The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-09-09 00:00:00

I•':tUX PAS.

It is with much concern we have "gain to record another occur
mice of the most afflicting and agonizing nature, accompanied by
a series of stratagem, treachery, mid ingratitude, involving in it a
whole family's happiness, whose high respectability and domestic
comfort appeared to Conn the basis of connubial bliss.
A Mr, a gentleman of large fortune, accumulated by
means of a very extensive export trade, from the north of England ,
in the year 1815 became introduced to the society of the accom.
plisheel and lovely Miss M—, the otily daughter of a Church
Dignitary, and whose personal charms had produced the envy of
her own sex in the county of Cumberland.
Mr. soon felt the force of a growing honourable passion,
and his repeated interviews strengthened his admiration of the
immtal and p.esoual beauties of the captivating Miss 51—, who
was then only in the twentieth year of her age • and although Mr.
P— had the advantage of years very considerably, and the lady's
suitors were not only numerous and young, but wealthy, he che-
rished that ardent posits' which he anticipated was to prove •
source of continued temporal happiness, and if (under the disad-
vantage of years, although possessed of every means to render
happy the object of his choke) Mr. P— met a fund preference
from the then admirable 111 iss al—, it cannot be wondered
at that he felt the distiaguisheel compliment paid him. The result
of a short courtship satisfied the parents of die fitaesa of' the union,
the happy pair were accordingly married at Church, in the
same county, the latter end of 1815 ; the fruits of which has since
bra hair sweet children, who seemed rather to enhance than dinti.
nish the endearment; of the then happy family. At length Mrs.
proposed to travel, to which her husband ever ready to ac-
quiesce in the wishes of his wife, consented. and suitable !qui.
Crand attendants being provided, the family set off' for Switzer.
intending to complete a continental tour, and on their arrival,
engaged a delightful retirement for some months in the neighbour.
hood of Neufchatel, the air of which up oared to the full extent to
accord with she harmonions feelings of the admiring travellers.
game months of bliss stole swiftly away in their romantic abode,
and it was then proposed by Mrs. P-.--, that they should con.
tiaue 'their route towards Italy, where, unfortunately for all parties,
the subject of the present narrative appears first to have taken
its rise.
' Soule time after the battle of Waterloo, about two months pre-
vious to the fautily'a departure, at a party given by a neighbouring
gendeman, aiming other Englishmen of rank, was a H—,
who hail highly distinguished himself on that meniorable day, from
the effects of a hich be was advised, as a restorative to his health,
to reside awhile in Switzerland, mil with whim the family of Mr.
P— (from a knowledge of the exalted rank of his relatives) soon
became acquainted, and, ultimately, very intimate. It is almost
needless to say, the Captaiu was younger by ten years than Mr.
was handsome, vivacious, and hail fought at the battle of
Waterloo ; and, in fact, his military air and enable manners, ren.
dered his acquaintance in the family of Mr. P— a desirable ob.
jest. This fact was son discovered by the Captain, who had no
sooner seen the lovely Mrs. than he, it appears, instantly
determined on laying siege, even at the certainty of her loss of fu-
tun tranquillity. At length the Captain, by his attentions, soon
became an inmate with the unguarded though injured Mr. I'—,
and used frequently to escort Mrs. P-- among the romantic
scenery around, and being, as well as bench', • I, would often
join In mites most congenial to tender souls. The unremitting at-
' minions and extreme delicacy of the Captain's deportment, unex.
pperetel ly brought Mrs. l'— to a comparison bet ween.the two parties,
from which, imperceptibly to kerscif, sprang a sort of apathy towards
her husband. It so happened that about this period a near relative of
Mr. l'—'e haying died in England, his (Mr. P—'s) immediate
attendance was resiuired ; and she, with much 'am
./hold. limed the
announcement of his departure, which took place early in the year
1817, leaving his family behind, and the captain in full possession
of the garrison, guarded only by the domestics.
During Mr. P—'s absence the Captait.'a natives began to dis-
play themselves, and, by his pointed and unremitting attentions.
soon satisfied 'pea. P— of hie:views ; and on one occashm he went
WI far as to suggest iroposala of a dishonourable nature which were
spurned at with indignation. and a threat to inform Mr. P-- on
his arrival. Apologies; followed, accompanied by protestations of
eeernal respect, if an exposition was avoided, to which the tea-fur.
giving Mrs. I'— assetteel ; and on Mr. P—'s return no men-
tor° was made of the affair. and his wife, on the departure of the
Captain. returned her usual spirits, although not only was her pride
hurt, but e• ..c remained a stilled enmity towards the l'uptain.
The family continued to tnerel until the latter end of 1823, and
then arrived in London, and took up their residence in the vicinity
of Ittakeley-aquare, without the feelings of Mr. I, being in any
degree wounded ; hut it since appears. that so far from the Captain
adhering to his promise of respect, during the whole time the fa-
mily was on the I'ontinent, he kepe up a secret correspondence with
Mrs. P through the means of )a discarded servant and on her ar.
rival in England, lost no time, by the aid of his valet, in obtain-
ing an interview with her in her carriage in the Park, which has
been often since repeated. The result of all this has been, that the'
lady tkus lured rushed into the hands of her seducer, having con.
veyed away all her valuables. While airing in the lark on Friday
last. she deliberately stepped into a post carriage and four standing
at Hyde Park-earner, and with lax inamorata drove off at full
speed towards Vauxliall Bridge. thus leaving the deluded and in..
diligent Mr. P— and four children in the most afflicting situa-
tion.
The parties have been traced towards the Dover road, and as
they art• supposed to be gone to die Coatinent, it is hoped they
may be overtaken. The Captain's letters and other evidence Boe-
ing in the possession of Mr. P--, the affair will Prob•bY fun,"
husir.eas for the gentlemen of the long robe.

