The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-01-12 00:00:00

POLICE.

MATTON.OARDEN.
CMAR(IE OF FELONY ILEFUTED.—Yesterday
Esq. a gentleman of very considerable fortune in ' mbridgeshin,
was brought up in the custody of a constable, under the following
extraordinary charge :
Alm. Martha Dutton, an elderly widow lady, residing at N 0...,
Ilart-street, Bloomsbury, stated, that the person at the bar can:,
to her house a short time back, and engaged a suit of apartment;
for the use of himself and his wife, at the rent of 21. 10s. per wets,
for an indefinite time, urging that the nature of his business as
such as precluded the possibility of his saying, with any precisio,,
what time he should have occasion to remain in town ; yesterdar
morning he sent word that he was about to go, and desired his bi
to lie sent in ; there was then one week due, and another entetai
on, and although it is customary with persona keeping lodgings is
demand the full amount of the week's tent, as the genie.
man had not taken the apartments for any specific term, and as
there was only one day of the new week expired, she waived cline
privilege, and demanded merely the sum actually due, being
Id. Ss. 6d., the N. bang for the rent, 2s. for washing, and Is. 6e.
for the servant, who attended them. Mr. Smith, on receiving the
bill, desired that the balance of a 6/. note should be sent him, std
that he would pay ; complainant thereupon sent her servant with
two sovereigns, and he gave her a M. note, marked on the back
" John Smith," but not having any address. She (the complainant;
thought this strange, and immediately went into the parlour when
Mr. and Jura. Smith were then making preparation for their dr.
perture, and requested him to write his address on the rote ; ti
said " it was not necessary that he should do so ; the note was a
good one, and that was quite enough." Complainant though
otherwise, and abutted, that she would not accept it unless to
did ; he refused in rather a peremptory manner, and complain=
then said, " You are going away, and I expect to be paid on
money before you leave the house." To this he made no re.
ply ; but taking up the two sovereigns sent in change, and tits
W. note, be put them into his pocket, and went out to call a coact.
On his return, he sent up stairs for his travelling bag, and coo.
plainant said, " 1 think, Sir, you should leave the luggage um;
my demand is satisfied." This he objected to, and said, " Madan,
do you mean to detain my luggage I if you do it will be at your
peril." He then got into the coach, along with the lady. and
said, " I am going to the Bell Inn, Holborn," and drove away.
Complainant sent her servant-maid after the coach, and had
him subsequently arrested for taking away the two sovereigns
which she had sent him in change of the 61. note.
The complainant's statement having terminated here, Mr. Smith
begged leeve to speak.
Mr. Sergeant SELLOW acquiesced ; and Mr. Smith said, that he
wished, in the lint place, to know under which charge he an
to consider himself ? " I have been placed at this bar as a car.
mon felon (continued Mr. S.), which is a very serious charge;
and

