The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-07-22 00:00:00

POLICE.

LADY ERSKINE.
Masstow-lIOVSE.—The Lord Mayor has received some corn-
municatione relative to lady Erskine. since our last publication en
the subject, and Lady Erskine herself waited upon hit Lordship,
She expressed her regret that the pulite Papers had noticed her
spplic+►'ion=on ter children's account slits te,„eretted it, but she
knew that it was dictated by a good feeling. She felt peculiarly
on account of an error of a very injurious nature to her children
and herself. fr appeared, from elf account that .had reached the
that Lord Erskine and herself were acnuainted as man and
wife before t';eir marriage. This was nut the fact. Lord Erskine
took her into Scotland, and acknowledged her as his wire ; a cere-
mony which she understood from him, and every one else, equiva-
lent to the n-aniage ceremony of that country, before the intimacy

alluded to took place.
The LORD MAYOR asked her what the ages and condition of
her three children, who were no longer under her protection, were.
She burst into tears uponbeing asked this question, and was un-
able to answer for some momenta. lifer distress wasv,ahe said, cc-
(=sinned by the apprehension that her children would be disgraced
by the mention of the calamities of their mother, as there was but
little excuw', in the opirion of the great wotld, for poverty, how-
ever unavoidable. She then informed the Lord Mayor, that she
b licverl her three oldest children were well provided for, but it was
with great pain she ever alluded to iltent in her subsequent Onset.-
sation. She lamented that.her inclination to beep at home with
her the only child who had not been removed to a distance from
her. had excited any animosqy.
The Lotto MaTon asked her whether she was-tiirirett of baying
caused, In any other mannet, any feeling,against het
She teplied that she certainly had not done anything Mediated to
gyre offence. There never bad been any complaint abbot_ one
circumstance in which she was concerned, which Ad stiltd ger
to the slightest reproach. •
ills LOU osn IP could not help expressing his astonishment at
such an utter desertion as that of which the condition of Lady.
Erskine was a proof.
She repeated that she charged nobody with the unfortunate 'titra-
tion in which she wan placed ; but she thought that; in the allow-
ance node to her, a leas painful way of supplying her wants might-
be adopted. Indeed, she had suffered so moch•degradation in en-
deavouring to procure the pittance to which she supposed, she had
some claim, that it would hare been much mare agrecahleto'her to'
tarn her bread by bodily labite, than to submit to the toil aid
unoitness of incessant solicitation.
The Loop Maxon atlatived that the fact was an extraordinary
one. It was in fact inexplicable to him, that after Lady rrskine
had been recognized as the wife of Lord Erskine by the King, and
that her ease had been mule an instance of /foist, bounty, such
dreadful neglect had followed, that the unfortunate lady was al-
lowed to sink to so low a state in society.
Ludy Erskine said she had expressed a wish that she might be
aft titilrf I little business, which would contribute to'her ancl
her
c:tiltra support. It was, however thought that she was not adapted
to trade, and all opportunity of escaping from the degrading condi:
lion in which she was kept wan denied her. She felt her downfall
nurse bitterly, as she received theahillings doled out to her as if she
was a pauper dependent upon the bounty of a parish.
The Loon Mavon, although he cvitisntly wished to avoid
being suspected of an i: tention to reflect upon any particular in-r-
-olls said it tro most cruel to subject Lady Erskine to the Mettles
whichl she appeared to feel so keenly. It was disgraceful to refuse
tr niakc the miserable payments regular, because she detained her
child, as the child must suffer as well as its mother by such a sys-
tem of punishment. Ills Lordship, at the same time, said that he I
cou!d not suppose that Lady Erskine would object to alloi her min
to go to school, for the purpose of receiving the education suitable
to his rank. It was, he added, a most distressing thing to see the
Poor child deprived of the advantages which his Lordship was
happy to find the other children were enjoying.
Lady Erskine said she had by no Osearet any objection of the
kir d. She was most anxious to see hint under good tuition, and
indeed he lied not alantether, since lie left school, been by any
means neglected ; a bgbolnr, who had heard of the circumstances 1
of the child, humanely undertook to give him lissons, and she has
herself taught him as far as she was capable. She could not,,liow-
ever, bear to be tom away from hint altogether, as was the ease
with tegard to her other children.
