The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-01-21 00:00:00

POLICE.

- "'VT.; :GUILDHALL. 4" 1.:-1 )17

CLAIM op INN, Or COURT TO RE EXTRA-PAROCRIAE.--
Thavies Inn, llolborn, seems likely enough to follow the fate of
its qnurtdain guardian and proprietor, Lincoln's Inn, to which it
formerly belonged, as to its claim to be extra-parochial. It is
somewhat singular, that although the Inns of Court generally
claimed, as such, to be extra-parochial, there is Kandy an instance
in which that claim has not been overturned, whenever the parish
in which an Inn of Court was locally situated has had the courage
to bring the question to a legal issue.
When the question was raised as to Tttayies Inn, about two years
ago. the parish was a little too hasty and confident, and went to
trial with no other evidence than that the Inn was locally situated
in, and surrounded by, the parish of St. Andrew, Holborn; but
there being no proof of the exercise of sty act of parochial au•
thority over the Inn, except that it had always been rated to the
poor, though the payment had never been enforced, this was
held not to be sufficient against the long and general reputation
that the place was extra-parochial, and a verdict was accordingly
given in favour of Thayies Inn.
Since that period Mr. Jopson, the Veatry Clerk, has been inde-
fatigable in his exertions to discover more substantial and decisive
evidence, and the tesult of his rescuches has been the production
of such books and documents as the Alagistrates Messrs. Alder-
men Ansley and It'aithman, yesterday, under the advice of the
City Solicitor, deemed sufficient to justify them in granting a
warrant to distress for the poor-rate against an inhabitant of
That ies Inn, fur the purpose of bringing the question, whether it
be or be not extra-parochial, again to trial.
From these documents it appeared that in the original grant of
the property from the Crown, in the time of one of the Edwards,
and in every subsequent deed of conveyance of the property, in-
cluding the title deeds of the present proprietors, the place is de-
scribed as situate in the parish of St. Andrew, Holborn, in the
suburbs of the City of London. Regular poor-rate books were also
produced of between 70 and 110 years ago, in which the property
was rated, the rate collected from the inhabitants, and the money
accounted for by the then overseer. These rates were allowed and
signed by an ancestor of the Messrs. Hoare, the bankers in Fleet-
street, who was at that time the Alderman of the Ward of Far-
, ringdon.Without, of which St. Andrew's parish is a part. At
this period Titavies Inn was the property of the Society of Lin-
' coln`a Inn, and it was therefore clear that the fact of its being at
' that time an Inn of Court had not made it extra-parochiaL Shortly
after this Lincoln's Inn disposed of the property to a private inch-
vidual, by whom several new houses were erected, and the place
assumed its present form. The inhabitants have been rated to the
poor regularly ever since, but from that time there is no proof that
the payment had ever been made or enforced, from which it is in-
ferred that the new proprietor then claimed that the place was
extra-parochial, upon the ground of its having been an Inn of
Court, and that the pariah, though they still assumed the right by
keeping up the assessment, were afraid to try the question
with him.
Mr. MONT! iou, who attended on the part of the inhabitants of
the Inn, to resist the application fur the warrant of distress, allowed
that all the deeds described the place as in the parish of St. Andrew,
but by that, be contended, was meant locally in, and that it did not
front thence follow that it was part and parcel of, the parish. It
might and did frequently happen that a place was situated in a
parish, and yet formed no part of that parish. He did not disclose
the grounds upon which it was to be contended that the Inn was
extra-parochial, but contented himself principally with objecting
that the question had already been determined, that the Court of
King's Bench, with these documents before them, had refused to
grant a new uial, and that three several Magistrates, to whom ap-
plication had been made, had refused to grant the warrant to dis-
turb a question upon which the Court had already twice decided.
Mr. Joissos, in reply, said, these documents had certainly been
before the Court on the motion for the new trial. It was not, how-
ever, from an opinion of their insufficiency that the Court refused
the motion. The Court was unwilling to disturb the verdict of a
Jury, when the question could again be brought to an issue by rat-
ing the Inn afresh, and proceeding upon the new rate.
The ALDERMIN, afters very patient hearing, agreed in opinion
that this new evidence was quite sufficient to justify them in affcrd-
ing the parish another opportunity of trying the question.

BOW-STREET.
Yesterday John Chamberlain, a young man, was brought before
Sir R. Bust IE, charged with attempting to obtain a situation as
butler it, the family of Carden, Esq., of Bedford-square, by
means of a false character.

