The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-03-25 00:00:00

A ifOST DISTRESSING CASE.

On Tuesday evening, Mrs. Sarah Ann Burke, the widow of an
officer formerly in the army, applied to the Sitting Magistrate at
Mary-la-bonne Police-otlice, for his advice and assistance under
the following affecting circumstances.
Mr. Burr' T it, who presided on the Bench, begged the appli.
cant to state the nature of her complaint.
The poor woman, who was absorbed in tears, thus began :
" Your Worship, it is with the most poignant grief and sorrow
that I now appear before you, to make a complaint against my own
child, a boy scarcely eleven years of age, whose conduct is of the
most outrageous description in disotediance ; his violence is limit,
that I have been compelled to leave three lodgings which I occu-
pied, and now, having gone into another, there I have also received
notice to quit, in consequence of his cruel treatment, and his base
conduct in creating continual disturbances. Since my husband's
death, which took place in July, 11122, I have endeavoured, by bard
industry, to support my son, whom I now complain of, and an in-
fant, as respectably as possible. I had placed my son to school, in
order that he might be educated ; but being unable to keep up the
payment, took hint away on Saturday last t but no sooner did he
return home, than he commenced his violent conduct towards me :
he threatened Inc with bodily harm, and actually struck me with a
red hot poker, which he took from the fire : he would create a mob
about the house, expose me to every person, and declare to them
that I starved him. Your IV( 'ship, last July I was compelled to
go into Middlesex Hospital, where it was considered requisite that
I should ut.dergo on operation, and one of my breasts was cut off;
yet I ant must willing to work for my children day and night to
support them ; but my son frustrates all my designs, and his con-
duct greatly impairs my constitution. Your Worship. my motive
in bringing my son before you is to seek your protection ; it is not
to be considered I could have any vindictive motive to prosecute my
own child, or force a punishment upon him without very Just rea-
son, and I do trust that he may be dealt with mercifully." Here the
mother burst into a flood of tears. and her statement closed.

Mt. GRIFFITH, addressing himself to the boy, asked him what
he had to say for using a tender parent so cruelly ?
The boy, who appeared quite indifferent to the wounded feelings
of his mother, merely said be had not struck her, nor did lie know
what he was brought there for.
The schoolmaster with whom the boy had been, stated that while
he was under his charge he conducted himself very properly ; he
certainly, however, kept the upper hand of him, but corroborated
the statement of the mother, by observing, he believed him to be
one of the mope abusive lads to his panrit when at home.
The wetly Magistrate intimated that he hardly knew how to
set on such an occasion, and as a temporary punishment, ordered
the gaoler to lock him up, and take him to the watch. house for the
night.
The mother, whose feelings were quite overcome, then left the
office with assistance, in hysterics.