The loan MAYOR said it would he monstrous to put such
barrier between a nto:her and her child, and he hoped, when thd
executors of Lord Erskine were in town, that every thing would be
satisfactorily arranocd.
Ills Lordship then gave Lady Erskine some money which he
had received for her, One soot was from a Nobleman who was
well acquainted with Lund Erskine ; a few pounds were sent by
Ilarristers ; but all does not amount to 20/., notwithstanding the
strong impression which the story of Lady Erakitie's misfortunes
made on the put tic mind.
How to acc.ount for the extraordinary coldness of the English
feeling upon this occasion, the Lord Mayor acknowledges himself
completely at a loss. Ilia Lordship has received several communi-
cations with respect to Lady Erskine, from different persons, all of
whoa agree in the following account ::--
Lally Erskine is the daughter of a respectable tradesman at the

west h sass oti e town, who was unfortunate in Madness. Site was a
girl of uncommonly fascinating manners. Having been apprenticed
to a (Om( bannet-maker, site soon became well acquainted with
that business, and she recommended himself in a thousand ways
ed
te
those.with whom she associated. Lord Ereitinolescameactputint
with her accidentally. Ile fell desperately ih liere, and prevailed
.upon her to accompany him to ScolUnd, where, as it bas been be-
'fore stated, he acknowledged her as his wife. When he was first
acquainted with her, .he said his name was Thomas, and that he
was a private gentleman ; and she consented to be his wife, for the
passion was mutual. without linnwing any thing of his rank or ch..
curnstancee. They lived happily together until after the bifth of
their third child, abottt sixteen years ago, when Lady Erskine, in
consequence of a puerperal disease, became subject to mental Oa.
ra•ions. Her husband's happiness was broken. A separation took
pace, and Lady Erskine was afterwards under the care of Doctor
Ni'arburton fur some time. Her affection and regard for Lord
Erskine and for her children, is represented as approaching to
madness. She was always frantic in her fears anti in her ex-
pressions of love for them ; and those who know her beat, while
they lament her poverty, and the unhappiness of which she is the
palpable victim, declare that she is the most likely person in the
world to be deceived or impo•ed upon, and that it will be
necessary to guard any independence of which she may become
Mistress, with peculiar care. She has. in fact, been represented to
the Lord Mayor (anti he has constantly been active in his inquiries,
'teem the motive of strong compassion by which he was influ-
' iwceil when first Lady Erskine addressed hint), as an object of the
'deepeet commiseratihn. Had he rot noticed the application, the
probability is, that the unfortunate lady would have been starved to
.deatia Muititudes of persons reduced to abject poverty, who had
claims of some kind, have within the last few months been res-
cued from starvation by applying at the Mansion House, where, to
the honour of the citizens ofLotalm, every cased affliction undergoes
investigation. The 51agistrates at other offices are in the habit of
saying that they have nothing to do with eases of distress, except
such as include the bad conduct of parish officers. The Lord
Mayor bait more titan once stated; that he considers it one of the
chief duties of a Magistrate to hear end advise, if he cannot directly
assist, in all cases of hardship and misfortune.
'SUICIDE IN A WATCHHOVSE.
HATT ow-ciaamew.—Yesteeday Atkins, the night conetahle of
Pentonvilfe Watailtotnie, came before the sitting Magistrate, W. b.
Rogers, Esq., and stated, that on the previous evening, about half-
past ten, a man named Charles Arnold was given in custody, on a
charge of felony. anti being somewhat violeet, lie was placed, in the
lockup room; being the only prisoner confined therein, they had
no pcession to go there until about live in the morning, when on
entering the cell, he was found suspended from the iron railing over
the door, and appeared to have been dead for some hours. After
having cut him down,•they ascertained that his neck-handkerchief
had been taken off and interwoven with a pocket handkerchief,
Which he had twisted fighdrabout hie neck ; a third handkerchief
Was looped close tit der the ear, and uttached to the mil-work. It
appeared that be had elevated himself by rolling up ore of the
. watchmen's ems to stand on, which he had afterwards kicked
away, and was, in fact, rather :sttangled than hanged, as his feet
positively touched the ground.