Fl R E.—Yesterday morning, abo.ut half-past mix o'clock,
the inhabitants of Ibilion-gurdem were alarmed by the report of a
tire and the arrival of the different firemen. 1)pon inquiry, we
ascertained that it was discovered to have broken out in an out-
workshop adjoining the hack part of the premises belonging to
Mr. Smith, No. 21, Ilatton-trarden. It originated in the flue of a
chimney, which chimney had been used by workmen, anti from
unforeseen circumstances the bricks became heated, and had ap-
rocntly been bunting for some days before it burst into a Name.
Luckily it was divvy/n:11 in sufficient time to prevent much da-
mage being done to the house and the premises adjacent.

POLICE.

GU ILDHA LL.

RONDING CAIII6 AND WAGOONS.-.-Two felines of sonic I
notoriety, named Ifralter anti firm. Nor: y, father and son, were
brought up before Mr. Aldernian k'Eunal.v.s, charged with a
trick which hat, lately been successfully practised in several in-
stances,
and again.t which it is important that the persor.s
lentrusted with the case of loaded vans ur waggons should be put
upon their guard.
I George Finch, carter to Mr. Clayton, the curler of Barnet, was
scut to town on Thursday last with the cart to fetch pawls fur
I several tradesmen at Barnet, and amongst other things, live chests
of tea for Mr. Hopewell, front Messrs. liedwar and Yates's,
St. John-street. After receiving them he had to call at Holborn-
hill, and on his return up Snow-hill he was stopped opposite the
George Inn-yard by two men, one • f whom told I they were,
Isent from Messrs. Bedwell and Yates's, that there was a mistake
about two of the chests of tea, that they were to take them and
bring him the two right ones in their stead, from the warehouse up-
' ptmite. Finch crediting this story, let them each take a chest, with
which they went up the George yard. Ile waited patiently some
time for the clients he was to receive in lieu of them, but finding
they 11i.% 1101 come, he went to inquire, when he only got laughed at
for his credulity, and learnt that there were at hast half-a-dozen
ways nut of the yard besides that by which ha entered, and that
through one of them the fellows had got clear away with the booty.
On his return to St. John-street inquiry was made of the street_
keeper, who described the two Narcys so accurately, as haying
seen them luitering and watching about the house, that they were
inimethice:y known by one of the Bow-street (takers, and were in
the course of the following day taken into custody.
The carter now swore positively to the person of Walter Narey,
the father, and seemed to have little doubt as to the identity of
SYm. Narey, but would not undertake to swear positively to his
!person.
The prisoners contented themselves with denying all knowledge
of the transaction, and Mr. Humphreys, their Solicitor, as a sort
of ruse tie guerrr, it should seen, at first till:sited to doubt what
offence had beet committed—there was 110 felonious taking.

