The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-09-16 00:00:00

THE BRITISH PRESS.

Pledger. a cook in a gentleman's establishment, in Portman-square,
who had saved some money, and engaged to nary her, representing
himself to be a man of considerable property in houses, &c. They
were to be married within a certain lime mod one day the prisoner,
extending to be short of cash, borrowed 41. from her, as a security
for which, he deposited a pretended receipt for rent, for a house be-
longing him, fur 91. Its. 1 Id., Mlle& house he said was held by one
Primrose, and that when she presented the receipt, she would re.
Wye the money. It turned` out tint he had no such house, and
Oat It was altogether a fiction. He obtained 71. from the applicant,
who happened to be acquainted with Mrs. Pledger. upon a bill of
exchange which proved to be fictitious. The prisoner boasted of
possessing several houses at Vauxhall and Kensington. lie never
showed himself after he got the money.
Sir H. BIRNIE advised the applicant to keep the documents
until he saw hoe the present charges were disposed of.
The prisoner will he exansir.ed on Friday next.
•
ROBBERY BY A SERVANT.
Manthononnu.sr nitzr..—Yeaterday, Eliza Sutton, a genteel
girl, in her twentieth year, was brought before Mr. Conant, for
stealing nine pairs of booty and shoes from Mr. Moore, 15, Upper
King-street, Holden. square.
The mother, and married sister of the prisoner, had been sus.
petted, and were apprehended with the prisoner, but had since
bun discharged.
The prisoner is suspected of having formed an improper con.
flexion with sonic man now in the Isle of Wight, but no entreaty
of the Magistrate or her mother could induce her to make any
disclosure.
MI. Moore stated that the prisoner is the servant of Mrs. Bland,
who lodges in his house. but Sunday he went out, fastened all
hie windows, and double-locked his dome. On his return in the
evening he found his parlour door on the single lock, which excited
his sospicion, but musing nothing that night, he thought no
More of it. On Monday morning he went to a cupboard in the
parlour for some shoes to arrange in his window, and missed several
pair, which he had placed there. From information he received
from his own servant, of the prisoner having on a new pair of
shoes;'he spoke to Mrs. Bland, and the prisoner s bOX was searched,
where he found several pairs of new shoes ; he afterwards took an
officer with him to her mother's, where he found several more pairs
of shoes 'and boots.
The prisoner said it was entirely her own act t she did not know
what induced her to take the things ; she was not connected with
any young man, and knew nothing of the Isle of Wight. She took
the key out of her mistress's drawing-room door, which tinlothad
the parlour, and that was the way she got at the property.
The goods were produced. and identified by AI r.Moontooml the
prisoner was fully committed. •
STREET ROBBERIES.
Samuel Sullivan was brought up for a dating street robbery,
committed yesterday about half-part twelve, in Soho.square.
Robert Colebettl, • wine-dealer on commission, was going
through Soho-square that morning with a large stone bottle on his
shoulder, when some man came up to him, snatched at his watch,
and succeeded in getting the chain and two keys, with which he
decamped. It was done and the thief escaped so instantaneously,
that he could not swear to having seen the prisoner, till he was
brought back in custody.
John Mason. a Bow-street patrol, employed to attend the Bazaar,
in Soho-square, stated that lie was standing on the steps of the Bazaar,
when saw he prisoner run up to the last witness, and made a
snatch at his watch.chain, and then ran off. Whom raised an
alarm, and pursued him along Sutton-street into Falconbridge.
court, whore he wu stopped and given into his custody. He
searched the prisoner, but the chain was not found on him. Wit-
ness had seen the prisoner at an earlier part of the morning, in
company with two others.
J Mr. ohn Wni. Bea, jeweller and casesnaker, hearing the cry
of " Stop thief!" pursued the prisoner into Falconbridge-court,
where lie secured hen, and gave him into the custody of the last
witness.
The prisoner was fully committed for trial.
John Iletcater was apprehended for stealing from • cast a cask
containing a hundred weight of butter, on Thursday evening, in
Leicester-equate.
Thomas Iveyney, servant to Joseph Brayne, carrier, called at

Iveyney,
Ale. Mould's, in Newgate-street, for two tubs of butter to take to
Mr. Page, at Hammersmith. Witness corded them securely at the
tail of his can. The casks were marked W. P. and are value
91. 17s. Cal. In Leicester-square he felt the equilibrium of his cart
affected, and got down to see what had happerel, when he disco-
vered that the rope had been cut, and the two tubs carried off'. Wit-
ness went in penult, and in Crauboume-street lie observed the pri-
soner with the tub on his shoulder. Witness stopped him, and
gave him in charge.
The prisoner said he picked the cask up in a door-way in Lei-
eester.street, and knew nothing of the robbery.
Iveyney said the butter had never Wien, and he could swear to
its being the same. from the initials W. P.
Mr. CONANT told the prisoner he must make a better defence at
the Old Bailey.—He was fully committed.