Mr. ROGERP thought it rather strange that time watchhouee-
keeper or his assistant had not gone in during the night, particu-
larly as they were aware that the prisoner was alone.
Atkins replied that it was not customary to da ao, unless the pri-
soner happened to require assistance. They did not anticipate an
event of this nature, or they should have taken means to prevent it.
Hearing no noise during the night, which from their contiguity to
the cell they must have done had any been made, they considered
teat he had fallen into a sound sleep.
Mr. flonlens remarked, that although there was now no remedy
for the unfortanate occurrence, yet he hoped that it would operate
as a caution to them for the future. The duty of a watchhouse-
keeper was not confined merely to the safe custody of his. pri-
soners; he was also bound to take proper tare of them in other
respects. as it often happened that men were introduced to such
placesiin a state of helpless intoxication„ and were of course liable
to be smothered, or carried off in a fit. He would therefore
strenuously recommend that the prisoners be inspected at least
every half hour.
The night constable said that for his part he would In future
rigidly adopt the worthy Magietrwe's suggestion.
Mrs. Forney, of Stoke Newington, a broker, atated that a fee
days since she had lost a copper boiler, which was traced to the
prisoner, who is well known as anold offender. From private in-
formation he was apprehended the evening before, in Ai bite Con-
duit-fielde, and taken to the watch house.
• Mr. ItonEns remarked that the unfortunate man had taken a
desperate and effectual means of evading justice.
THE INCORRIGIBLE SWINDLER.
Mary Lloyd, otherwise Jones. otherwise Williams, otherwise
Edward', otherwise Bruton, and we know not how many other
names she has in various times assumed, made her 50th appearance
on these bawds, iridie character of general female swindler, which
she hay long sustained with unexampled address, though not alto.
gether to the satisfaction of her friends.
It appeare that she has recently put down her carriage, die.
charged her mock...groom (her son), anti reduced her establishment
to single fisnme de eltambre. She has been lodging at No. 19, •
Smiseis.street7Eatsts•New-roed, promising topay for the accommo-
dation of a suite' dr' apartments the humble rent of thirty shillings
per week, and levying contributions on the various tradespeople in
the neighbourbood,who were so eaptirated with the urbanity,of her
manners and 'general lady-like deportment, that not only her table,
but several others, were abundantly furnished with them), beeper.
ticles of the pahlton vitir, and a plentiful supply of aqua vita
also tat her verbal promise of indemnification.
A host of pentane were in attentlanee•to prefer charges Regina her
fur swindling them of goods to various amounts; but, unfor-
tunately, on this, as on every .previotta occasion, she had inge-
niously contrived to keep out of the hinge of the law. No case of
actual fraud being substantiated,
Mr. ItooEnS" said that site must be once more let loose on the
world ; and he sincerely regretted that it was not in his power to get
her out sent of the country, as she was cm of die most incorrigible
swindles he had ewer known.
The lady retired with the utmost nonchalance, laughing at her
imerous creditor.

FRF.NCII EGGS.
MAD Loon oI G 11-ST REUT —Two Guernsey sailors, yesterday,
made a complaint against an egg-deader, in Compton-street, Soho,
wha had ordered a case of thirteen hutulrea' eggs, and refused to
pay for them, on the ground that more than half were bad of a
former chst t though he hail consented to take seven casts (a cast
is six eggs) for what might happen to be indifferent. One of the
Fr:nehmen said, they always examined the eggs with a candle in
France, before they packed them.
Sir Oxouut: FAIIBANT told the Frenchman to summon the
dealer ; but oti explaining to him thut a summons must be taken
out one day and heard that day week, he urged the sailing of his
vessel, a d that the captain had returned. Sir George sent an offi-'
eer with the sailors to the dealer, to desire his attendance. On the
return of the parties, the case wore a different coMplexion. The
dealer said he.bought a case of eggs of M. Merhu, the captain, at
the magazine of the wharf, which turned out. very good, after which
he bought another, tino out of 1.3151 of the 'eggs- in which case were
bad; on. his cert laining to the captain, he seas refused compensa-
tion; and having to remedy ag,ainat teforolgtier; who was aria day
in. England and lie next in Guernsey or Jersey, be, hit on an ex-
pedient to do justice to himself, which wasoo send a stranger for a
case at the rge. the price of which was 41. 2s. 44d. • When he got
the case home, Ire law the card on it was similar to the card on the
case of bad eggs ; he therefore, determiued on stopping 2/. an the last
c se, for his less on the previous one; but the agent denied the
ownership to be the tame. To convince hint of the truth, the dealer
'holed' hint the card, which the cautious Frenchman attempted .0
destroy, but the other snatched the piece's out of his hand and pro-
du. ed to the Magistrates.
