The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-09-08 00:00:00

THE BRITISH PRESS.

vagabond in the streets. Ilk violence collected a crowd, and at
length the Messengers were obliged to give him in charge.
The defendant, lit answer to the complaint, said he had served 30
years like a good seaman, and had feCCITNI many a wound in de-
fence of his country—lnc here exhibited some deep scars upon his
hands and head )—and he would not go vagaliotalizing about
the SIMMS without a copper. He went to the Admiralty onl yto
ask them t i " sufficiency" to take him down to Manch sten and
they offered him ti. " Now (said the defendant), what was I
Sado with Ss., I should like to know ? I wasn't going to beg my
way, sod so'l would not have their bn."
Sir R. 1311111NIZ told the defendant he had done wrong in going
to tone Admiralty. He had forfeited his claim upon the country'
and he (Sir R. Birdie) was very sorry that he had ; but haste.;;
done so, lie must rest quietly under it. He must nut I,m again to
the Admiralty.
Defendant—But I will go there, though.
Sir H. Bra Nig—Then I must send you to prinon. Defendant—
Well. then, send me to prison, and don't talk about it.
Sir R. it—Why I feel very reluctant to send such a man
as you, who have served your country 20 years, to a gaol. De-
fentlant—Now what is the use of all this tl—d ntriscnce ? If you
must send nit to gaol, send methere at once ; and the best thing
you can do is, to wend me for life ; for you may take your oath I
shall go to the Admiralty directly I have my liberty.
Sir R. Branin mid he hoped not. He would give him a
trial—he was at liberty to depart. "Am I ? (aid the old Tar), then
I'll go ; and now here's for the Admiralty."
Sir R. BIRNIE— If you go there, it will he at your peril.
" Peril ! (said the defendant.) I don't know what you mean by pe-
ril ;" and, placing his hands in his trowneno pocket, he exclaimed,
" Here goes; I am ofi*for the Admiralty."
Sir ft. WROTE again cautioned him, and said, hit dinchftrge had
been brought about by his had conduct. •• I shall discharge you
now," said Sir Richard, '• because it would give me great pain to
send you to gaol."
Wheugh and nonsense !" ejaculated the blunt veteran (turning
his quid in his mouth) and clapping on his hat in the presence
of the Magistrate, •• what's the good of all this preachment? I'm
off for the Admiralty ;" and, so saying, lie strode out of the
Office.
A Clerk from the Admiralty said, he was sure, from what he
had seen of the old man, that he would keep his word ; and so it
turned out, fir in less than an hour he was brought back, for re-
' petition of the disorder which had before been the subject of the
charge.
He entered, and placed himself before the table with the most
perfect composure, twirling his hat upon his thumb, anti amusing
himself by looking about among the spectators. Mr. Halls was
then sitting, Sir R. Birdie having left the Bench.
J. Leggett, a messenger to the Admiralty, stated, that the de.
fendant came back, and attempted to force his way to Mr. Dyer's
office, and that the assistance of a constable was necessary to re-
more him. Witness attempted to remote him, but the defendant
pushed him as hard as he could, and nearly shoved him down.
As hard as I could (said the defendant, looking down upon the wit-
ness, who is of a diminutive size), the Lord have mercy upon you
if I had !
Mr. HALLS consulted with Mr. SKETCIILEY, another Ma-
gistrate, for a short time, and then told the defendant he must call
upon him to find bail, as an assault had been sworn to, Defendun
—Well, now, why did'nt you do this before? I don't fear a
prison. Where is my hat ? Let me go as soon as possible, with.
out any mete d--d nonsense.
Ile was consigned to the care of the gaoler, and placing his hat
once more on his head, wtt.i a hind slap on the crown, he followed