THE DOG BILLY'S RIVAL.
Samuel Prorim, an ordinary-looking fellow, about eighteen
years old, who has been " shown up" on two or three omissions as
the rival of the dog Billy, so celebrated for his rat-killing exploits
In the Westminster Pit, was yesterday brought up with a young
lad, on some suspicion of having stolen three carpenter's planes,
ovals and rounds. Provins is a collector of rats tram slaughter.
houses and corn-chandlers' lofts, and on Thou lay night had mus-
tered a dozen and a half for an intended exhibition, "all alive, alive
0," in a cage, when the watchman stopped his progress. Mere cu-
riosity at first prompted the watchman to look at the lively animals,
and then being further curious, he searched the spacious pockets in
the jacket of Sam, where he found the three planes, for which Sam
could only account by saying he picked them up. To afford the
loser an opportunity of recovering his tools, he took Sam and his
companion to the watch-house.
A relation of the other boy promising that the lad should not be
found in such company for the future, Mr. Conant discharged him.
Mr. CONANT asked the primer if he killed the rats with his
teeth, but Mar-den hurried off the gallant youth before his Wor-
ship
obtained an answer ; and none of the " Fancy" being present
to explain the exploit, the extraordinary conquest remains a nays.
tery to the uninitiated. He is to be brought up again; and should
any thing marvellous transpire, we shall be sure to notice it, for the
gratification of the sporting world.
Thomas Btithile, Thomas Roberts, and another, were brought
from St. George's watch-house, where they
.had been kept from
half-past eleven at night to seven in the morning,on the charge of
Mr. Peek, a coachmaker, of Mount-street, for assaulting him.
Mr. Peek said he was very tipsy, and had been assaulted by 1101)111
one, but could not ssy which, if tither, of the prisoners.
Of course the three prisoners were instantly liberated, with a hint
about false imprisonment from Mr. Conant.
&mute promised verily that he would prosecute.
Samuel Vorley, the watch-house keeper, said lie would not have
taken the charge but for the threat of Mr. Peek, who abused him
for not sitting in the great chair, and promised him a slap of the
chops if he did not bring the book to him instead of his coming
to the table to sign it ; and that he would " pull him up" If be
refused to take the charge. But notwithstanding all this abuse,
Vorley sent a person to see the tipsy gentleman safe home.
Mr. COWAN T told Mr. Peek that his conduct had been very im-
proper, and he should fine him ss. to the King for being drunk;
which Mr. Peek paid. and then retired, apparently much piqued at
the unexpected turn things had taken.
ANOTHER LADY BARRY MORE.

QUZEN.SQUARE.—resterdayillftergoret Turner, an elderly fe-
male of masculine stature, but wretched appearance, was brought
up from the watchhouse for being drunk and disorderly.
It appeared from the evidence of Hill, a street-keeper, that about
seven o'clock the previous evening, he wts requested to attend at
the Coopers' Arms, in Stretton-ground, Westminster. On going
there be found the prisoner making a great disturbance in front of
the house, end a crowd of persons assembled. The prisoner was
much intoxicated ; he drove her away several times from the pre-
raises, but no inner had he turned his back than (following the
example of her old acquaintance, Lady Barrymore), she returned
with greater violence than ever. Witness was at length compelled
to take her to the watchhouse, where she was locked up for the
night.
Margaret, in her defence, begged very hard to be forgiven this
time, aid it should never happen again. She said she merely went
there to seek her spouse, when they turned her out of the house, and
eat her head.
The Magistrate, however, ordered her to stand committed in de-
fault of bail.

account of the violence of her temper. Thy officers knew nothing
of the mother.
-- •

-----
Mr. BALLANTINE uked the daughter with whom did she
live, or how did she support herself ?
She replied that she was under the protection of an architect &Cc
her husband left her, and was a " truly virtuous girl."
Mr. BALLAISTISIE expressed his Surprise.
One of the officers said it was a bricklayer she meant, and a
worse character titan he was could not be found.
Mr. BALLANTINE said if the story of the mother supporting
herself by the prostitution of her child was true, it was shocking.
However, under all the circumstances, he shmld hold the daughter
to ball for the attempt she made on ber mother's life.
She was accordingly locked up until she could procure bail.