• This evidence rather staggered the Frenchman, who admitted
that M. Merlin was the owner in both sales.
Sir tiroatie FAPRANT desired the dealer to pay the French-
man "1.25. 21d., which he agreed to do; and told the Frenchman,
when the captain catne again, to go to the dealer for an.explanatiou.
Frenchman—Any ling to pay ?
Sir GEORGE FAaRAN T —No, nothing to pay—cheap law in
England—you have it all for nothing !
Denis !Minnie, a plasterer, was brought to the office on the fol-
loviing charge of suspicion
' Mr. Bristow, who keeps a coffee shop in Drury-lane, said th
prisoner came into his shop that, day, about one o'clock, for a cup ef
collie and two eggs, which were served him, and as the prisoner
had known his wife from childhood, witness entertained no idea of
his dishonesty, and left hiM in the shop while he went up stairs.
Witness gets up very early in the morning, therefore lies down in
the 'afternoon ; and on going to do so that day, left two watches
hanging over the chimney of the parlour ; the one was worth six
guineas, the other about fourteen shillings. bad not been ab-
sent from the shop more than two initiates, when the prisoner had
eat (lie two eggs, drank die coffee, and left the shop. No one bad'
been there while the private: was present, nor ef.er he left, but the'
watches were gone. Witness had him apprehended at his mas-
ter's in Wild-street, I.h.coln's-ion•fields, but the property was not
found.
The prisoner owned no one else had been in the shop, and that
he had not been longer than the time stated at his meal, because
be wanted to get to work, but raid he, knew nothing of the watches.
Bristow hesitated a long time before he would charge the pri-
soner on suspicion, on account of the long time he had known him ;
but by the advice of several in the tidier, he uhintately consented,
and the prisoner was remanded to animal time to make inquiries.
Shepherd, the landlord of the Intrepid Fox, in Wardour-street,
attended to answer the complaint of a Trade Society of 'Fedora,
who had meetings at his house, as to the loss of a box, containing
the books and funds. There was a sum of 46!., part of which was
a LOI. note, and enotber of bl. lUti.
Mr. linemen, the SolLitor, attended on the part of the land-
lord.
Mr. Shepherd said the Society had met one night in his house,
and lett the box, but gave .him no intimation that it contained
sweet?, he • - for security
Tuesday
front

belonged to the Society, from having seen them before. Site asked
them if they wanted the plate+ and the hammer, and they said no.
They went into the Rose and Crown. She would know them again.
The stewards, John Butler arid James Collins, said they_ had •
list of the members; there were about fifty, but they did not take
a note of those present at the Rose and Crown. They Insisted that
if the box had been taken to the Rose and Crown the Sodety would
have received it.
Sir Oeottne FAR nastr thought differently. They took thCbox
to die Rorie and Crown to ovoid the suspicion of Mr. Shepherd, but
did not take it into the club-room. Sir George recommended sum.
miming all the tailors, for the landlord and the girl to point out
the two who took the box. This was acceded to, and the parties
Teoleft.
men were brought from St. Pancras latch-house, for being
found at 12 at night with a bundle of linen and another of books.
It turned out that a Mr. Harding, had taken a house in Churl-
ton-street. Somer's.town, which he had opened in the general sale
line, but finding it • bad speculation, told his landlord he had got
an appointment abroad, and should leave the shop, but did not say
when. This conversation was en Wednesday. On Thursday he
sold a portion of his stock to a Mr. Joyce, for Of. 55.. which the
prisoners were removing at 12 at right. The constable mopped
them at the watch-house ; and the landlord, before the hearing, put
a seizure on the bundles.
The constable rutted that there was a quarter's rent due, besides
rates and taxes..
Harding said he left the fixtures behind for the rent.
• It wits ultimately settled that the landlord should have the fix.
tures valued, deduct the sum for the tent due, and release the sei-
zure, on payment of the remainder.
