The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-09-21 00:00:00

CHISELING A JEHU.

MATLYLF.BONE.—John Jusrph, a hatter, in Exeter-street, Isis-
son Grove, was charged by Thomas Spencer, the driver of the hack-
ney-coach. No. 2.7, with having attempted to cheat him of his
fare. The driver stated, that at a late hour on Tuesday night
Mr. Joseph hired his coach in Piccadilly, to convey him and two
ladies to Chesterfield-street, 31arylehone. When the party left the
coach, the gentleman said to the ladies, " Do you pay—and do
you pay." And the ladies jointly said to the gentlemen, " You
must pay." Howbeit, 3lr. Joseph not having Is. 6d. at com-
mand, the coachman took his body and clothes as security, and
deposited them in the watch-house.
Mr. It Awl.lNsosr—What have you to say to this charge, Mr.
Joseph ? 3lr. Joseph—lt's all very true, Sir.
Mr. RAwittisON—On, it is all true; and pray are you a mar-
tied man ? I am, Sir, and I have been a housekeeper in Exeter.
street for two years.
Mr. SW LI N sox—And pray who were the ladies in your Coln-
pant, ? really cannot tell, Sir.
Mr. RAwl.illsow—Do you not think it an act of great profii-
gacy and roguery, having a wife at home, to be riding with two
strange women in a coach at midnight, without a penny to pay for
your extravagance; or to supply the wants of your family ?
moat acknowledge that it was wrong, Sir.
Mr. RAWLI24,IION—I shall commit you, unless you can satisfy
the coachman for his fate, and loss of time in attending at this
office.

1 he providcr.t hatter restored his body and clothes to liberty by
handing over to the coachman seven pawnbrokers' duplicates•

THE RIVAL FAIR-ONES.

Alive Jsne England, and iltaslllr;riWoolward, blooming
laves, perhaps not quite 20, appearing before :V r. RAWLINION,
in the character of plaintiff and defendant, he regretted that '. two
nice young Women as they appeared to be" should be quarrelling
with each other.

Miss England anon informed the worthy Magistrate that it was
not a mere bone for which they were contending, but a nice young
gentleman, who had been Miss Woodwarirs sweetheart, and who
was then Inv.'s. She pleaded, that if the young gentleman
liked to transfer his affections. he was entitled to do it, and she must
be protected from the violence of her rival, for she had not only
threatened to stab him, and pull her to pieces, but she had, as stated
in the w:.rrant, atm aulted her, by striking her in the bosom.
Al iss Woodward said she had not only a prior, but a stronger
claim, for reasons which she assigned, but which we will not recite.

Mr Rawl./ STSO X said, it was. unfortunate that the young man
had withdrawn his affections from Miss tt ttod ward; but as that ap-
peared to be the ease, he advised her not to put herself in his way,
and, above all. not to molest Miss England, nor even to speak to
him when he was in her etotipsny.
Miss tdwird said she would promise not to molest Miss
England, I ut she must speak to the young man, as she had a very
great regard Mr him, and she knew he entertained the same towards
her.

Miss Enghind —" I will not take her promhte, for she even tram-
pled my bonnet under her feet; 11l have her bound over."
31r. RAW LIMO:IN—" Do not be so violent; just for a moment
change phtees with her, and"
.litss England (interrupting him)—" Oh, no, Sir! I would not
disgrace myself to do the action/'
31 ivs Woodward—" 1 ant most entitled to have him Ice a hus-
band."

R AN' J.I 5074-4‘ I think so too: but you must reFe:rain your
feeling, and act with propriety. 1 will dismiss the warrant."
EXTENSIVE ROI3BERY. _ .