The A Limn HAY, however, was aware of the law on the subject,
and rightly observed, that the obtaining goods under false pretences
wax felony by the Statute; and upon that charge lie should cer-
eaioly commit %Walter Harry for trial.
Banks. one of the City officers, observing that Wm. Narey was
about to be discharged. now stepped forward, and reminded the
Alderman of a case of* precisely similar nature, where one chest
of tea had been obtained in the same manner from North's Wind.
FM waggon a short time since. A toll description hail been adver-
tised of the person who so stole it, which answered very accu-
rately to the person of AS'in. Sorry. The carter hail said that he
should certainly know the man again if he saw hint, and he had
therefore been directed by tire parties, if he should be liberated
upon the present charge, to apply to have him remanded till the
driver of the Windsor waggon .vuld be brought to town.
The ALnts N said, that lie had so little doubt hintselfor the
prisoner's rarticipation in the present robbery, he should have no
hesitation in detaining him, and he was accordingly remanded.
The booty obtained in this way has been comitlerable. In Mr.
North's case the property was worth above MI.; and the two chests
in the present were valued at &bout .5411.

11•-ST Er.T.
in our paper of last Tuesday se'nnight, we stated that an appli-
cation was made on the preceding day at this office by a Mr. John
Bull, of Chelsea, for redress against certain persons through whose
misconduct it was alleged his son, a boy about eight years of age,
and another lad of about 15, were drowned in the Thames, near
Battersea Bridge. Ile was then told that the Magistrates could not
interfere, and that he had better wait until the bodies were found,
and then produ,e whatever evidence he might be able to procure
before the Coroner's InquisitiAn. The body of 31r. Bull's son was
found on Thursday morning last, about eleven o'clock, floating near
some barges, opposite to the fluke's Head, at Putney, and on the
following day an Inquest was held before the Coroner for Surrey.
Mr. Bull had been indefatigable in Ida endeavours to procure evi-
dence, conceiving that the conduct of those who caused the fatal
catastrophe was highly culpable, and ought to be made the subjects
of a criminal prosecution. Ile was in attendance with s host of
witnesan, but the Coroner, after hearing the testimony of two only,
refused to have any more called. A verdict of" Accidental Death"
was returned by the Jury. Subsequently Mr. Bull sought the ad-
rice of Mr. Varner, the Solicitor, and upon reference to an Act of
Parliament of the 111th of (leo. 11. which was passed for the protec-
tion of the public against the carelessness or other misconduct of
watermen, a clause was found which enacts that no wherry shall
carry, for freight or hire, on a Sunday, more than eight persons,
and any Waterman offending against this regzlation shall forfeit, for
the first offence, 51., and for the second IW. and be disfranchised
from working on the river, and front all the privileges of the Water-
men's Company for 12 months ; "and" continues the statute, " if
in any such case one or more passenger or panengers in the said
wherry shall be drowned, then the waterman shall, upon being duly
convicted, be deemed guilty of felony, and be transported as a
felon." Upon this clause a warrant was applied for against Joseph
Sharp, the mammon who plied the wherry in which the accident
happened, and John Prest, a man who was assisting hint in rowing
at the tune, and they were yesterday brought before T. Hat. Ls,
E A. the sitting Magistrate.
The first witness was William Dreyson, the young man in whose
care 3lr. Bull entrusted his son on the day in question. Ile stated
that lie took Mr. Bull's son out, intending to go to Hyde Park to
ace the Asylum boys walk, but he found they were too late, and
therefore went to see the College at Chelsea. While there the boy
got down to the water-side, and expressed a strong desire to go
upon the river. The prisoner (Sharp) was plying for pauengers,
and witness and the boy got in with others, and were rowed across
to Battersea, where they rambled about for some time, and then re-
turned and got into the same boat, with twelve others, exclusive of
Sharp, making fifteen in number altogether. They had got about
half way across when Sharp called out, " Where the devil arc you
coming ?" and, in a moment afterwards, another boat came
against the wherry and threw all the people out, with the exception
of the witness and his master's son, whom he held fast in his arms,