him to the lock-up room, on surveying which he said—" Well, I
shint catch much hurt here—l have had smaller at.d worse berths
than this before to-day."
STEALING FROM SHOPS.
DIARLIIOROVOII-STlLLT.—Vegitefdßy two ill-favoured dia.
meters, of the names of Smith and Witswi,nere brought up foe
Melding in shop., under pretence of making purchases.
John Simmons, shopman to Mr. Newby, silveimmitlN in South-
ampton-row, Bloomsbury, deponed• that on the 211th of August,
in the afternoon, Smith and Wilson came into his master's shop,
and asked to look at some wedding rings. The tray of rings was
shown to Smith, from which he selected one, said he would pay a
shilling deposit, and call again. He wished to look at some guard-
rings, but did not approve of any; he afterwards wished to look at
some seals, which were shown to him. While witness was showing
the seals, he observed Smith push a ring up his sleeve, and then
excused himself front purchasing by objecting to the pattern.
They were about leaving the shop as witness missed one of the
seals, and rangthe bell for his master to comedown stairs, to whom
he told his suspicion, and die prisoners were detained.
Mr. William Newby came down at the ring of the hell, and was
told by the last witness that he had lost a seal. The prisoners
denied taking it, and offered to be searched. They then wanted
to leave the shop, but witness went round to the door and made it
fast, while his shopman procured a constable. 'Wilson said there
was nothing against him, and be should go. Witness stopped
him, and in the struggle %Filson broke a square of glass. When.
the young man returned with the constable, witness had them
searched, during which Smith put the ring on the counter; wit.
mks went to take it up, when Smith put it into his hand, and said,
Ilent's one of your rings." Witness tomtit to the constable and
told him what the prisoner had said, repeating Smith's words.
South then said, " No, it is not yours • it is my wife's." They
were searched and taken to the watch.house. The seal has not
been found. The value of the ring is lbs.
Samuel Skelton, liesdborough of St. George's, Bloomsbury., lives
in King-street ; was sent for by Mr. Newby to take the prisoners
into custody ; he heard the observations of Smith respecting the
ring. He searched the prisoners; on Smith he found three new
knives, and on Wilson one; all the money they had was live fir.
things or three halfpence.
John Morley, 42, Leadenhall-street, cutler, said a young man
applied to him on the evening of the 211th of August, and showed
him four new pocket knives, asking him if he had been robbed of
such articles, as two men had been to Mr. Newby's in the after-
noon under pretence of purchasing a wedding ring, and had stolen
one; on searching the prisoners, four new knives and two old ones
were found. His master had looked into the Dirertni y, and found
witness's address answering to the names on two of the knives, and
sent him to make the inquiry ; witness looked at the knives, and
immediately recognised them as his property. On the morning of
the 28th, Smith came to witness, followed by Wilson, and showing
a common pocket knife, asked him if he had any of that pattern ?
Witness told him lie had none so common. Smith turned to • glass.
case, and said there were some there he thought would do; witness
told him he was afraid they were too expensive. Witness did not
like the appearance of the prisoners, and only opened the glass.
case about six inches, and handed his knives one at a time, and, as
he thought, returned them all to the ease. Smith spoke something
to his companion, and went away without purchasing. saying he
would call again. After they were gone, witness looked at his
glass-case and thought he missed a knife. In the evening, •ipm.
tleman called on him about the knives, to whom he said MOW
had two suspicious-looking men in the morning. He can WNW
_

