The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-11-18 00:00:00

UNION HALL.

Two young men of decent -------------- put to the bar, charged
by a mechanic, named Simpson, with having robbed him On the
highway.
Simpson stated, that as he was returning home to his lodg.
ings about nine o'clock it night, on passing over BLlckfriars-bridge,
he was met and acclated by the two rueo at the bar, both of whom
accompanied him some distance down Black:darn-road, and then
robbed him of a pair of wonntsi stockings which he had purchased
that evening, together with about three quarters of a pound of
German sausage. The complainant added, that these things were
taken from his person.
One of the prisoners who stated himself to be a tide waiter in
the Revenue, when asked by the .Magistray.: what he had to say in
answer to the charge, replied, that the complainant had brought
bieward a most unjust charge against him and Ilia companion. The
facts were these—On the night in question he and dust person were
walking over the bridge, at the acclivity of which, on the Survey
side, they observed the nun who now charged them with
having robbed him, lying down on the pavement apparently
in a helpless state of intoxication, and by his side, at a t.hoet
distance, were the pair of stockings and the sausages. lie, the pri-
soner. picked them up, and putting them into his pocket, called to
his fellow-prisoner, and both assisted in leading him down the road ;
however, they had not proceeded many yards from the bridge, when
the complainant, to their utter astonishment, became all at once per-
fectly sober, and seizing those who were helping him in his apps.
rent drunken state, charged both of them with having robbed him
of the above articles. _

The Magistrate asked the complainant whether it was a fact
that he had been found in the situation described by the prisoner.
The complainant admitted that he was lying down on the pan.
went when the prisoner came up to him; be had stretched himself
along the stones, pretending to be drunk (but, said he, your War-
ship, I was no more drunk than I am at this 'nauseam and taking
the stockings and sausages out of his pocket, put them down on
the pavement by his side, in order to judge who was honest and
who was nut. The plan was no sooner laid than he found cus-
tomers tor his stockings and his sausages in the persons of the two
prisoners.
The Magistrate, upon hearing this confession, expressed his sur.
prise at the absurd conduct pursued by the complainant, whom he
severely rebuked for resorting to such a method of ensnaring any
individual who chose to be dishonest, in order to have them brought
before a Magistrate, and Committed ter a robbery.
The Alagutrate then discharged both the prisoners, and advised
the complainant never to attempt a scheme of that kind again to
entrap any poor wretch, who, probably, seeing his sausages exposed,
might be tempted to steal thew to appease hunger.
A Flemish egg-merchant, named Pierre Jurrin was charged
with having committed assaults upon three different
One of the ladies stated, that as she was walking along (heat
Charlotte-street, the Frenchman came up to her, and, without any
kind of ceremony, gave her a desperatehlow in:the eye, which had
completely closed and blackened it.
Two other ladies also proved assaults against the defendant, but
which were not SO ItTere 111 their nature as that committed upon
the first witness.
The constable of the Christ Church watch house, where the de.
fondant was ce-Iveyed, stated, that of all the dui ',crate and power- '
lot men he hail ever to deal with, the egg-merchant was the most '
violent. It took six stout watchmen to carry him there, and his
abets to break away when in custody were exerted to his utmost
strength. The constable then stated, that when the defendant be-
came a little calm, he gave the following account of the transac-
tion :—lle had landed in England a few days before, with a cargo
of eggs, and haying disposed of it, and received the money, he was
determined to see a little of " Life in London," before he went
back to his family. For this purpose he fortifier' himself with a
few glasses of flullands, and sallied forth in quest of adventures.
lie had not proceeded tar, when, giving insult to a female in the
road, she struck him, and the ladies abovernentioued happening to
pass the spot when it occurred. were assaulted by the defendant in
in the way described, for which he was locked up. The constable
said that the egg-merchant hada good deal of money in his
.pockets
when he was brought to the watch-house, which he was in great
danger of having lost.
The 3lat.i lIAT I; asked the defendant what he had to state in
his defence ?
Tile poor egg merchant merely shook his head and shrugged up
his shoulders. Ile was then discharged, upn paying the hest wit-
ness this. for her black eye, and Se. to each of the other females, to.
gather with the expeasos.
Mr. W. D. Burnaby has been appointed Second ('leek of Union
Hall Police Offiyu, in the roam of 3lr. 'lichen' Staples, promoted.