and called loudly for help, until the boat, which was fast filling,
went down, and threw them into the water. Ile held the boy in his
arms until he was exhausted, and was obliged, for his own preser-
vation, to let•lum go. The wiutcas did not see the boat which
ran against them.
Henry Wilkes, a lad living at Chelsea, deposed, that when he
and the others entered the prisoner Sharp's boat, Prat, who got on
board as a passenger merely, took a scull to assist Sharp. Wit-
near, when route distance across, saw a six-oared cutter coming
down the river with the full swing of the tide, and Sharp called
out " Hoy !" but they kept their course, and ran quite over the
stern of the wherry, throwing them all into the water. They were
called on to assist in saving the wherry's passengers, but refused,
and witness actually swam alongside of them, and they refused to
pick hint up, telling him to go about his business ! Ile swam to
another boat and was taken in. Mr. Bull's sum, and a lad named
John Freeman, were drowned. Witness saw the cutter when 40
yards off, and Sharp called repeatedly to them. Had no doubt
that Sharp could have got out of the way if he had not had so heavy
a load.
Mr. Bull was examined as to the identity of his
Mr. HALLS said there was nothing against Prat, and ordered
him front the bar.
Sharp said that no blame was attributable to hint ; it was entirely
an accident, and was owing to the inexperience of those in the
other boat, which he declared was a wherry, rowed with two oars,
and not a six-oared cutter. When he was thrown into the water, he
hail two boys clinging Loom, his neck, and two more to his legs,
and lie did his utmost to save them.
Mr. Has t.s, after hearing the evidence, said lie was of opinion
that the case did not come within the part of the clause making the
offence a felony, for there wan no proof that the accident occurred
in consequence of the prisoner's having taken too many passengers
on hoard. There was no doubt that the prisoner had incurred the
penalty a hi.
Mr. Haamta, foe the prosecution, submitted that it was quite
clear dud the case did come within the Act, for the clause said
nothing as to what might be the cause of accident. The words
were plain and simple—that if any person should be drowned out
of a sherry carrying a greater number of' passengers than by law
allowed, the watermau managing her should be deemed guilty of
felony. Besides, in this case it was next to a certainty that the
primmer could have got out of the way, but for the extra load.
111 r. Hat.ss, however, was still of the same opinion, but ob-
served, that the question was one of notch importance, and he
would take care that the prisoner should be fiwthcoming at the Sus
sions to answer any charge that might be made against him.
The prisoner was then ordered to give bail, himself' in NI. and
two sureties in 4411. each.
It is the intention of 3lr. Bull to prosecute for the felony.
HATTON-GARDEN.
N esterilay Thonws hfelhostene and George Higgs were brought
tip front Eagle-street watch-house, charged with disorderly con-
duct on last night, In the neighbourhood of Holborn, The con-
trast between the parties WAS rather singular, Mr. Melbourne be.
ing, we understand, lately a pit- representative, as far as dimen.
sions went, at Bartholomew Fair, of the giant species, while his
humble companion, about three feet in height, simply personated a
dwarf.
It appeared in evidence that the " little gentleman" was ex-
tremely anxious not to depend upon Math a precarious existence as
occasional exhibition'', and accordingly, by the advice of his friend,
he wished to become a member of a benefit society. He accordingly
went with him on Tuesday night to a public-house in Holborn, to
be regularly introduced ; but, to their great mortification, the party
had separated. Mr. M. still c mecived that the landlord should
feel it a compliment to his house to hale his friend introduced
there, and accordingly requested a pint of beer to be drawn gratui-
tously. The landlord, incapable of truly appreciating the honour
intended for him, not only refused the cooling beverage, but called
in the aid of watchmen to disturb his visitors. The giant resisted,
while his friend wore that " his size was his protection."
The watchman, when questioned on the subject, evpowd that he
never attempted to harm the little el.:atom" but merely took
it in his aims, and laid it in the streets, as tender as a potted
herring.
The gigantic efforts of Mr. Melbourne RM. ouch, that the Ma-
gistrate requested him to procure the interposition of two friends,
to answer for his appearance at the next raree.ahow at Ckrken-
well Sessions-house.