The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-01-15 00:00:00

POLICE.
..-....-.

11114110 N-house.
ATROCIOUS HIGHWAY ROBBERY.
A young man, uruocl It'ell.e►ly, was charged by Mr.
Burroughs, who was formerly a miltiary luau, with haw.
tug committed a highway rubbery upon him.
Jr. Burroughs said, that out Saturday week be was Oath
ing at night near Temple-bar, and war addressed by the
Prisoner, who said he had neither money our clothes, and
was starving. Mr Burroughs took on more notice of him
than of snit other beggar, and went into a house where lie
staid a short nine. On coining out hr was again addressed
by the Prisoner, who repeated his wants, which induced the
Complainant to give hire some pence. The Prisoner assumed
• bolder lose, demanded more mousey, and swore if be did
art get it be should make a certain charge against his brae.
factor tout horrible to be named. He added, that be had
been in the habit of getting money Luna gentlemen, and
that he had lately obtained fourteen shillings erum a
Qsaker. The Complainant shuck with horror at the idea
of such an iniputatiou, gave the Prisoner three or four
shillings, but this sum was not sufficient. The Prisoner
would out part from him until he bad obtained his promise
to meet him in St. Paul's Church-yard, next uight, with two
or three pounds. After the lapse of a few days, Mr. Bur-
roughs again met him, and had him taken into custody,
after having given him the duplicate of a watch, on being
pressed fur money, and threatened with infamy.
The officer who apprehended the Prisoner found the du-
plicate upon his person, and out inquiry at the house of his
father, who is a poor man with • large fatuity, heard his
mother say she supposed the boy was in custody for some-
thing of the kind, as he bad been going on badly for the last
lb months, was acquainted with sonic persons who wets sup-
posed to make • livelihood by such means, and frequently
bad money about him, which be said be had got from gen-
tlemen.
The Lord Mayor said the cue was a dreadful one. The
practice of robbing in ibis way was growing noire and inure
general every day, but if thou who were falsely accused
would act resolutely, the system must end in a short time.
The Prisoner was committed for trial.

sow-srtisliT.

Ttl It EATEN ING LETTERS
On Tuesday the Lad and Countess of Murton attended
before Richard flume, Est!. the Sitting Magistrate, to ex-
hibit a complaint against a man of the nam of hobert Grier-
:on, from whom the Countess had received tyro threatening
letteri., 111 extort a sum of money from her Ladyship; and
the last letter was expressed in such strange and violent lan-
guage of threats, if his demand was nut complied with,
OM assassination was implied, after the manner of Belling-
ham, and froin the short space of time %third, haul elapsed,
after sending a former letter, it excited a conviderahle degree
of alarm and terror in the breast of the Countess, lest
he should be induced to put his horrid threat into execution ;
she therefore lost no time, after the receipt of the second
letter, in rettairing to the Office, ahcompanied by her Noble
Earl, to avert the threatened danger.
Mr. RtsiSits, out hearing the complaint and reading the
threatening letters, issued his warrant to apprehend Robert
Grlersori—and Vickery, the officer, was dispatched with
it to trace out and apprehend him. The officer tried in
vain, during Tuesday, to find him, and also on IVednestisy
morning, with no better success; but in the afternoon he
proved more fortunate, and brought hilts to the Office, 'alt,
a contnitinication wa: sent to the Fail and Countess of
Morton, that Grierson was apprehended and brought to the
office. The Noble Earl and Countess repaired thither im-
Medi/defy, when Mr. filmic being in attendance, an exami-
-1111111.111 was commented, and on the Prisoner being bi ought
into the presence of the Earl and Count, ss, he appeared
extremely bold, as if prepared turn. et any thing that might
be said rt:ln•cling hi in, 31111 W:1, r,•ma,kably cool amid col•
leered, rui.ting several since/A.1111,11011S as the investigation
proceed d.
The C. . tests of Morton being sworn, stated, that on
last Saturday evening between sax and *even o'clock, she
received a letter by the two.penny post, addressed to her by
the title of Lally Morton, dated the Dili January, 1818, and
Rioted " Robert Crierson," and tin Monday evening, the
Countess received another letter Sy the two-penny post,
directed to her !muse, Nu. 39, Witopole-stiret, *Mee
the first letter was also directed to. This letter was dated
the 1 tilt January, 1818, and signed " Robert Cletersyst "
The Countess stated, that front the threatening and other
language used in both the lepers, particularly 111 that of
the last, dated the 1 Itlo J: ttttt aiy, site hail nu doubt they
were wt &Men by the Prisone►, and front all the cumin-
stances, she considered herself to be in extreme dange►
from the Prisoner, mid dud tippet bend that she went in
danger of het life, or of receiving some great buddy haunt
Gum Mr. GI ierson.
The :Magistrate asked him what he had ttisity in answer
to sending such kite's! Re replied, that he cuntal nut give

any answer to them eseept he eats sail mumnincri them, it
order to enable him to my Whither he bad written them or
nut.
Mr. Birtile declined givens the Wises to lb* Prisorser, hot
read them shoot to bins. The first wee doted from the
"Turk's Head, Ralcilffe.ernsa, Ratcliffe-highway." It misted
as a einnoursication to the•Connti os of Morton, that be wai
about to pishtiab a Heruit Poem, is which be should intro-
duce rime unpleasant circomatanees, do which her late
father, Sir Francis Boller, was eugaged, while In the Isle of
Mass, Which would be injurious to his character, but if
1001. was sent to hiss, be sintild tirrppeasteu the ilthblitratiml•
The areoud mid last letter was 460 dated from the Tork's
tired, Ratetiffs-cruse, Itatelile-highway, In which he enrlos-
•eil a specimen of the p .rear, relative to the character of the
late Sir Fl'Allrj• Noll r, And main 'ulnae for a drisft for loot.
to hr writ to hint, esaitz violent threatening language, it Ina
thmats.l was out colorised with ; Rod concluded by ailvoone
the Cosioters to resulleft that these had been • Bellingham,
and 'bat their now we's a (criers n.
After the Nlagistrate had finished ira&ng the letters, be
owl agaiii asked what be had to say fur himself, when he
comity admitted them to be his writing, and avowed the
sentiments they contained.
'Phis rendered it unnecessary to resort to the proof of
their Mill* the Prisouer's band-writing, and the Cousites.
of Alorton proving the receipt of the two letters, made the
charge 'complete.
The Pawner was then committed to the litre Prison,
Clerkenwell, and previous to any hail Ming received fur
him, he W3S ordered to give 4S hours notice.
The Prisoner was untieratoutt to have atter' erne yeare
siuce us • surgeon in the isle of Maio, but is now ie-
dic;ed. He 'appears to he a maw of considerable oh-tithes.

, . lo.tat.sonovais.stitarr.
DUEL PREVENTED.
Private informatiou WWI received at tl is office no Wedne;-
ay ~,,,, that a duel was f un to take place imme-
diately at Chalk Farm ,• nrop which Mr. Conniet, the Sit-
tint; MagistrAte, dispatched Wales, the officer, to prevent it.
The pailics, Thomas Adam& Roche, Eaq and— Morph!,
Esti Captious in the as my, appeared on the ground, but it
bring occupied by 2 party of ;op.'s 'bootee', they retired to
Bruall.ll Tea Gerbils, Camden Tows, when the officer mad*
them acquainted with his errand. Capt. Roche followed to
the uttice„ and .as held in sureties to keep the peace, and
the oilier Gtatironau gave his word for bis appenrisuce to du
ROCRERk" AT MR. LAW'S.