from le to to persons in the room. Could point out
persona who were then playing, namely, Mr. Samoel Page
Mr. John Paton, He could also identify the reputed
item of the table, or those that acted as such. One of those
lames Jones. He acted as • croupier; that was, lie sat
t rake and scraped in the linings, and paid those who
Did not think be was sitting at the table when the offi •
Jntered ; but bad been so before. There were other per-
assisting at the table,. whom he could point out. George
'tone acted as croupier; believed he was at the table at
ime. The was another man in the same capacity, Hugh
and a third, Thomas Ridsdale, who sat at the bottom
.e table, to sec that the game was played fairly. 'Flic other
persons were at the table, but whether they were playing at the
Moment, could not sty. There was a ringing at the bell, and
- was followed by a knocking: one of the men belonging to
_one, who, lie uoderstands,wasO,Dell but who now called
lasselfJames Jones, opened the door. lie returned in haste
took one of the boxes produced, which contained money,
the table. King took the other box. Witness then went
~wn to the kitchen, and the other persons present retired to
various parts of the house. Had been in the same room, on
the same day, between the boors of four and half-past seven.
The game was then going on. There were about 16 ur 16
pershos in the room at that time, and some were playing. The
persons he bad pointed out were then acting in the manage-
' of the table. Johnstone, alias Pease, was there, as
King and Ridsdale. A servant named Holder handed
wine spirits, tea, &c., for which nothing was paid.
Francis Thompson
was the porter, and was occasionally in
room. Frederick Peters, Wm. Larabton, Was. Batchelor,
-s Thompson, John Jones, George Smith, and others in
'y, were present.
cross•examination, witness said he was clerk in a shop,
'ding and Co's Pall-orall, when be was last io employment.
had often been in these houses before. When he won be
ik the money away. He went last night to the house by
cident. After he bad laid the information he went again.
lien be went again lie played for as. Was nut promised cot
be sent to the treed-mill. Witness first saw the game to
,raocie. Had seen sovereigns as well as silver on the table.
- played as low as shillings in Bury-street. Witness
for the loan oral., and it was refused.
.411ey—And you then gave information? I bad lost my
shilling when asked fur the SI.
This was the whole of the evidence against the prisoners.
r. Alley then proceeded to address the Magistrates on the
,s on the Defendants, and urged many of those topics in
:fence, to which, oil former occasions, we gave publicity.
admitted that the game of roulette was, according to the
...on which the present information was laid, an unlawful
game ; but be denied that satisfactory evidence had been ad-
duced to show that the game, at which it was alleged some
• the Defendants were playing, was that game. It' however,
Magistrates were Wished on this head, the nextcpu-stion
coasideretion was, whether the testimony of the interwar,
t was himself, by his own admission, a rogue and vagabond,
which had been unsupported by other credible witnesses,
sufficient to expose so many individuals to the conic-
ices of this most penal statute. Upon the conduct of
, young man it was scarcely necessary to observe that it
*s most ungenerous, as well as discreditable; and more
especially toward, 'some of the Defendants, who could have
'one lout no wrong, who weremerety players, like himself,
who, no doubt, bad just as much reason as be had to la-

If
be pat. Me thought eeplenhtlon ought to tie admissible in Oiled ii
the case, if it were deemed desirable. his dire'
Mr. Scrjeant VAVOUAN suggested flint a witness should he inmates
a reealled, and the Jury could, by any qutettensof their own, house fo
attain the sought •flir explanation. At ale,
Mr. &delta Pete., with great warmth, repelled this sug- coaches
1. 1 gestiou of Mr. Serpent Vaughan, and railed it " insidious." remise,
Mr. Scrjeant VACOHAN denied the npplication of the term 'A al
res
" insidious," and said ho would not suffer such an imputation user by
to be made.—[Both the Learned Serji.ants, particularly Mr. John.