TITAMYS fayi;;;;Thinas Gibt-U, John
Douglas. Allen, Janie; Pruitt, Edward !lotion, and
John nary*, were put to the bar, charged with robbing; the gra-
naries of Messrs. t egby and Ferran, of Bermondsey, their em-
ployers, of a large quantity of wheat and eats and Mr..l. Lift.
a highly respectable buiscuit baker, was also placed at the
bar, charged with receiving the wheat and oats of Messrs. Begby
and Farren, knowing then to be stolen. This awe excited the greatest
possible interest from the respectability of the parties. The office
was crowded to excess. The parties have been fur some time in
custody. Mr. Harmer attended for Mr. Leftwich and Allen, and
Mr. Humphries for Roberts. It will bo recollected, that an exami-
nation of Taylor and Douglas took place about a week ago, 'when,
by the evidence of several of the officers. it appeared that they were
taken in the act of rentoving the corn, Taylor, by the assistance of
a windlass. lowering it to Douglas into a barge from the loft of the
granary of Messrs. Begby and Ferran. The case was now gone
Into as far as regarded William Taylor and Thomas Tibbutt.
Thomas Taylor stated, that he is a granary-keeper to Meson.
Begby and Ferran, and the prisoners were in the employment of
that house, and that he was latterly in the habit of messing large
ea:unities of corn, and upan one particular occasion, out of a parcel
of wheat, he found there was a deficiency of 22 quarters. This was
one year ago.
Thomas Leftwich stated that he is a miller in Bermondsey, anti
that in September, 1825, the prisoner Tibbutt came to him, and
said that he had a quantity, of' wheat to grind ; he cannot say what
that quantity was, but he presumes that it was about 14 quarters,
in consequence of his getting two sacks of it as toil for the
grinding.
Greer, a baker, of Wapping, knows Tibbutt and Taylor, about
• v.& ago he bought some flour from Tibbutt; he stated that the
flour was the property of Taylor, who was a young man just come
from tl.e country, who had bought some wheat for grinding. He
took six auks flour from him—i, insole very inferior description.
He was going to return it, but Ttlibutt made him an allowance,
and he kept it. lie sent two seeks of ft to Bermondsey work-
house, as he has the contract for it. lie paid Taylor for it, and
got stamp receipts, end they are dated in I ktober.
William Leftwich sated, that in October kat Tibbutt MOO to
hint, and stated that lie hid five sacks of flour, which he bought
front him. Ile gave him 121. 10e. for them. He had known him
a length of time, and he always considered him a hard-working
plodding man.
Jams Varney, baker, of 31illpond.street, %Vanning, stated, that
in September 13N4 he purchased nine sacks of flour Iron Tibbutt,
for which he paid him 221. It was of a very inferior description,
only fit to make gingerbread. Tibbutt delivered it himself in his
own cart. The flatir was invoiced to him in the name of tiodnian.
The case was LOW gone Into as regarded Fruin and Allen.
T. C. Fletcher stated, that he has a skiff. and that be had fre-
quently been in the habit of lending it to Allen.
David .lones stated that he resides with his father, who is in the
habit of letting out sacks, and on reference tolhis book he finds
that on the ilth of Februar4 he lent the prisoner Allen sixteen
sacks ; on the Dith of Maw , sixteen; on the 23d, twenty ; and on
the 4th of August, sixteen. They were all marked Wm. R. Jones.

Allen told him, on getting dicin, that he wanted them to pitt
wheat in.
Rook, foreman to Mr. tromp. of Phrenix-wharf, mated,
that on reference to his hook, he found that he Nut landed at the
following periods, the fallowing quantities of wheat, from the pri-
soners Allen and Douglas, for Mr. Joverh Leftwich, and the
greater part of which, by the directions or him, he sent to Mole
Mills. On the 7th of April, 18•28, 21 quarter from Allen ; 21st
ditto, one ditto from Douglas; 25th ditto, nine ditto from Allen;
Bth of May, tine ditto; 21th ditto, nine ditto; sth of July, four
ditto l• 81st rift o, three ditto front Mitten ; 2d of August, twelve
ditto; ith ditto, ten ditto; and the Itith mitt, seven ditto from
Allen. Witness staicti that the corn was always delivered by
Douglas or Alien, and in sacks; and some of the sacks had the
name of Groves, and some the name of Jones, upon them. lie
stated that the prisoner Leftwich said to him, previous to the
arrival of either Allen or Douglas, that he expected some small
weds of wheat from them.
Mr. lianstEg here asked witness if Mr. Leftwich always came
in the open day, without showing any anxiety to concealment,
bat epevely as a matter of boriness.—The witness replied in the
affirmative.
W. Wall stated that he is in the employ of Mr. Bode, whose
Wharf adjoins that of Messrs. liegby and Fatten, and recollects,
about a month ago, seeing Allen in a skiff', receiving corn out of
one of the lofts of the granary immetlia•ely abcrwa,ds ; it was
imatal. lie saw the prisoners Fritin and Taylor come down, and
subsequently be saw them altogether at the public house.
Numerous other witnesses were examined, who went to prove
the connexion of the parties.
Mr. BA heat:rig v., under all the circumstances, said he should
remand all the prisoners for a week. There wet e upwards of fifty
witnesses in attendance. Mr. Evans, the chivt surveyar„ has been
indefatigable in his exertions in procuring evidence. Bail to the
amount of 5,0130/. was offered for Mr. Joseph Leftwich, but
refused.

