The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-03-21 00:00:00

BOW-STREET.

Yesterday, a pretty looking Wunggi;l, about lit, accompanied
by her rather, applied to Sir Richard Birnie foe a warrant against
one of that numerous trilie,who exist by practising on the gullibility
of silly young maidens, and other credulous persons. The charge
made was, that the pretended fortune-teller had obtained lire good
CriTt*gown-piece, and 9s. W. in money from the applicant.
utisday last, early in the morning, an elderly woman, de.
eantly.dressed, called at the father's house, and finding the daughter
at home, alone, asked her if she would like to have her fortune
told. The applicant at first refused, but the old hag told her she
had much better consent, for she could read in her face that her lot
would bets happy and a fortunate one. This well-timed hint had
its intended effect, and the fair one consented to '" have her na.
tivity cast." " But," said the old woman, " yon must give me
some money by way of earnestf: I never do any thing without an
advance." The applicant produced all the money she had-9s. 6d.
anti offend it. but the sybil turned up her nose at it. and said she
must have noire. After some conversation, the foolish girl agreed
si giro her her entire stock of gowns. except that which she had
on, and a new piece of very smart muslin, which she had lately
purchased for a summer dress. IVith these and the :is. Old. the
old woman left the house, promising to call again on Sunday morn.
ins, with the result of her consultation of the heivenly bodies. As
may be expe:aed. she did not come, and the girl having acquainted
her father with what she had done, he set about making inquiries
after the old woman, at.d found that she shpt on Saturday night in
Wilmot's-row. Chelsea, about which neighbourhood she was very
well known. hut in the morning she and a female companion had
absconded without notice.

Sir R. lIIRNIC asked the girl what sort of a husband the fortune-
teller had promised her ?
The applicant, blushing to the eyes, said. " She did not tell me,
Sir I was to know that when she.anteagoin."
Sir K. Maxi): —Why, you must be aorery silly girl, to believe
in what such an old impostor chose to say.—" Yes, Sir," laid the
applicant, with great simplicity, curtsying, and hanging down her
heal

-
Sir R. Bitty! E advised the father to apply to Mr. Flood, a Ma-
giarate at Chelses, who would, no doubt, give instructions to the
locil constables to be on the look-out for the °treader.
With this advice the father and daughter departed.
BIARYLEBONE OFFICE.
_

DIIZATITUL OUTRAGE AND RIOT IN CALI,TELL.DIIILD.
inos--Vesterday this office was thronged almost to suffocation by
the inhabitants of the neighbourhood of Portman-square. who had
since St. Patrick's Day been in a state of continued alarm, arising
from the desperate conflicts among the Irish residents in Oilmen-
buildings, Orehard.street, Oxford-street. Several of the desperados
wen secured, and during the day examined and committed in de-
fault of bail. The sitting 31agistrate was occupied some hours in.
veritigating the following atrocity.
Two men, named Monis Netertham and James Harley, natives
of Newcastle, county of Limerick, were put to the bar, charged
with brutally assaulting Thomas Shearman.
The prosecutor was supported into the office; his head presented
dreadful appearance of deep wounds and bruin,. Being sworn,
be stated that since Friday sight there had been several fights in
Calmell-buildings, in any of which he positively denied having
taken part. The fighting was between the Newcastle and Garry-
Owen (town or city of Limerick) people, and he being • Garry-
Owen man, was struck several times on Saturday night as he was
going through the court to his lodgings, by the other party ; but
his wife and some other women dragged him in and saved him.
On Sunday morning he had been out at mass, and collecting a sub-
scription among his townsmen for an unfortunate man, who had
net with a severe accident and was in the hospital, and was re.
turning to his lodging, when Hurley came up to him, and shook
hands, saying, " It's all settled, we won't fight any more." Wit..
ness replies, ".Sure you know I don't want to quarrel with you,
and eanYyntrlet vie alone." Hurley gave a signal, and swan
cams about and instantly attacked witness, who escaped by dam:-
*sing into the house. In the afternoon, as witness was sitting with
his wife and family in the back attic of a house in Calmell-build-
mgs, they were alarmed by • rushing of persons up staimand guess-
ing their object was to attack him, he, and the four women with
faint, blockaded the room-door; but the gang burst it open, and
the two prisoners, with three others, rushed into the room : they
were armed differently ; some had pokers, one carried a chopper ;
Hurley bad a shovel in one hand and a gallon can in the other,
with which he struck witness on the had. Witness endenvoured
to defend himself with a chair, but a blow from the shovel felled
hint to the ground. The chair they battered to pieces, and then
ad beset hint. His wife threw herself on him as he lay prostrate,
and an alarm that some of his townsmen were coming to save him,
made his fire a...tilants retreat down stairs into the court ; but
tending their mistake, they returned, just as the witness had raised
homed' upon his legs. lie was in a gore of blood, and faintly ex-
claimed, " Oh, tar the honour of Ood, have mercy : spare my
Ida fur my poor family ;" but one of then. named Barry, ex.
c.lainsed, " No, kill the thief," and again knocked him down
with a blow of the leg of a bedstead. The witness concluded by
saying, " Your Worship. I thought my time was come, they all
cried, • murder him at once.' "
Hannah Shearman, the wife of the last witness, was here sworn.
She was also severely beaten. She confirmed the first part of her
busl:and's statement, adding, that the men who burst open the
door and mitered the room were Martin Garey, Dennis Barry,
Thad, Earle, and the twu prisoners; they broke the door to pieces,
and shattered every thing in the room. (laving beaten her husband
down, they turned upon the women because they endeavoured to
save him. One fetnale in • state of pregnancy saved herself by getting
fist upon the roof, but Barry threw seams! things at her, amongst
the rest • poker. While witness's husband was lying senseless on
tke ground, they exclaimed, dL.n him, he Is dead. They set ned
to exult in what they had done, and boasted of it in the court. The
two prisoners were taken by the Minn almost immediately, but
the others escaped.
Hannah Henright, an intelligent young WOMAII. stated she wogs
in the TONT aU the time. The pronmer Newnham coded • poker.
Lturlejr bad a do can and shovel handle; they beat Shearman
Mindfully. Shearman defended himself for some time, till 'lse
fell. Before he sank down Dennis Barre. who carried a cooper's
chopper or hatchet, rushed at him, and raised his arm to them him
(lawn. The witness rushed between them, and exclaimed, "have
saucy on the man's head," and prised her arm to ward ofr the
blow. Shearman seeing it comine, dropped down, and the dread.
fill weapon, so violently bad the blow been aimed, struck in the
...all and across her wrist, which was much Cut. She shelved the
wound. _ _ .