Serjeant Pell, evinced, in manner, considerable perturbation Thomps
of temper at the moment.] Luke H
The LORD Clll6r iVIITICIL interposed, and said that ho le. ton, WII
mented—be grivously lamented—these interruptions to bus'- ham Ba
i warnness by most painful ebullitions of temper, which, be said, King, at
, net erliedated to raise the character of the profession Mr. J,
in the oves of the public. Personally, he must deeply regret Public•c
/if..
the occurrence of such conduct ; for his lung acquaintance o'clock,
i. t ; • cord connexion with the bar, and the necessary and natural "eve dir
0,•
regard and esteem which in consequence of it he bore towards No. te,
his brethren or the profession, had always the effect of re- Mrs 81
• straining him from interposiox the authority of the Court.— him r
Ills enstrons and uniform desire was to still these angry waves, Witne
• if possible, and not expose himself to their force. It was ceivod it
: sginitnimessisersliwilatso,
11
i liiitmote.i..tWul lays not
not
n s nniti
nature
suchre to
inloccasions?crlo.e cilinuiels4etdt
and his feelings restrained him. Ile always wished to secure the *lola
hernvony anti peace in the profession. and to promote it by
egery means within his reach. and a pi
son at I
A wetness was remlled and some explanation given respect-
short die
' ' ' tog the answer to a question by a Juror. heard th
1 i
Mr. Serjean I Prise., having a right to be heard again to evi- house, I
twee, in consequence of this wit ness being past into the box, mid i i
,
nrmo teeeercise that right. He said that lie was happy in outer do
having the opportunity of addressing them again for a matter I replies
somewhat personal to himself. He hoped that he had the Played u
feelings of an edwocate and bad not lost the feelings ore Tall. allaa Ore
As matters of this kind bad gone forth to the public before, door aim
and had been misconceived, he should avail himself of the strong r
( a present opportunity to vindicate his conduct. lie should through
challenge any man to say whether Colossal had over conduct- great vie
ed a cause with more temper than ho had done, mail he 'Meaner!
thought an attempt was made to take, what he felt at time of Bow-1
to be, a most unfair advantage over his client. To the de- and in hi
cistern of the Coert he always paid proper deference; but Megistrs
when permission eas given to his learned brothers to put a waited f
new question, he naturally expected that one of them loudly, t
I would have put it in the usual way; instead of which, how-
and bein
ever, it was suggested that the proposed examination should be oblate
on left to the Jury. Al the moment he felt the suggestion to Mr. 11l
it oe insidious, because it went to place him, in any truss-exa-
Witnei
.' mination which might arise, upon uneven squares with the ing to ll
Jury. That motive being denied, he was as a gentleman, lime, Iti
bound to s Her his first impression, which in candour he now who had
Drummo
, . old. He then said a few words upon the general features of
':. the evidence. court; Is
Mr Serjeant Laws, in reply, seid,t hat it would ill become him hi egistra
. \
e, to make the slightest allusion to parts of the address of his house. I
' • .learned friend, as he was not personally concerned in the oh-
able to e
~ ,servations out of which it appeared to arise. He might, the epee
however be permitted to say, that no mail living more regret • door ere:
lied then he did the occurrence of such matters as led to the appreher
necessity of-these explanations oft personal kind. The
Mr. All
,
learned Serjeant then applied himself to the merits of the witness.
