The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-10-11 00:00:00

delve trmight forward on the defendant's behalf, inasmuch as both
the witnesses (mother and daughter) were women of depraved cha-
racter, and the superintendents of houses of ill fame.
Mr. Laixst admitted that their testimony would have been
more entitled to consideration and belief, had their characters been
',mentionable; but the character of the woman who made the
charge could not be considered very pure, particularly as she ad-
mitted herself to be en inmate of one of those very houses for a
period of three months. ►lowever, under all the circumstance', he
thought the parish officers were bound to product Blincoe, from
whom something conclusive might be extracted.
Mr. Sergeant SILLOW concurring in this opinion, the ease was
ordered to stand over, and a summons was ordered to be granted
against Blincoe, in the event of his refusing to come forward.
Yesterday the parties were all in attendance, three of the over-
seers appearing fur the parish, and Mr. Davis being accompanied
by his Solicitor as on the former examination.
Blincoe was sworn, and in his examination by Mr. Sergeant
SELLON, he admitted that he cohabited with the witness Kirk,
when she lodged in Hatfield-street, in the month of December last
(this was the period which she said the defendant was in the habit
of visiting her). They passed as husband and wife, and he
(Blincoe) was always known there by the name of Mr. Arnold,
which was the one that Isabella Kirk wished him to assume.
Mr. LAING—Do you admit having slept with her during that
time ?

Blinene—Yes, Sir, I do.
Mr. LAING—Were you in the constant practice of doing so?
Illincoe—No, Sir, not constantly, but I am certain that I slept
with her five or six times.
Mr. Sergeant SEt.to sr—Was she considered as your wife ?
Blincoe--,She represented herself as such to every one In the
house, and I never ccntraoicted it.
Mr. LAING thought that this person's evidence, coupled with
that of the woman of the house and her daughter's, was quite suffi-
cient to falsity Kirk's statement. lie had seldom met with a mote
profligate woman than she was now proved to be i and if the parish
were to follow up this case, she would stand a fair chance of being
sent to the House of Correction fur six or twelve months.
Mr. Sergeant SELLON—And if the defendant likes he may in-
dict her for perjury.
The complaint against Mr. Davis was immediately dismissed,
and there is no doubt that It was brought forward with a view to
extort money from him, because he happens to be a married man.
Information was received at this office of a most impudent at.
tempt which was made, to rob the house of Mr. Collyer, bookbinder,
No. 72, Hatton-garden, between the hours of one and two o'clock
on Mondry morning, which was, however, most fortunately and
effectually defeated. On the
all
night, the doors were fast.
sued at the usual hour, and all the family retired to bed, with the
exception of a woman who was In attendance on a lady in the house
then dangerously ill. The nurse having occasion to go down stairs
in the night, imagined that she heard a noise in the drawing-room,
which was lock. el on the outside, and on listening more attentively,
she discovered that the persons within were endeavouring to force
back the bolts ; the nurse immediately ran up stairs, and amused
Mr. Collyer, who jumped out of bed, and on unlocking the draw-
ing-room, the robbers (two in number) jumped out of the window,
which is sir:teen or eighteen feet from the street, and. effected their
escape. though the watchmen came up soon after. Head, sen.,
the chief peace officer, found on the premises a dark lanthom, a
phosphorous box, and a paper of matches, which was marked
" H. 13. 72," the description of the house marked out for plunder.
- -

MARY.LPI-BONE.—Yep. this office was crowded to excess
by licensed victuallers, who appeared to answer informations ex-
hibited by the notorious Johnson the informer.
Mr. John Davies, the proprie.or of the Dog and Duck public-
house, Tottenham-court-road, was the first proceeded against for
keeping open his house later at night than was allowed by Act of
Parliament.

