The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-01-03 00:00:00

THE BRITISH PRESS.

soner secreted behind a water-butt ;he was then given in custody
on suspicion of intentional felony, and taken to the watehhouse.
Two watchmen spoke to the Fame effect, as did also another
person belonging to Mr. Griffin's house, from which he was taken.
The Magistrate observed, that the circumstances ware of an ex-
ceedingly suspicious aspect; and, unless the prisoner could utile-
fictorily account for himself, he feared that be should be under the
necessity of sending the ease to a Jury.
" I trust, Sir," observed the prisoner, " there will be no occa-
sion for your doing act. Instead of my ever having entertained the
slightest intention of committing a felony, it so happens that I
have been robbed myself. I shall, in the first place, tell your
Worship who and what I am, and the circumstances which led to
my being placed in this most painful predicament. Illy name,
Sir, is Crulie ; I ern a native of Scotland, and not long enough in
London to be very conversant with the tricks that are practised
here. 1 sin a clerk to Messrs. Darton and Harvey, booksellers, of
Holborn, and was spending the evening with a few friends at the
Windmill public-house, in heather-lane, where I drank, perhaps,
too freely, and was on my way home, through Hatton-garden,
when I was met by three or four men who hustled me up against
the railing, and, in an instant after, I was deprived of my hat and
a silk umbrella that I had in my hand, and fancying that they
were somewhere on the grotmd, stooped down to look for them,
when one of the party said that they were thrown into the area only
out of a lark, and offered to assist me in getting them up; he said
that the area was not at all deep, and that he would wait until I came
up ; not suspecting any cheat, with his help I got over the railings,
and dropped into the area, which, being of considerable depth, I
was stunned by the fall, and that accounts for my appearing to
have secreted myself. But, in addition to the loss of my hat and
umbrella, I have since discovered that my gold watch and appen-
dages, together with a silk pocket handkerchief, were taken from
me at the time, I believe by the man who lifted me over the
railing,"
The Magistrate said, that the story was too improbable to be
ueeptcd in vindication of the prisoner's character, unless his em-
ployers, or some person from them, came forward to substan-
tiate it.
A clerk from Messrs. Merton and Harvey's, came forward, toga-
thee with another person, and stated that the prisoner was what
he represented himself to be, and generally sustained a good cha-
racter; the former also stated that he had parted from him only
about half an hour before, at Mr. White's, the Windmill, where
they had spent the evening together.
The prisoner expressed his contrition for being found under such
disadvantageoos circumstances, and declared, that whenever he got
drunk he did not know what he was about.
The Magistrate said, it was truly fortunate for him that he hap-
pened to have friends to speak to his character on such an occasion,
and trusted that it would prove a lesson to him in future.
The young man said, that his future conduct should exemplify
his sense of the impropriety of his present unfortunate indulgence,
and hoped the Magistrate would have the kindness to instruct him
as to what steps he should take towards the recovery of his watch
and other property, of which he had been robbed.
The Magistrate said, he had better give a description of it to the
officers, as the moat likely TOMS of recovering the property, and
bringing the offenders to justice.

ill A RLDOROUGH-STREET.
ASSAULT ox • Fxriazz.--Saturday, Riley, a patrol of St.
Giles's, appeared before Sir George Farrant, charged with corn-
Mitring a most flagrant outrage on the person of a Miss Johnson,
the daughter of a tradesman in that pariah.
Miss Johnson, and two female friends, on Monday last, were
walking through Broad-street about the hour of three in the after-
noon, and one of them having a small bottle containing spirits, she
said to a young man, " Should you not like a little ?" The other
two females laughed at the observation, and Riley came behind
Johnson and said, " March on, you with the feathers and beads."
She said, "Do you speak to me ?" He said, that he aid. She
replied, " You do not know me, and you had better mind your
own business." He told her that she was a common girl, and if
she did not go on with smooth words, she should go to the watch.
house with rough ones, and he seized her roand the waist, and
dragged her along the street, till she got to the shop of a Mr.
White, with whom ha father transacted business ; she then rushed
out of his grasp, and sought protection in Mr. White's parlour till
her mother arrived.
This statement was corroborated by two other witnesses.
Riley, in his defence, said that Mies Johnson was laughing veey
indecently, and he told her to walk on ; .he replied, " Are we to be
talked to by a fellow like this, a common.strett.keeper ?" and he
told her he would take her to the watchhouse, if she did not go
along, and avoid abusing him in the execution of his duty.
He called two witnesses, who did not deny that Riley dragged
Miss Johnson along the street.
Sir G. FARRAXT told him, that he had no authority to interfere
with persons who were passing along the public streets in the open
day, unless they committal a breach of the peace, or did some other
illegal act; and that he had acted in a very scandalous manner
towards the young woman, for which he ordered him to enter
Into recognizances to answer an indictment at the Sessions for the
assault.