ease. . Mr. All
..; The Lone Cili6l 'ernes, in summing up the evidence to game of 1
jury, remarked upon the conflicting evidence in this cause
respecting time and distance, and observed upon the impos. pi:jr. All
ing a
,• '; sibility of conjecturing either, with any thing like positive r. All
. , certainty. He quoted a former case, in which he remembered tense of t
a somber of uffieets in the navy, of very high rank, swore po- Mr. All
aitively that a particular signal to slip cables was made at Marislra
13 o'clock ~ when it afterwards appearedf from the evidence Mr. Hall
of Admiral Paisley, who was noting 'upon his quarter-deck Mr. All
• the signals at the moment with hie lime piece before Priliendi
i him, and his clerk by his aide noting down and you I
occurrences, that the particular signal, instead of eh? s+
o'clock. 1,
• • being given at twelve o'clock, was given at one Mr. Al'
No imputation of intending to deceive could pos. or trap;
;e1 tidily be applied to any of the witnesses, who were men of Mr. ali
.'. ••• rank and the highest honour ; it only showed the difficulty the bole
' . of filing. by conjecture, upon particular moments of time, George
• respecting which all were liable to mistakes. After some at flow-s
14
e . . observelions upon the case before the Court, which his Lord- Halls, th,
; ship left entirely to the Jury, be remarked, with reference
a warren
i t• to the interposition of personal fee:ings in this cause, that
?After we
- be should be sincerely and unfeignedly sorry, if, on any occa-
Richmon
• -, ' lion, one word dropped from him which was calculated to floor. I f
' hurt the flelings of env gentleman at the bar. If lie were were ups
pi )
• conscious of having dropped such a word, be should freely the centr
t
- avow it, and say so without hesitation. It may happen to "red wit
. . • Counsel at the bar to fall into error, and knowingly to can-
words.
- • tinue wrong, from a too close adherence to false notions of and "eve
ove
a. the world, which might he deemed to preclude him from pro-
(litigious
• petty retracting. A Judge, however, was placed entirety in also figur
• different situation ; bir placed as be was, nothing could nor It was 8"
I ought to prevent him from giving the fullest explanation, of rouletl
whenever such explanation, under any circumstances, was roulette I
called for. With reference to what pissed, lie was under no with num
necessity of explaining any observation which he had felt it board wa
- . his duty to make ; hut he begged to say, that he did not mean on it hail
1 • to point his observations to one gentleman more than to I found u
another. He lamented, and must ever lament, when per-
receive tl
i differences arose at the bar. With the profession he lette care
i ' r lived au es to be inspired for the members of it with tides whi
nee ne and affectionate regent and esteem. These feel- ed at the
logs he still retained; nothing should ever alter them: his Rouge, I
t
only wish now, and at all times, must be, that the gentlemen There VII
of the bar would all live, both ,there and elsewhere, on the to mark I
best possible terms of bermon,plied reconciliation. were oar
'
I ' Mr. Serjeant Pell had left Court previous to his Lordship's was, ,_writ
observations, which evidently made a deep impression upon - mr. '
• eli ati_preeent. ver tel.,
The Jury retired fur three quarters of an hour, and then that are
found a verdict for the Defendant. room le
down stn
which th
prisoner
POLICE. prisoner
--eniew-- Mr. Al
•
' GUILDHALL the whet
i —No, it
1 PAWNBROKERS. Mr. Al
A miserable looking fellow, who gave his name Thomas in the cr
S;
finms tile's,' was
r bkoducgrm"anu p ')
B;:dBg'ietsul rd4u
pOnbegiere chargeti lion If ill-. aidepu intos ftl
I g ham Fisher, of No. 6, M
Swan-court, alineries.
. • , The Prisoner had been his lodger for some short time, Mr.
ill
si
II during which, a box that stood in his mom, and contained Willie
1. V y linen, Ice. had been broken open, and a pair of sheets and employe
. sundry articles stolen thereout, which, upon inquiry in the Mr. A
i
a neighbourhood, were found in pledge at the pawnbroker's, know wl
corner of Rosemary-lane, and to have been pawned by the Mr, el
grant A,
Prisoner.
