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

.E BRITISH PRESS:

MARY-LA-BONNE.
Yesterday Mary Trhittingdtn, a young woman, was brought
before Mr. Geier IT it, charged with the following robbery :
It appeared in evidence that. in the month of November last, the
house of Crundle, a peace-officer, d Booth-street, Brighton, was
entered in the evening, and a tea:caddy, containing 3il sovereigns
and a 18L Bank of England note, wall stolen. The prisoner had
been seen coming out of the house *hest.tie time the robbery
was supposed to have been committed, and tinning lodged, at a for-
mer period in the house, she was well aware of money being kept
in the caddy, which was generally on a shelf in a room up stairs.
From these circumstances, Crundle proceeded to the general pro-
menade of the prisoner, and, on making inquiries, ascertained that
she had gone off' in a post-chaise with se clderly man of the name
of 1V ilson, and had taken the bonded' Mod. A pursuit was com-
menced on horseback, and Wilson willeihdadat an inn in Horsham,
but the prisoner succeeded in maltkit he eimape. Wilson was
taken back to Brighton, snot 11141ergoas an examination
before the Magistrates, was cgpr rptison ; but the turnkey,
opening his cell-door on the f wing miming, found him quite
dead, suspended by a handkerchief hem the grating. Ile had
written with a pencil an accusation against the prisoner, and
declared that he was not aware of the robbery until after it had been
committed,
Information having been lodged at this office, and a warrant
transmitted to town, Buekridge and Gibbs proceeded to make the
usual inquiries, and having found the residence of the prisoner's
sister, they soon discovered the person they wanted, and took her
into custody.
Crundle requested that she might be forwarded for trial at the
next Susses Assizes, as the robbery had been committed in that
county.
She was accordingly given into the custody of the Gaoler, with
directions to take her to Brighton.
TOWN HALL.
Ax A ITF L mporroa.—A new trick has been lately added
to the list of impositions with which the metropolis teems. A
well-looking young woman, about twenty-two, wi:li a cherub little
infant in hitarms, was brought before Alderman J. J. Sm
upon three distinct charges of fmud.
It was made manifest by the evidence, that the prisoner has been
in the daily practice of lurking near the doors of persons taking in
linen, &c. to mangle, and of noticing the external marks, as well as
of the bearers whose placed she supplied, by calling for the articles
left under various pretences, and which she was successful in ob-
taining.
The first case against her was preferred by a woman named Han-
nah Rust, of 13, Webb-street, who, on New Year's Day, received
from a lady named Abbott, • bundle containing several sheets,
table and body-linen, &c. to mangle, which the prisoner called for
1 two hours after, saying she was sent for them by her sister, living
in John-street, who had been suddenly taken in labour : they were
not finished, and she waited half-an-hour, and bad them delivered
into her possession.
Margaret Kennedy. of 17, Park-street, preferred a similar com-
plaint ; as did Mary Blackwell, of Essex-court.
The several pawnbrokers attended, with whom the property had
been pledged, and identified the prisoner as the party pledging.
The prisoner attempted a defence by saying she had borrowed a
sum of money from an acquaintance without her husband's know-
ledge, who, on discovering it, beat her continually, and to repay
this sum, she had recourse to the offence with which she was
charged.
Several respectable persons (relatives) appeared on her behalf, but
Alderman J. J. SMITH said, that however inclined he might be
to listen to favourable remarks in behalf of the misguided indivi-
dual, the artful manner in which she had carried on her depreda-
tions convinced him she was an adept in such matters, and he was
bound to send her to the Sessions.
On hearing this the unhappy creature burst into tsars, as the un.
conscious infant nestled closer to her bosom, previous to her being
taken to the Compter.
A shift, which wasstill missing, was found upon her person, on
being searched by two females in private.

UNION-HALL.
Yesterday Lockie, one of the officers of this establishment, was
sutnmoned before L. B. ALLEN, Esq. to answer the complaint of
Robert Wm. Dickenson.

Robert Wm. Dickenson stated, that he is a small beer brewer,
residing at the Retteat, Albany New-road. On hlontiay night,
about half-past twelve, as he was returning from Covent-garden
theatre, he saw defendant. Lockie, maltreating a poor sailor most
unmercifully. The defendant was drunk. After the sailor got up,
defendant knocked him down again with the staff in his hand, and
said, •• D—n your eyes, take that, you shall have more pepper ;
I'll take you to the watchhouse, where you will have • better bed
than you have slept on these twenty years." He remonstrated with
bockie upon such brutal conduct, but without effect; hethen went
to the next watchbox, and ascertained his name to be hoekie : the
watchman told witness that Lockie had been in the Bricklayers'
Arms all the day, drinking with a woman, and that he (Leckie)
was beastly drunk ; he therefore considered it his duty to have the
matter investigated.
Lockie, in defence, said, that instead of being at the Bricklayers'
Arms, he had been upon take business, and had just entered a
charge at the watchhouse in Lock's-fields, and was returning home,
when he was 'teemed by a drunken sailor, who seized him by the
collar, and he pushed him away ; he denied striking the man at all ;
the man was in a dreadful state of intoxication. He had a host of
witnesses, who would prove that he was sober, and that he did not
strike the sailor.
Bartlett, a watchman, stated that he never told Mr. Dickenson
that Lockie was drunk, OT that he said he had been in the Brick-
layers' Arms; on the contrary, he never saw Lockie drunk in his
life, and he had known him many years.
Mr. ALLEN said, that the charge against Lockie was a very
serious one, and, if proved, would deprive him of his situation ; he
had always been much esteemed by the Magistrates of that office,
and the charge hail been denied and satisfactorily contradicted. lie
(the Magistrate) could not see the motive.
Mr. Dickenson—Must I explain my motive?
Mr. ALLEN-1 should like to know it.
Mr. Dickenson—Then, Sir, I will tell you. About a month
since, as a friend and myself were returning from the Theatre, a
girl who was talking wick a watchman and patrol, came up and
seized my friend round the waist, and threw him into the road—
:wither the patrol nor watchman would take charge of her. We
procured the assistance of another watchman, and she was then
lodged in Christchurch watchhouse ; we were desired by the con-
stable of the night to appear here at 11 o'clock in the morning i
we came here to confirm the charge shortly after 11, when we
found it had been called on and discharged, and that is the reason
why I summoned Lockie before you.
Mr. ALLEN—lain somewhat surprised that a gentleman like you
should bring so trifling a matter before me. The whole morning
has been occupied in iavestigating a matter wholly void of founda-
tion; the officer is so well known to us, that we cannot suppose
him betentionally guilty of the charge. I mutt therefore dismiss
the case.