ROBBERY DV A SERVANT.
UNION-llALL.—Yesterday a girl named Ann Brown, living
servant with a Mr. Whitham, who resides in Surrey-place, Lam-
beth, was brought up to this office in custudy, before M. Swabcy,
Esq., charged with having robbed her master of a deal box, con.
mining one 101. note, eight sovereigns, several gold and silver
trinkets, together with sundry papers, among which were the lease
of his house, a policy of insuratice, &e.
The prisoner, on being placed at the bar, cried bitterly ; she did
not nppear to be more than 15 years of age.
The complainant stated, that on the previous evening, his wife
acquainted him that Ann, meaning the prisoner, had suddenly left
the house, without giving any intimation of her intention during
the momentary absence of her mistress. It was subsequently dis.
covered that the girl had not only taken away her own property,
but had also entered the complainant's bed-room, possessed herself
of a deal box, generally used for the map, of depositing cash
and trinkets, and carried it off: At the time the robbery was com-
mitted, the box contained a 101. note, eight sovereigns, together
with several documents of importance to the owner. As the pri-
soner was known to have relations in the neighbourhood of her
master's house, inquiry was immediately instituted, but her retreat
was not ascertained until late at night, when she was at length dia.
covered to have taken up her abode in a low lodging-house in the
vicinity of Camberwell ; thither the complainant repaired, accom.
ponied by an officer, and on their arrival found that the prisoner
had retired to rest some hours before. They pro ceded up stairs to
the apartment she occupied, and in it discovered the deal box stolen
front her Master's house, containing the money, trinkets, and
papera.
The deal box was produceth and its contents identified by the
complainant, who subsequently expressed a desire not to prosecute
the girl, owing to the respectability of her friends, and her youth.
• The Magistrate said that robberies by servants had become so
prevalent that it was absolutely necessary, for the ends of public
Justice, to make examples of the offenders.
The prisoner was then committed to the Aeolus.
A respeetable.looking female, teamed Pritchard, was placed at
the bar under the following circumstances.
A Mrs. Moody stated that on the previous evening, while at tea
at the prisoner's house, her premises were entered during her ab-
sence,
and a box, containing a number of silver articles and some
sovereigns, stolen. She added that she was subsequently informed
that the prisoner's husband was concerned in the rubbery while she
(witness) was spending the evening with his wife. The com-
plainant then called a neighbour, who gave the following particulars
of the robbery. He stated that on the previous night, while sitting
at home, which is next door to Mrs. Moody's house, he head
• noise, and on looking out of the window, observed the prisoner's
husband unlock the door of Mn. Moody's house; there were three
other men along with Pritchard, and he stationed them close to the
door, while he entered. Witness knowing Pritchard was on inti.
mate terms with Mrs. Moody, it did not occur to him that he was
then in the act of robbing her house. In a few minutes, how,ver,
witness, being still on the watch, perceived him walk out of the
house with abox under his arm, and on getting into the street, he
said to bite of his companions, " Jack shut the door of the crib."
They all then went away. Soon afterwards Mrs. Moody returned
home, and witness having been informed that she was rol.bed
during her absence, gave information of the above facts.
The MAGISTRATE asked how the female at the bar was impli.
cared in the robbery
A constable said, that on hearing the facts of the robbery he
suspected that MTS. Pritchard was apprized of what was going to
happen, and that site had merely invited Mrs. Moody to her house
for the purpose of enabling her husband to commit the robbery.
The MAGISTRATE asked Mrs. Moody whether she had any
grounds for suspecting that the female at the bar had acted in con-
cert with her husband.
Mrs. Moody replied that she had not the slightest suspicion of
any such thing. The constable it was that suggested the necessity
of taking her into custody.
The Constable, in defence of himself, stated, that on hearing
the circumstances of the robbers, and on proceeding to Mrs.
Pritchard's house, he discovered her husband's hat there. which it
appeared he had on his head during die robbery. and added, that
she evinced so much agitation and terror, that he strongly sus-
pected her of having some knowledge of the robbery. lie ac-
cordingly apprehended her.
The MAGISTRATE discharged Mrs. Pritchard, observing, that
there was no case against her, and directed the constable to appre-
hend her husband as soon as ha could be found. The husband, it
appeared, has absconded shwa the robbery.