- -....... .....
Aaron Rawlins, Johnson's witness, deposed that on the night of
the 3d of October he entered the house of the defendant at about
half.put eleven o'clock. when he saw several women and men
drinking at the bar. There had been a fire near the house a few
nights previously.
hlr. tinter I T lIS asked why he alluded to the fire?
Rawlins—Because I suspected they might make that an excuse
for keeping open the house, and to show that it was not kept open
for the convenience of travellers, which the Act. of Parliament
requires.
Mr. 0 Ili Tr I T HS—Rut how can you swear positively that it was
half.past eleven o'clock when you entered the house ?
Rawlins—l regulated my watch by May-lc-bone Church at ten
on the same night.
Mr. Davies contended, that although the watch had been regu-
lated at that hour, it still might be wrong when the witness entered
the house. He positively, and with some indignation, denied that
the doors were open at the time stated, and said that no one was
served in the house after the usual hour. He certainly admitted
that he suffered the firemen to stay in his house since they had been
employed digging the ruins.
Pener, a fireman, said that the house was merely kept open on
the above night for the convenience of the firemen, who were
obliged to be up all night.
Farrow, another fireman, stated to • rimier effect, and contra-
dicted the oti:ernent of the witness, Rawlins, that prostitutes were
at the bar drinking.
Mr. Gal Fri THS remarked that the fire had nothing at all to do
with the law of the question. The accommodation of firemen was
no excuse for the infringement of the law. The case had been
proved, and he should fine the defendant 10s. and costs.
Mr. Perkins, of the /lope, Tottenham-street, was the next pro-
ceeded against.
Rawlins stated that,after leaving the house of the last defendant,
he proceeded to Mr. Perkins's t it was ten minutes to 12 o'clock ;
there were several persons in the house at the time.
The defendant produced several respectable witnesses, who post-
' tively swore that the house was cleared at 26 minutes past 11, when
the doors were closed.
The testimony of Rawlins was completely impugned, and the
defendant was dlsllliSeCd.
UNIOX-HALL.—A young man named Thomas Scott, who was
implicated in the murder of Mrs. Richards, at Clapham, in the
month orApril, 1823, but who was subsequently admitted approver
against his associates, who were afterwards executed, was brought
up to this office in the custody of Joseph Snow, the constable, on
the following charge of felony.
An elderly female, named Crisp, residing at Camberwell, stated,
that about • week ago the prisoner, whom see had some slight
knowledge of before, called at her house, and introduced himself
by salting whether her son was not in want of a situation, and in.
timating that be (Scott) had it in his power to procure constant em-
ployment for him if lie wished. Mrs. Crisp's son being in want of
a plaa, she readily invited Scott into her parlour, and questioned
him as to the nature of the employment that he was so kind as to
recommend. He replied, that the situation was an excellent ene—
that of overseer of the men that were carrying on the works of
the New London Bridge, under the direction of Sir Edward Banks
and Mr. Jaffe. Mrs. Crisp was quite elated at the good
sews, and endear oured to prevail upon Scott to stop and take din-
ner, when he could also have an opportunity of seeing her son, and
receiving his grateful thanks foe the piece of service he was about
to render him and his family. Scott, however, excused himself,
adding, that he was in a hurry, and desired that he might be sup-
plied with pen, ink, and paper, for the purpose of writing the ad-
dress where her son was to call upon him. hlrs.Crispleft the par-
lour with the intention of procuring the writing materials for him.
During her absence, however, from the room, the prisoner took ad-
vantage of it, and made himself master of • silver family watch
that always hung suspended over the mantel-piece, with which lie
decamped out of the house, not in the usual way, by the street door,
but by Jumping out of the window. On the discovery of the rob-
bery, sod the trick that was played upon her, Mrs. Crisp added,
that she gave information of the circumstances to Snow, the con-
stable, together with • description of the person.who had robbed
her.

Snow said, that from the inibrmation he received from the last
witness, be proceeded to a house In Kent-street, resorted by
thieves and prostitute., and he there succeeded in apprehending
Scott, who was surrounded by fellows of his own stamp. Snow
gave a deaselpdow of the abominable haunt, and said that the pri-
soner, besides esseyiag on the vocation of a thief since his recent mi-
raculous sow lbswarifiriag on the scaffold, lived with a prosti-
tute of the WPM disearlydse.
lure. Cris, drily idanilled the perms of the prisoner, who was
fully committed/es trial.
In Scott's pockets were found a great many duplicates of female
apparel, pledged at different pawnbrokers' shops.

On Monday morning the travelling chariot of Mr. Bons-
field, of St. Albans, was robbed of the trunk behind. The
property was all safe on the footman alighting at Barnet,
and the lose was not discovered until the arrival of the
chariot in Tettenbant-coart-mad. Some suspicious cha-
racters were observed to follow the vehicle on its leaving
Barnet, who it is supposed cut the trunk away, which on-
biped some *ler lefielhee with a tlasiaV of weeriol 1112-
pereL .Na traces have yet been diseove of thetbieves.
DZI•DIPIIL FIZZ AT fittesawass.—On Friday MOM.
ing, about half-past four o'clock, the inhabitants of Blue- •
town were alarmed, and thrown into the greatest confusion,
by a Gm breaking out with tremendous violence in the •
stables belonging to Mr. Clarkson, of the Fountain I
Miasmas was promptly rend red, but the dams hod so-
in4
solved sash powerful force that bereft they opal be sub-
duel so lasses than ten d Imam *epos" at
the dwarfs* dement, with the Wade oe the
stabling psi nemb-bsules, fee a meek,
hearse. Oierdndes, gig, and ail hems. &c. which
' were web* easeused. The albeit and men of his
Modesty's dips* Illenst mused Oorsonon,_ ~es well as those
frlse Deek-yerd, rurreeik lihpseolves in the most
amasser, sad haWy emsesedad, with the en-
ifilo7l, sp to she Rani IMaNkbtaenta, in arresting
the progress of the calamity, or the moseguences might
have prevaddreadhd in the ezireme; as it is, there is evi-
dently too much to deplore. We have not beard to what
extant, if any, issarances may have bees effected on the
property destroyed; but by the destined= of the dwell-
ings, rev rd peer families are deprived of their little all,
bay* Well had date to escape with their lives ; their
*sedan, it la abisiray so be hoped, will not fail to mite
sensehmeadeo la the bforn of ohs laSigt.