to the prisoners and to two of the knives—the one found on Smith,
and one of those found on Wilson ; he had no, sold them to any
body ; is confident they were in the case when the prisoners came
in. The value of the knives is Ils.

Smith said nothing in his defence.
Wilson said his companion was not in the last witness's shop.
and asked the return of some duplicates, which were given to him.
They were both fully committed.
BREACH OF TRUST.
John George Dolt, alias Ddr, was brought up for making away
with a pair of trowsers, intrusted to him to return to Mr. Rees, of
the Strand, to be altered.
Simeon °dwell, publican, of the King's Arms in Chelsea. de-
posed
that the prisoner had lived with him three or four months as
pot-man, during nearly the whole of which time he had been ill ;
witness paid for medicine and necessaries for him, sometimes to the
amount of four or five shillings a day, and at last told hint he must
seek a place, as witness could not keep him any longer. The pri-
soner could not get a place readily. and witness let him come back-
wards and forwards. Last Wednesday week the prisoner carne
and said he was going to the Tower; witness having a pair of
trowsers that did riot suit him, asked the munner to leave then'
with Mr. Rees, in the Strand, as he went along; the prisoner
agreed to do so, and witness tied them up in a blue pocket hand.
kerchief; did not suspect the prisoner, and saw no more of him till
apprehended. The trowsers have not been recovered.
Mr. Rees said the prisoner had not returned him the trowsers.
The constable apprehended the prisoner at Rochester' by a de-
scription he had of him • in a window he saw a placard offering to
make oil of tartar for cleaning publican's pots, and by that means
secured the prisoner, who had lived with a Mr. Bellamy. a vender
of oil of tartar, wit:lent the prisoner a pair of boots, and intrusted
him to deliver oil of tartar to Mr. Mason, a publican, of whom he
received the money, 75., and never returned. On the prisocer he
found the blue handkerchief sworn to by Mr. Odwell.
The prisoner said they might do their wont and he would do his
best, and would not say any thing WI before a jury.
Mr. Hoes told him he did not call upon him to say any thing
criminatory ; but if he explained what he had time with the iron-
sets, or returned them. something favourable might transpire which
would be of service to him.
The prisoner replied he meant nothing dishonest, or he should
not have put the placard in the window ; he makes oil of tartar,
and had been to several publichouses to solicit orders ; in one he
had fallen asleep, where some one stole the trousers and left the
handkerchief; he did rot know the sign of the house.
lie is remanded for re-examination.
A SAILOR'S STORY.
A beggar, named Walker, was brought in by the St. James's
beadle for begging in St. James's-Owe.
He told a long story of being born in America ; in a voyage from
New York the ship he was in, the Resins, was wrecked on a rock
oft' Halifax, one hundred miles from the shoe.; that three hours
after the hands, eight in number, were picked up by the brig Mary,
which brought them to Bristol, where he had been supported by
the Amerkan Consul at Bd. per day; but at last was told to seek •
vessel for himself in hoodoo. There were no vowels at Liverpool;
he had been three Jaye coming from Bristol ; came in at Hyde
Park Corner; was told the name by • gentleman on the road; had
been to London once before, when he came over in the John and
Mary ; he came into town on Wednesday not belling when
the beadle took him op.—Committed foe seem days.
RAISIN° THE WIND.
&time, porter to Alt. Reason, it Covent-Roden intakes was
brought in by Avis, the sinew, irk, apprehended him that morn-
ing in a house in Caade.etroet, foe ehlehnnE 6“ pounds in hie
muter's name, under the pretmoe of wanting change.
Mr. Burn, a fl-ult salesmen in Covent-garilen market, said the
prisoner brought a letter to him about a week ago, ht the nee of

Mr. Reason, in which was a request for small change. The ciphers
were but so close to the gore that the request was actually 5001. instead of W. Wit Ilelol said to the prisoner, " Your master wants •
great deal of silver—titre hundred Founds' worth !•"• No," re.
Plied tine prisoner, " No. five pountis' worths and in the afteinoon
I'm to come again." Witness told his wile to give it him, and he
went away. Witness did not find out the cheat till he joked
Reason on the fAtlll.
No minty was found on the prisoner, who told the of is he had
been to Rath.
Me is remanded till Thursdav, for tie attendance of Mrs. Burn.
Batter, who defrauded the Dal of Gletigall and Viscomt Clif.
den, by presenting little parcels of paper as packages from the
country. was fully committed for trial for the fraud on bowl Cif-
: dn. .alr. Milligan, the butler to the Earl, holds a situation in
the Customs, and was prevented attending in time. He came
when It was all over.