Mr. Sergeant SELLON—I think that by this lady's statement
there is no such intention. There may have been fauns, per.
haps, on both sides, but I presume that the payment of the money
is all that will he required of you at present.
Mr. Smith—l have already been brought before Alderman
Birth, an ,e a direct charge of- felony writ:en down against me,
and was by that gentleman sent here for your adjudication. It
is now incuti'i'ent on me to explain the business for your satisfac.
don, and in vivification of my own character, which this soma,
has taken very unnecessary, and indeed very unwarrantable pains
to sully. my mane, as already stated, is Smith ;lam a gentleman
of fortune, well knosrn in Cambridgeshire, and 1 think I may
affirm, the last that ws.dld willingly commit a dishonest or dn.
honourable action. Thee is much truth in what this woman has
stated, as regards this tram -action. I offered her the IL note with
my name indorsed on the bask, but without my address, which, I
submit, 1 was not compelled t,, give, unless in courtesy, and we an
seldom disposed to be courteous an those who have not treated as with
common civility—such has been L.'', case, as I have experienced
great incivility at this lady's hands. The note I received with
others a few days ago at the Bank, an as it never sacs left my
pocket-book, there was no doubt of its gee:nineties, on that WM.
ciple alone 1 refused to give my address, and when the lady thought
fit to make use of some very insolent remarks, I went out to pro.
cure change, but could not get it in any of the shops about, and
being obliged to leave town by a particular coach, I desired he:
servant to follow me to the Bell Inn, Holborn, and she should be
paid; but soon after I got there, I was taken into custody by a
constable, and have been most vexatiously delayed In my journey
on account of this business. It is now, I conceive, my turn tolled
for redress.
Mr. Sergeant SELLON concurred in the opinion expressed by
Mr. Smith, that he was not bound to write his address on the note.
at the saute time the complainant might naturally enough expect
him to do so, particularly as he (Mr. S.) was a stranger to her, and
quitting town ; the note might or might not be genuine, and nit
proved a forgery, which in some instances has happened without
the knowledge of the person paying it, how was a person in clam
plantain's situation to trace it merely from a name, without an
address? The Learned Sergeant concluded by saying, that he
would recommend Mr. Smith to pay the sum claimed.
Mr. Smith accordingly paid the full amount of the debt, and
the two sovereigns he had taken away, and was discharged.
EXTENSIVE FRAUDS, AND DESPERATE ESCAPE Or Tin
PRISONER.—On Saturday night, a young man most fashionable
dressed, who gave his name as Charles Henry, was brought before
ALAN S. LAING, Esq. charged with the commission of several acts
of fraud upon a number of tradesmen and shopkeepers in various
parts of the metropolis, under the following circumstances :
Mr. Edward Watson, clock and watch-maker, of King-stave;
Cheapside, stated, that the prisoner at the bar had for some time
back been in the habit of calling into his shop, and examining and
pricing various articles; at length he seemed to have taken • par.
denier fancy to a musical anuffibox, the selling price of which we.
61. es. and tor which he then offered 54. Complainant said he caul'.
not take that sum for the article, which was really worth the price
set upon ft, and prisoner went away, alleging that although he
fancied the box, yet It was too much money to squander upon
bauble. In a few days, however, he made his appearance, ant
asked if the hex had been sold ? He was answered in the negative,
and then asked to see it once more. After some minutes examina-
tion he said, " well, I must have it, but you must take off the 6s.
and make it pounds. The price was agreed to, and he presented
in payment a sovereign, and a check tor li. signed " Charles
Henry," drawn on Messrs. Williams, bankers, Buclain-lane.
particular objection was taken to this mode of payment, as h:
really appeared to have all the air of a young man of lortune like!!
to have an account at a banking-house. On presenting tht
check, the reply was, that no person of that name was at all knosn.
there ; and that the check was of no more value than a piece en
waste paper. Complainant, on this, made some inquiry conomiing
him amongst the rest of the trade, with a view of putting theme.
their guanl, and by that means learned that be had defrauded snare
other persons in a similar way.
Another gentleman, a jeweller, residing in Mooreelds, who was
present, stated, that the prisoner bad defrauded him of a valuable
gold watch, by the same means, and observed, that, in the event o.
Mr. Watson's case not being satisfactorily brought home, he would
give evidence against him.
The prisoner made no defence further than a simple denial of
having any concern in the transaction, and was committed to New
Prison, under forty-eight hours' notice of hail.
Yesterday morning Arnold, the gaoler, came before Mr. Sergeart
Sellon and Mr. Lamg, to say that that the prisoner (Henry, as he
calls himself,) had escaped from his custody on the previous even-
ing. In consequence of instructions to that effect, Arnold was
bringing up the prisoner from Clerkenwell to Nevrgate, double
handcuffed, and when going through Smithfield, Henry begged
permission to step into a grocer's shop, in order, as he said, to Par-
chase some tea and sugar before going to Newgate : Arnold, not
suspecting any thing, immediately consented, and while the prisoner
was in the shop making his purchases, Arnold stood outside, his
back being to the door ; the prisoner taking advantage of that cit.
cumetance. made a sudden rush from the counter, struck Arnold
tremendous blow on the back of head, which brought him to the
ground, and the fellow effected his escape through smithfield-bam
Inquiry has been since made at the various policemffices, and
seems that information was given (it is suppisset) against him fee
forgery at union-Hall a short time back, and a reward was then
offered for his apprehension. He has gone by the name of Miles
and Henry, hut it appears that his real name Later, and he is said to
be a native of Reading, in Berkshire. When apprehended, a blank
check-book. on the house of Burgess, amt
' Williams, was found in his pocket, many leaves of which were
torn out, and were, no doubt, paid away in the same manner.

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HIGH WATER THIS DAY AT LONDON BRIDGE.
Morning 34 min. after 7. I Afternoon 6 min. mine O.

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