N e. Saturday being a busy day, are pawnbroker was not in at- The vo
r t tendance to produce the plop erty and identify the Prisoner, He wa
i 1 who was in consequence about to be remanded for further night al
, examination, when it was recollected that Swan-court, where he
tilt
.1 the robbery was committed, was out of the city of London,
he was i
I and The Prisoner was therefore directed to be taken before a adinittai
la i Magistrate of the county. there we
In this cage, as in the instance of three others which two Inn
t occurred at this office on Friday (and in which the parties and Mrs
1 bed been stopped by the pawnbrokers, offering the stolen masters
. A,
propkrty to pledge), there was ne proof that the prisoner ac. was Jan
. , ' *crafty committed the robbery. It is therefore clear that but with a r
for the act of the pawnbroker in stopping the
party' the won. r, s
thief `might not have been detected, and could not, without con eat
the etidence of the pawnbroker or his servants identifying sons ass
1. 1 hint as in possession of the stolen property. be subsequently Jobusto
t ()evicted and brought to punishment. In all these instances, the time
, therefore, under the whole circumstances, so is highly King; s
• •
~ indebted to the pawnbroker err thus forwarding the ends of of the to
• - , jnstice. We notice these facts more particularly, beciese persons
. ... : .De pawnhrulters, we know, complain that cases before the moment
. ' Magistrate, in whkh the circumstances appear to impugn the this was
i conduct of the trade, never fail to make their way unto the the bow
.•• ' N- public papers, whil.t these which may be thought to reflect himself
. . credit upon the caution and vigilance of Um pawnbroker are and too
1 ' '. I , seldom reported. from the
' , " ~7. • • • Without inquiring whether or no this complaint be jest, down tc
.i• rite propriety of making it is at least matter of question, as it various
1r
sway very reasonably be doubted whether in cases (especially tht as•
those of petty depredations) where the thief is detected by Thkgal
the pawnbroker. aloe offence would have been committed bet Persons
for the facility thus afforded for the disposal of the stolen persons
property. The old practised thief is seldom detected by meat e
. pawnbrokers. It is only the young beginners who have re- well al
c. testae to their shops before they get acquainted with whet shoot '
a i are termed the fences. The trade of pawnbrokeriog may France
b have its utility, hut certainly, as was observed by Mr. Alder- the roe
- • . mau Bridges, unless conducted with great caution and vigi- James'
p )
. y
lance, it becomes rather a nuisance than a benefit to so- culstod
eta]
n es
i ' ' . Hardin
11. BOW-STREET. He bee
. .
ANOTHER CAPTION OF GAMBLERS. took th
drl'i On Saturday last Geor Minsbull and Teems Hens, seciden
lad ,
, t
.
11
, - Esqrs. the Magistrates of this office, were engage ad fur a con. When I
• siderable period in the examination of a nest gamesters, t.,0 be a
• who had been arrested by a " coup de main," at a late hour l'rallet
..
, 411 Friday night. in one of those places of fashionable resort They
termed' Hells," situated at Ne., 16, Bur jestreet, St. James's, all" I
the hrm determination of the Magistrates of this office 111$1ah'
a'' tiomeenforce the laws, to their full eat'
est, against these noc- This
ar turnal nests of knaves and fools, and they have proceeded in Mr.
*
• a steady course to suppress them as far as they have been part ei
able. defenc
~... , scot by a person of black-leg notoriety, -It has been f. ur some Mr.:
After the apprehension of the last gang of hark, and pigeons He ad
(some of wh..ui were consigned to the tread-mill),out of Our- Act on
t ty-three ginning houses, which were previously opened every game;
u eight, and sometimes remained uoulosed till near noun, only deiced
three were nontinued open, and those admitted only their of the
F. particular friends, and those persons introduced by them. As the M
I .1 soon as the denision was made last Middlesex Sessions by the for co
Bench of Magistrates, that "only those caught at play" wbo w
i ~, . . could be legally convicted of " having played," though they and w
were apprehended in the room where playing had been going Will a'
'CIon (which produced the discharge of those gamblers who bed sperm
, /1 c
appealed), not less than thirty of these houses wen again Mks y
opened, and wenn nightly crowded with players as formerly. Oros I
-, The Magistrates, though for the nionsent killed i• their lona, *spew
wile endeavours, determined to persevere, and information done
having been laid before Mr. Halls on Friday night, he deter- aud % f
V i
ilkli 111414:...