The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-11-24 00:00:00

Pnr.rrN.

lAtiaTTELni-Nes7,4t3rAdaßvia)nEeNlelerly genderm.
• Li
gave his name John Hall, was charged with privately steals„
certain number of a newspaper. tium out of a public
me::
room.
The respectability of the accused, who possesses a very me,.
pendent property, together with the novelty of the charge 6e±..
attracted many persons to the office, all anxious to leans the re,,th.
The complainant, Mr. Midiain Lunt. :4 proprietor of a
well-regulated establishnient in tlerkenwell-green, generally ext,
by the name of " Lunt's Coif-v....house," but which is, in point Le
fact, more deserving of the title of •• Literary Museum," al,
addition to all the morning, etching, and weekly newspaper,,
'ether with the various petio:lo7.l publications in liftman ad
science, reviews, &c., there is a cl.oicelibeaty, and generally a elm,
collection of readers. Aniongst the many frequenters of the rte.,
was Mr. Ball, the accused, who having little else to do than to
himself, daily continued to wade through at least one hundred
twenty columns of the limes, Chronicle, Herold, British
Conner, and Globe and Trnoelkr newspapers. together
glance, en reaueent, at the Extarixer, swiday Tunes, 0414.,
Life is boob'', Jugs Dull, Observer, and Pierce Rees
content with the immense board of politics and fashion—of seem
and outrage—of law and police—of muketa and maniaTe—aii
all the other miscellanea to be found in the columns of a Load,
newspaper, the greater pan of which he thus crammed eels
brain, this determined news-hunter thought fit at various tees t
pocket the well-read sheet, perhaps with the view of m0n0004e.,.
to himself alone the privilege of intellectual knowledge. 6,4 dril
a Times vanished, the next perhaps a Herald disappeared; nn
ensuing there was no such a thing as a I've:. to be had, and Clo,.
nicks evaporated like mists before the morning sun.
subscribers, many of whom relish a newspaper much as,,
than either tea, toast, or muffins, began to grumble irraa
their favourite prints were not forthcoming ; and the consequeia,
was, that the proprietor, sooncr than disappoint the subseribsa
was obliged on such occasions, to endeavour to make good the de
helmets ail his files by purchasing fresh copies or the eir'za
numbers, which was not stove attended with great expense. La
often with great trouble, as newspapers are (like all other thiso,
scarce in proportion to their value. To guard against depred,„,
of this nature, a close watch was act on suspected individuals, sot
at length, the old gentleman at the bar was surprised nth 11,
whok Druids Press stuffed into one of his coal pickets. What tsar
discovery was nude, the proprietor remonstrated with bin, N
impropriety and unkindness of the act, but ro further promdinp
were taken at that time ; in less than a month after, a /heal
was intercepted in the same quarter, and this outrage being (heed
of too gross a nature to pass unpunished, the party offendixiai,
forbid the rooms ; however, he found his way in once oat
under a solemn promise of making his head the only depute,
for those tempting trifles; so long as this pledge was kept rm.
late, all went on right, but as most men have sonic
so an inordinate love fcr news proved poor Mr. Ball's mistonQ.
Yesterday morning, afttr reading a Chronicle from the head tie
imprint, lie very mechanically or methodically fobbed it; levet,
a person whose patience was nearly exhausted in waiting tee is
very paper, saw the transaction, and mischievously reported thaw.
to Lunt, who, as in duty bound, brought the case befott
Sergeant Sellon for adjudication.
1 he prisoner, in defence, did not deny the face, but endestreal
to put in a plea, if not of justification, at least of mitigative. It
saying, that after* newspaper was read, it was worth no menthe
so much foul paper, and as such, he had taken it.
Mr. Lunt denied that principle is tato, and added, that if my
man in the world read 40 inveterately as he (Mr. Hall) did, cat
value of newspapers never conk' be suhicieutly estimated.
Several persons present spoke to Mr. Hall's general respecsibili:/
and worth of character.

The Magistrate observed, that though Mr. tart, as them.
prictor of a reading.ruom, had a right to Icok to these mitten. ic2
the intrinsic value was not so great as to call fur very ions
proceedings. However, if Mr. Hall was ever again remitted e
use the rooms, he (the Magistrate) would recommend him m
bring nothing away but that which he hall got into his head.
With this admonition, the ease was thaeharged, afar ezatir
much merriment.