BRUTAL ATTACK.
MARYLEBONE.—Jontes .11urlarlilan was brought forward on
a charge of assault by his own wife, an interesting looking woman.
She stated that her husband Was in the habit of beating her for
some time back ; and me Wednesday night in particular, about
twelve o'clock, as they were in boil together, he rose up and struck
her so severely on the fare that the blood Bowed profusely ; they
hale three young children.
Mrs. Austin stated, that she and her husband lodge in the some
house with the prisoner; on Wednesday night she was awakened
by the cry of murder from the prisoner's room ; she went in, and
SW Mrs. Maclachlan's head bleeding.
The prisoner admitted the charge, but promised that he would
never do it again.—Committed.
SUSPICION OF FRAUD.
On Wednesday night, a little before eight u'elock, a very pretty
girl, genteelly dressed, entered this office, C Mowed by a young man,
having the appearance of a gentleman, and a constable belonging
to St. Pancras. The lady presented herself hetore Mr. lin Ifr IT it,
and as she opened a small parcel she thus addressed hint I
hare reason, Sir, to suspect, that more than 15 months ago this
man (pointing to Francisco, for that in the sequel proved to be his
name) obtained four sovereigns of me, leaving this watch (taking
one with an embossed case from her parcel), which he said was
gold, and this shawl (taking one from the same depository), as a
security."
Mr. Onern—Tellme the pat ticulan.—He mine, Sir, to a
house in Grafton-street East, where I lodged, to inquire for apart-
ments. The lady of the house was from home, and he saw my
servant; he told het he wanted to engage apartments for his gentle-
man, a Captain. 1 bad a friend a Captain, who was abroad, and
as the person who applied was a foreigner, my servant concluded
that the Captain he wanted apartments for must be my friend, and
she, therefore, asked him into my sitting-room, and tailed me
from my chamber. I sooh 'found that my savant had made
a mistake; but we tittered into conversation, and the person
informed me that his gentleman, a Captain, had just arrived
at the Custom-)nice from abroad • he had brought property with
him ; but could not get it on shore until he had paid 41. for
duty. He requested me to lend him 41.. and he would leave a
beautiful gold watch and a shawl in my possession. Ile then pro-
duced this watch and this shawl, and said he would leave them
with me until lie returned me the intwey, and particularly re-
quested di:A I would show them to know one, as he was liable to be
imprisoned for taking them out of the ship before the duty was
paid. I have never seen him since until this day. She then stated
that her,nanic was Matilda Townshend, and that that evening
Francisca called at her present residence, No. 19, Mary-street,
Hampstead-road, to inquire tor apartments for lily gen.lernan. She
was not at home, and he said he would call again. When she re-
turned, and heard her servant's description of him, and his errand,
-(not the same servant who lived with her in Graf:on-street East,)
she suspected he was her old watch and shawl acquaintance. She
therefore sent for a constable to prevent his running away; and
when he called a second time he was taken into custody, and brought
to the office. She was sure he was the same person, for he was
: a dark-looking man, hp had dark whiskers, and tile same
kind of voice and speech. Ile certainly then appeared to be
halite! y:7.-.7.iter—t: ai'o rather stouter; but she was err-
tain he was the same man, from a purple and red mark which he
had on his right cheek.—(There was n red spot upon the right side
of his face, more resembling a pimple than a permanent mark.]
The watli site stated, was not worth two-pence, for it was made of
metal, and would not go ; she had a gold watch at !ionic. but it was
quite a different thing ; and the shawl was considered by a haber-
dasher oilier acquaintance to lie word) only a few shillings. She
did not ask the name of the Captain when she leitt him the money,
and she lent it tut no other considenition titan to release his
property.
The defendant was an Italian, and spike the English bingo ge
so imperfectly that Mr. Griffith with difficulty understraselliiin.
Mr. GRIFFITH asked him what he had to Pay ? Francisco—l
got very little to say.
Mr. Gator rru.--What is your ninie ?—My name is Fran-
cisco Marrigetti. The lady say I rob her 15 months ago ; I have
been in England not quite II months, and I never have the honour
to see her before this day.
Mr. GRIFFITH to Miss Townsliend—Thi-, Madam, ha seri-
ous charge—are you certain as to hi+ permit I—llia dress was
different, but I Lel cnnvieced he is the satire person.
At that moment the Second Clerk put one of the office books
into the Magistrate's hand, which contained the description of two
foreigners who had, by similar stratagems, !awry defrauded a lady
in the Edgware.road of eighteen sovereigns. and the description of
one of them corresponded very closely with Fransisco's appearance.
In answer to many questions from Mr. GUIFFITH and Sir
PETER LAURIE, he said he was valet to Mr. Eberly, a German
gentleman. living at No. G, St. James's-place, Ilampstead-road.
His master had a large acquaintance ; among the number, he named
the Dukes of York, Sussex, Portland, and Buckingham. His
gentleman did not like his present apartment, and he was going to
remove that night, or the following morning, to No. 14, Grafton-
street. _ _ _

Alias 'rownshend, to Francisco—flow could you want ppartments
in Ahoy-street, if you had taken sonic in Grafton-street
Francisco—l have not decided ;if my gentleman go to Grafton-

street. hr i. to pay 26.. a-week ; if he wuld come to you for 245.
he would hke it better. _ _

Mr. GRIFF3THS—And are you to go to Grafton-street with
him Francisco—l hope so, if this lady will let me.
Mr. Gnu's. Fru—That is it I agree to it. If you are an honest
man nothing amiss will happen to you ; if you have given a false
account. you must remain in custody, and be broureit before me
again to.morrow. An officer will go with you to St. James's-
Street, and elsewhere ; and it your statement is found correct, you
will be set at liberty.
Miss .fownshend to the Magistrates--I do not understand it,
will Ibe punished? No, said Sir PETER LAURIE, you have
intended a public service.
Mr. Oa IFri-I.ll—As far as we know, a hat you have done is
very proper. The account given by the valet was found correct,
and he was liberated.