UNGENEROUS THEFT.
UtilON-Hats.._On Tuesday a respectable-looking person, who
gave his name Curti* and represented himself a copperplate printer,
attended at this niece, for the purpose of making the following
complaint. He said that he was one of the Committee appointed
to superintend at the Coburg theatre, during a play and other enter-
tainments, that were got up expressly for the relief of tile journey.
men copperplate-printers resident in the inetropolic The trade.
he said, at this period, was in a very depressed state, and great
numbers of the workmen consequently oat of employment. A
Committee was therefore formed, on whose suggestion, as a means
of relieving those of the trade out of work, it was proposed that ap-
plication should he made to the proprietors of the Coburg for the
loan of the house for one night, in order to try the experiment of a
theatrical exhibition in aid of the distressed copperplate-printers.
This application, Mr. Cures said, was attended with success, Mr.
Davidge and the other gentlemen connected with the theatre hand.
tiotnely offering it for the benefit wiihnitt any charge, except merely
defraying the necessary expenses of the house on the occasion.
; Monday was therefore appointed for the benefit, and accordingly
persons belonging to the trade were selected for the purpose of
doing the duties, viz. receiving the cash, tickets, and checks, at the
different entrances into the house. Mr. Curtis observed that he was
one of the persons so employed, and having occasion to leave the
house for a few moments, on getting outside, under the colonnade,
he was surprised on hearing a female calling out, " Who wants a
pit ticket?" He was satisfied that any. tickets for sale outside the
theatre were stolen, and, with the intention of ascertaining this fact,
lie approached the woman, and salted the 'lrk- of the ticket ? She
replied that he alionld have a pit ticket for one shilling. lie asked
her where she had got them, but she refused telling him. Ulti-
mately, however, at the watch-house, she acknowledged that she
had purchased them of a constable who attends the theatre, at Cie
rare of sixpence each ticket, the full price being two shillings.
Under these circumstances, he (Mr. Curtis) now applied to the
Magistrate, ia order that the constable alleged to have sold the
tickets in the first instance should be compelled to attend, for the
purpose of explaining the manner in which he hail become pos.
sensed of property to which lie had not the smallest right.
The Magistrate(Mr. SWABEY) gave directions that the most:dile
implicated in the above affair, whose name is Stowell, should attend
on the following day, that the circumstances might undergo a tho-
rough ins estigation ; the 3lagiatrate observing that, should the case
be established against him, his discharge from the situation would
be it matter of course..

Yesterday, at one o'clock, the investigation was resumed before
J. S. Car.nwEt. t, the parties tieing ih attendance.—
.Mr. Davidge, one of the proprietors, and several of the performers
of the Coburg, were resent.
Mr. Curtis, the complainant, repeated the statement he had
made on the previous day, and in addition said, that he had ob-
tained tlwee of the tickets which the woman had for sale, and he
was convinced they had been stolen out of a hat in which they were
placed by a person appointed to receive the pit tickets as the com-
pany entered the theatre. Ile added that there was considerable
difficulty in obtaining the name of the individual who sold the
tickets to the female who was offering them for sale on the night in
question.
Shargold, a constable of the Surrey watchlrnuse. stated, that on
3loaday night Mr. Curtis, and a woman named Craig, entered the
watchhouse, and severally charged each other with felctsy ; the for.
me., it was alleged. had taken a ticket by force from the female,
and he on his part accused her of stealing the ticket. In reply to
the charge, the woman Craig, on questioning her at first, flatly re.
fulled to tell of whom she purchased the tickets; at length, how-
, ever, calling hint (Shergold), she whispered in his ear, " I will
confess to you from whom I hail them, but it must be a secret—
then it was from Stowell, the constable, that attends the Coburg."
Shergold observed that there must be no secrets, and she repeated,
in the hearing of Mr. Curtis, that it was from Stowell she had
purchased them.
The woman Craig was examined by the Magistrate, :imitate
persisted in declaring that it was from Stowell she had the tickets,
and pointed him out in the office.
It was here stated that the woman Craig was not to be believed
on her oath. - . . . .

