The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-10-08 00:00:00

U ~ION.HALL.

On Thursday evening, when the office was about to close, a re-
spectable female presented herself before the sitting .Magistrate,
At. SWABEY, Esq. and in tones of deep distress, besought his
advice and assistance in recovering her child, who had been kid.
napped only a few hours before her application. The poor woman
having been accommodated with a chair, and having in some men.
sure composed her distracted feelings, proceeded to give the fol.
lowing account of the manner in which she bad been bereft of. her
offspring :—ln the afternoon of that day (Thursday) she intrusted
her child, a boy about five months old, into the care of a little
girl to nurse, who proceeded with her charge into the streets, in
order to have the benefit of the air. Having walked about the
neighbourhood of Walworth for sonic time, the girl sat down on
some logs of wood, near the Duke of York public-house, in the Bo-
rough-road, nursing and playing with the child. She had not been
many moments occupied in this manner before a dirty looking woman,
as she described, dressed in a dirty white shawl, light blue gown,
with flowers upon it, came up, and asked permission to look at the
child, at the same time taking it out of the arms of the girl into
her own. When the woman had the child in her own possession,
she walked down the road towards the King's Bench prison, fol-
lowed by the girl, who never suspected what her intentions were,
but only imagined that she was going to purchase a few sweetnieets
to present the infant with. However, when the woman arrived at
the sign of the Britannia public-house, near the King'. Bench, she
stopped outside the door, and calling the little girl, to whom the
child had been intrusted by its mother, gave her sixpence in silver,
desiring her to go into the house and get it changed, which she did,
and, on coming out, gave the halfpence to the woman, who gave
her a penny, saying, (lo in again, my dear, and inquire or the
landlady at the bar if Air. Johnson a there, and, if he is, bring
me out word." The unsuspecting girl once more entered the
public-house, and having made the inquiry as she was directed,
the landlady told her that Alr. Johnson was in the habit of fee.
quenting the house, but that he was not at present there. Upon
coming out, neither the woman nor child were to be seen, and the
girl, dreadfully alarmed at the circumstance. ran about crying and
wringing her hands, proclaiming that the child wasstolen from
her. A mikwoman happening to come up at the time, sad seeing the'
groat agitation of the little girl, end a number of persons surround.
to g her, on being informed of the circumstance., stated that she
(the mikwomen)lied, a short time before, obsestidtalk7
woman walking in great home towards London.bridge, with a very
fine Infant in her arms. On hearing this account, several of the
spectators, as well as the girl herself; proceeded off in that dime.
two, but all efforts 'to trace the offender were unsuccessful. At
night the girl returned to the applicant's house without the child,
and with the dreadful tidings of its being kidnapped.
The Magistrate having inquired the name of the applicant, ebe
stated it to be Mary Weller t that her husband was a blackmail",
and that they lived in reederick's.place, Borough-Torn!. She dila
described the dress of her chi d when it was stolen, as follows tt...
A seal-skin cap with gold band, and a double-bordered cap undies
neatli, a cross.bsrred lilac frock, and blue worsted boots.
The Magistrate immediately directed Mr. Staples, the ChW
Clerk, to have hand-bills printed and circulated descrifiing the dawn'
and persons o(the child and the miscreant who had stolen It. •
A great nuMber of these bills were forwarded Into the country by
the mails the same night, and indeed no exertions have been spared
by the Alagistrate in rendering the unfortunate and broken-hearted
mother all the assistance in his power, which the poor woman
seeemd fully sensible of.
Olannon, au active and intelligent officer. was selected for the
purpose of tracing and apprehending the offender, if she is tobe
found in London. He proceeded in his task, and the same night
having inquired at the Britannia public-house, whether a roan
named Johnson used the house, and being assured in the affir-
mative, he had an interview with an individual of that name, who
attended at this office yesterday. The Magistrate having stated
• Mr. Johnson the abate particulars, and also that part which al-
luded to the woman sending the girl into the Britannia, to inquire
fnr a person of his name, Mr. Johnson expressed his surprise,
declaring that he knew no woman of the description, and intimated
that he would do all that lay In his power to discover the retreat
of one of the worst description of robbers.
The Magistrate having ascertained that the permits of the stolen
child were unable to offer a reward for its restoration. and appro.
leettaon of the woman, intimated his intention of making the cir.
ehmtmststbices known to the Secretary of State, who, be had no
doubt, would any this measure into effect.