The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-05-21 00:00:00

FELONY BY A CLERGYMAN.

About ten days since a rommunication was made to the Magi.
strates at Lambeth-inzeet Office, that an individual who had
mitted an extensive
me,felony at the house of a gentleman named Hill,
at
me North Shie with
dld et he e he bad been an inmate in the family for
eo tistolen property was on his to
London on board the Charlotte, Captain Custard, belonging to the
port of Shields, and requesting their Worships would
cause him to
be :wrested before he reached the shore. In consequence of this
communication Mr. Miller, the Chief Constable of that Establish,
meat, was despatched to Gravesend, with inenyetions to board the
Charlotte as soon as she arrived there, and, should he find the
son who stood accused, to take him into immediate custody. The
trunks of the passengers were searched on the vessel's arrival, and
in that of a person who gave his name William Toner, aquae.
arty of plate, corresponding with that stolen, and other propaty, was found. Information was sent to Shields, and on M" ednaiday a can.
stable arrived from thence with the warrant, signed by Messrs.
Wright and Elderton, the Magistrates at the port of Shields, in
~hieh the prisoner, who was therein described as the Reverend
Abraham Charles Mummery, was charged with felony, and authe.
rising his immediate removal to that place. On Thursday the pri.
'toner was brought up for further examination before the Reverend
Mr. Matthias and John Hard wicke, Esq. The accused, who is of
low stature, is of very dark complexion, and about 34 years of
age; he was very genteelly dressed, and his demeanoor is that of a
gentleman. On being placed at the bar, he seemed fully sensible
of his dangerous situation, and during the investigation he was at
times much agitated, and wept bitterly. He admitted that he was
the wretched being described in the warrant, and that he was a
Minister of the Established Church, and a Member of the Unirer.
sity of Cambridge.
The constable stated that the prisoner, about three weeks ago,
came to North Shields, where lie went by the name of George Mil-
' ler, and represented himself as the Chief Check in the Secretary
of
his Majesty's Commissioners of Customs in London, and that he
was sent there for the purpose of watching a vessel supposed to
have a lading of contraband goods. In COs character he engaged
a lodging at the house of Mrs. Hill, with whom his Story was cre-
(Med, and such was her confidence in him, that she frequently
went from home and left him in charge of her house ; and, on one of
those occasions, whilst she went to visit her husband, who was then
at Newcastle for the benefit of his health, the prisoner sent for a
locksmith, and stating that his wife had gone from home, and that
he wanted a document of an important natur:, made him pick tie
lock of a chest of drawers. Having sitcceeded in gming the drawers
open, he stripped them of all they contained, wit') 'h.. a hole of the
family's wardrobe, together with the pl:te, all of which {napery he
removed without detection, and went as passen,;.r rat baari the
Charlotte, but fortunately he had osurt,oked an oid tea caddy, in
which was deposited shout 800/. The constable further stated,
that dare were several other charges of felony against him by the
publicans in Sunderland, where he had pledged the stolen property,
and where he hal been living for some time, and he understocd
had occasionally offi:iated for the Rev. Mr. Collisoo, Rector of
Getsill, county of Durham.
The prisoner listened with profound attention to the constable's
statement. He confessed his guilt to the fullest extent, and said he
was led from the paths of virtue and truth, as well as to the com-
mission of the felony, in consequence of an illicit amour with a
female. He entreated the Magistrate, if it was not adverse to the
end, of justice, to have him tried in London for the offence be had
committed, as he conceived that the officer who found the goods
upon him would be a sufficient witness to canyiet him, and spare at
least the feelings of many valued friends in that wet of the country,
Wore whom he had gyp aced in so different a character. It 'odd
be also injuring the cum_ of religion and strum.
Tbe Magistrate said he was compelled to send him to the
country.
The prisoner seemed very much dejected on being removed from
the bar; and orders were given to remove him immediately to
Shields, to await his trial. He is very respecably connected.