Mi. RAWL INSON-If that blow had taken effect, what would
hare be. n the consequence?—Why the than would hare been
haled upon the spot.
Mr. HAw Lissom—Was Fhearman intoxicated. or the women
any way on ? He and all of es were perfectly sober; we
h.. 1 two quanta of
_porter all the day.
Mr. Ilswsissow —Do you remember any of the observations
made by the sang ? Yes, hit, Dennis Harry said " murder hire.. kill
the thief." Hurley replied, " Yes, kill all of them besides
dqn't spore them." They ell, she tboogbt, intended to do murder.
*leaving w is afraid M go out all day, being apprehensive they
would kill him ia dm court. The primmer, were not drunk but
forioos. Witness Was in the court afterwards, and heard Dennis
Play pay, no be was going star, " All I am sorry tot is that I
aid not kill the d—d thief at once." And Newnham having heard
Gay that the intended going before the klaektrate. said. " If
yob go 0, 1 will murder you." kven in the office be had
threatened settle" her when ho got out.
Mr. It t. t osox 'soured her she need not be at all apprehen-
sive, as there was no prospect of his being soon at large.
It was here intimated to the M .gistrpre that there was ea lar
mime mob of Iran outside the office, and that probably anew of
the ruffians who were wanted might be amongst them. Accord-
tiler the witnesses were sent out under the protection of the ofb- •
ins, and. after a strict inspection, could not find any of the fellows
mourn to by the witnesses.

sonah flentigitt, an Infirm old woman, the mother of the last
witness, heard Hurley say, " There is no mercy for the thief
/She:amen, or any of them ; kill them all, anti then we can bolt,"
(rut. away.) She had last her front teeth by a blow from a candle_
suck.
(A)ierine El*.tabeth Fitscrald deposed to the same effect as the
other wane! The latter had taken retuge upon the roof.
()n the prit,r.ers being called upon for their defence, Newm
hani rind, it all originated with llra..Bhearman, who endeatoond
u;. Saturday to break his head with en iron weight ; he denied
loding been active in the " fun," as he was pleased to term the
af:ay.
Hurley charged Showmen with having attacked him first.
This was denied by all the witnesses.
Tie prisoners were remanded for another examination; and the
car-tables of the office were despatched in e%ery direction after the
r4ri!maa who have escap..d.
WORSHIP-STREET.
Yesterday Tinsof,hr Connor, a regalia pickpocket, was charged
win stealing a pocket handkerchief, about eleven o'clock on Sun.
tis) night, from Mr. Biles. a respectable tradesman, .resident in
..I:or..ltcit. While Mr. Biles was passing along Chi swen-street

with a friend, they observed three ill.looking fellows close behind
them, and, instinctively clapping their hands to their pockets, Mt.
Biles missed his handkerchief. A moment afterwards the pri-
soner, haling separated front his companions. walked past them.
and Mr. lilies seeing the corner of his handkerchief d ingling from
the prisoner's pocket, followed hint, and took the handkerchief from
him. Mr. titles was instantly knocked down by another of the
gang; but his friend having come up. knocked down the assailant,
and the prisoner was secured and taken to the watch-housz. His
companions escaped.
He was fully committed to Newga'e for trial.
UNION HALL.
A decent-looking married woman, named Frizafeth Pears',
was charged with turtling a valuable shawl from the shop of a
tradesman named Walmsley, in the London.road.
From the evidence of the complainant, it appesred.thst the pri-
soner was in the habit of dealing at his shop, and that on various
occasions, after her departure, articles have bean missed, which lay
near that part of the counter where she Usually stood. Oa Satur-
day night she came to the shop, and having purchased a triligg
article, was shout to withdraw, when Mr. Icaltosley obsereed her
slip a valuable shawl that was placed in the window into a large
basket she gent-ally carried about with her. lie detained her, anti
on examining the contents of the basket discovered, besides the
shawl, a new linen shirt, his property. She said nothing in her
defence, and was fully committed.
Several complaints having been recently made at this office by
the clergymen of different churches in this district, in consequence
of the great nuisance occasioned by drunken fellows entering places
of worship on the Sabbath, and disturbing the service, the Ma-
gistratee directed officers to he in attendance, in order to apprehend
such as should be discovered in the state complained of.
Yesterday a man named Ninth was brought up, charged with
interrupting the devotions at Hotherlithe church. He bad reeled
into the church about eleven o'clock on Sunday. in a state of intoxi-
cation, calling and bellowing out, to the peat annoyance of the
congregation. He was so very intoxicated that it required four men
to take him to the watch-house, and had been turned out of a
neighbouring public house just as service commenced at Church.
Mr. Cli• MD E § observed, that OD Sundays it was really shock-
ing to behold the drunken men issuing out of the various public-
houses, as familits were proceeding to church. Females WAN fre-
quently insulted by such exhibitions.
The defendant was lined ; in default of paying which he was
held to bail.