Mr. Davidge gave Stowell a high character for his assiduity in
the business he was appointed to, anti described these women who
infest the doors of all theatres, selling tickets, as the great: st possi-
ble nuisances. He knew the woman Craig by sight, and was
convinced she was not to be believed.
Stowell declared that the woman had told a most abominable
falsehood. The fact was, he was obnoxious to her on account of
his attempts to expel her from the situation where she placed her-
self every night. and this story she had hatchet: up in order to be
revenged upon him.
The Magistrate closely questioned Mr. Curtis as to the precise
place from whence the tiekets were stolen, and being informed
thst they could not he taken without the knowledge of some of the
persons appointed by the Committee, he accordingly discharged
the case against StoweU, who appeared highly indignant at the
charge, and at its conclusion observed, that he should bring persons
forward on a future day who would prove that he was not out of
the theatre on the niOit of the performance, therefore could nut be
supposed to have had-any transaction with the woman Craig.

SUICIDE.—On Friday last, a man, named Richard
Higson, put an end to his life, by hanging himself in a
barn, near the place where he lodged. It appeared upon
the inquiry before Mr. Milne, at Ashton-under-Lyne, that
the deceased had four years ago cut his throat, but on that
occasion recovered; and evident proofs of insanity being
adduced, the Jury found a verdict, " Lunacy."

A few days ago, a most extensive robbery was committed
in the Cheshire Cheese public-house, Oldham. The rob-
bery is said to he to the amount of 1481. in aovereigns and
notes, which the landlady (a widow) had deposited as she
thought in a place of safety. Suspicion has fallen on some
soldiers, who were quartered at the house, and have since
absconded. The most active search is being made after
the suspected parties.
_

SERIOCS ALARM IN A CHURCII.-At the new church,
Whitefield, on Sunday last, an alarm took place, which,
for some time, threatened very serious consequences. Soon
after the commencement of the afternoon service, a panic
seized some individuals under one of the galleries, which
quickly spread through the whole congregation. At first,
merely a confused murmur of danger was heard from the
place above mentioned ; but the commotion of the people
in its immediate vicinity soon alarmed the timid, who,
without knowing on what ground gave vent to their fears,
some in exclamations that the roof, others that the
gallery was falling; and others, that the whole edifice had
given way. The consequence was a general rush to the
doors. Unfortunately, the building was crowded to exvss,
and numbers of people were in the yard, unable to obtain
admission. The alarm increased in proportion to the diffi-
culty of escape, and the pressure at the doors was so great,
that one of then. was forced from its hinges. Numbers
from the galleries descended on the heads of the dense
mass below, being unable to get down stairs ' • others made
their exit through the windows. Children and females were
jammed in the common mass, and their cries for help were
really appalling. On the outside of the doors, people of all
ages and both sexes lay in heaps on the ground, having, in
their eagerness to escape, fallen one over another. A great
many respectable females had their upper garments and bon-
nets completely torn from their persons, and many gentlemen
lost their hats, and had their dress considerably damaged.
Happily, amidst the general confusion, though many re-
ceived severe bruises, there were no lives lost. One girl
was considerably injured, but is now recovering. The cause'
of the panic arose from some cracks which were observed
in the plaster under one of the galleries, but these cracks
have been found, after a careful examination by compe-
tent persons, to have arisen solely from the shrinking of
the umber. in consequence of the late heat of the weather.
The building itself has stood as severe a test as it can be
subjected to, and has amply justified the opinion of the
well-informed, as to its perfect security. Tranquillity was
restored in the course of about an hotly, and the service
proceeded, and was concluded in the usual annum