The young men were discharged.
,SHOPLIFTINfi.
thstox-Ilatt.—YeSierdaY a Itoung woman, named Marcia
Pearnum, was brought up in custody to this Office, before the
Sitting Magistrate, J. C. Caldwell, Esq. on a charge of stealing a
piece of cotton print, containing 20 yards, from the shop of Mr.
Beachey, a linen-draper, in Illoxham-place, Lambeth.
The complainant stated, that on Thursday morning the prisoner
tame to his shop under the pretence of purchasing sonic articles
of linen-drapery. Ilaving asked to look at some articles, which
there was a dilfi^uhy in placing his hands on, the prisoner availed
herself of the opportunity when his back was turned, and took a
piece of print off the counter, which she slipped under her shawl.
and then hastily left the shop. The complainant was surprised at
her sudden departure; but this was accounted for on looting to the
counter, when he missed the property in question, which was
there on her entrance. He followed the prisoner, whom he over-
took at a short distance from his house, and on requesting her to
accompany him back she mule some scruples ; bat he ultimately
insisted upon examining the articles undo her cloak, when she pro-
duced the piece of cotton print, and besought his forgiveness,
urging distrees as the cause that had driven her to commit the theft.
The Alagistrate, in eonintiving the prisoner for trial, observed,
that the property of shopkeepers should be protected from the
plunder of persons soch as the prisoner; who visited shops for
the very purpose of stealing wh.itever articles came within their
reach.
A respectable looking man, who described himself as contractor
for lighting the lamps of a village in Surrey, entered the office in
the course of the day, and made the following application to the
Magistrate:—lle said, that he had engaged a person for the pur-
pose of lighting the lamps of a •village, at wages of 11. 15s. per
week. A few nights ago, as he (applicant) was sitting at home, a
Crowd of the inhabitants came to fur house and complained loudly
of his gross inattention for not having the village lamps lighted up
as usual. Astonii.hed at such a complaint, and scarcely believing
there was ground for it, he proceeded nut in order to have ocular
demonstration, and found tire whole village in total darkness. Ile
instantly repaired to the dwelling of the person whom he had en-
gaged as lamplighter, and found him lying in bed in such a state
ofintoxication as rendered hint completely inc,pable of mount-
ing a ladder. Now the object of the application was to ascertain
whether he- could not severely punish this man for such ne.

gligence.
' Magistrate—sly advice to you is to discharge him immedi- 1
ately. .
Applicant—But I should wish to have him brought before your
Worship and punished in such a manner as would make him re-
member the night he neglected to light the lamps. The gentlemen
with whom I have entered into the contract threaten to cancel the
agreement, owing to the negligenceof this drunken fellow.
The Magistrate agaM repeated that the applicant's only remedy
was to discharge the man from •his service, and-patividaldinself
with one of more sober habits, that would regularly light up the
village, ard not leave the inhabitants to grope about in the dark.
Applicant—Your Worship.- I have one more qttestton to put to
you, and that is,•whether I should be authorized in giving the
tcliow I complain of .a good sound thrashing for the non-perform-
ance of his duty. If the law is on my side, IL should like to put it
into execution fOrthwith.
The Magistrate, who could not help smiling at the question, ad.
vistd the applicant, as before, to discharge the drunken lamplighter,
but not to assault him, otherwise he (the applicant) might stand a
chance of standing at the bar of that office as a defendant.
The applicant then retired, apparently di.ppointed at not having
the Magistrate's sanction to pummel the unfortunate lamplighter.

any thing of value • however, be put it in his bed-room for security.
In the afternoon of the 'finials; following, two men whom he knew
'to belong to the Society, from their being there the first night,
came in the afternoon to bespeak. the club-room, and he made pre.
parations to get it ready; but something occurring in the arrange.
ment, they had their meetmg at the Rose and Crown, and brought
the box back at eleven at night. On the next meeting night the 1
two men came for the box. saying, the Satiety were going to meet
at the Rose and Crown, and that they wanted the books. Not sna-
p cting any thing, Air. Sharplititd gave them the box, and saw them
go into the Rose and Crows with it ; he knew nothing further;
they never brought it back. .
A little girl said she saw the men take the box, and is sure they
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