It appeared, from the statement of Mr. Carden, that the situa-
-1 lion of butler being vacant in his household, the prisoner, who had
been told of it by an acquaintance, ceded and offered himself. Mr.
Carden, of course, required a reference as to character, and the
prisoner produced a written statement, signed, or purporting to be
signed, by General Coffin, at Bath, in which "the bearer, Win.
Freeman," was described to be "a remarkably sober, honest, in-
dustrious, and active servant." It was stated also, that the onlyfreaso-
tOr parting with him was that some of the General's family were gone
abroad. The prisoner trusted this character would be sufficient, but
Mr. Carden said he should make further inquiry, and kept the do.
cument, which be enclosed by the same day a post to General Cof-
fin, for the purpose of learning if it was genuine. In a few days
Captain Coffin, the son of the General, called at Alr. Carden's
house in the absence of that gentleman, and left his card, and a note
stating that the person who presented to .Me. Carden a written cha-
racter of William Freeman from General Coffin, was an impostor,
for that the William Freeman mentioned in that paper was at pre-
sent with Captain (:.'s brother-in-law at Montreal, Canada. file
Captain added, that General Coffin had kept the paper, in order to
prevent any further attempt at imposition. Mr. Carden, upon re-
ceiving this information, applied at this office on IVednesday fur a
warrant, but was informed that such a process was unnecessary, and
that he had better send a message to the offender, appointing him
to call, when he could give him in charge to a constable. Mr. Car.
den wrote to the prisoner. stating that he had heard from Bath, and
he readily fell into the snare.
The prisoner pleaded guilty to the charge, and stated that Wm.
Freeman, the person mentioned in the paper, was a friend of his,
and he (prisoner) being out of employment, Freeman gave him the
paper, which was actually written by General Coffin, observing,
You may take this to London, John, and I dare say it will get
you a situation there."
Sir R. Stamm—But you must have known that you were doing
wrong.'
The prisoner said he thought at the time that there was no harm
in it, but he now saw his error, and he hoped the Magistrate would
overlook the offence this once. He had been in a good business
once, he had sitice filled very respectable situations in families,
and he could have testimonials of character from persons of conse-
quence.
Ste R. BlitYIE said, that no testimonials would avail him. His
was a species of offence which it would be extremely dangerous to
the safety of families to pass lightly over, and his fraternity ought
to know that the severity of the law would always be exercised in
every use of this kind that came before the Magiitrates. The sen-
tenee was, that he should pay a line of 201. and 10s. costs, and in
default of payment, be committed to the tread-mill for one month.
The prisoner was nut in a situation to pay the penalty, and was
therefore committed for the term mentioned. lie had attempted to
Impose upon Mr. Trueman of 31incing-lane, in the same way.
Mr. WILLIAMS, a Magistrate, stated, as a fact within in his
own knowledge, that there is now a regularly organized gang of
fellows about town, who supply false characters to each other, as
occasion may require. The member of the gang to be referred to,
contrives, with the assistance of his fellows, to assume for the time
the appearance of respectability, generally taking up his abode for
a day or two at an hotel. The mention of this fact may operate as
• caution to the public.
[We believe A Society has been organized, and will commence
business in a few days, the object of which is to protect deserving
servants. and to save familia front deception, such as that prac..
Used upon .Me. Carden.]
HATTON GARDEN.

Yesterday, a very fashionably dressed young woman, about
eighteen years of age, was brought up, in the custody of Thisselton
the officer, under the following circumstances :
About half an hour before she was taken into custody, she went
into Mr. Frost's shop, on Holborn Hill, in company with another
female, and asked to see some fashionable Leghorn bonnets ; while
she was pretending to select one, her companion ran oft, carrying
with her a very valuable bonnet. The prisoner was detained, and
Thiaselton the officer sent for. _

On searching her there was found in the crown of her bonnet a
letter, dated some days back, from a lady, a " dear friend of her's,"
who was residing in Newgate, awaiting her trial at the Old Bailey
Sessions. After many expressions of affectionate regard, the letter
goes on to say, " that they are all as comfortable and happy as
possible, anti she was sure she'd only have six months of it."
As this letter gave some clue to the detection of her accomplice,
she was remanded for further examination.

It would appear that the spirit for shop-lifting was quite epi-
demic, for no sooner was the above cue disposed of than a smart_
looking woman was brought up, in the custody of Colton, a con-
stable, upon the following charge:—
Colton stated, that he observed the prisoner go into a baker's
shop, where site asked for a penny roll, but contrived to carry off
a quartem loaf; from thence she went to a hair-dresser'a, where,
after examining some ringlets, she secured a comb; in this man.
ner she went Into five different shops, closely pursued by Colton, in
each of which site was successful in securing some article, though
her labour only lasted half an hour; at length she went into a
bookseller's shop, and asked if she could be provided with A Com-
panion iu Me Altar ; or, as the constable with some propriety, if
not good pronunciation, called it a " Companion to the flatter -"
fur immediatelf as the shopinan went to look ter the book required,
she seized a so ume of the New gate Calendar.
In order to give her an opportunity of adding hex own memoirs
to this valuable work, she was committed for trial.
MA It LBRCH:GH-STREET.
MANS L AI7OIFITY R.—Yeaterday Joseph Parker, the young man
who killed Stone, and against whom the Coroner's inquest returned
a verdict bfinantslughter, was brought up front the New Prison
by Lorrimer fiir examination. His face still retained the marks of
the punishment he had received. %Chen the warrant was given to
Mr. Rot,'•he inquired who proved that Packer was the person
therein named. when Thomas Whaley said he did.
Mr. Rer—Did you see Mr. Stirling sign this warrant?—Yes.
Mr. !tut—'Then tell lawrimet to take him back to prison, as he
is committed to take Ms trial.
Packer's sister and two other friends were in the office. Neither
of the seconds have been apprehended. Threats have been held
out to Lorrimer and Whaley, who have the warrant, by the respec-
tive friends of the parties, that if they offer to hike them they will
be marked.