The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-09-11 00:00:00

CURE Or TIIE DUMB.

Loot reek a quick doctor made his appearance in Calton, vend.
I:.g drugs, said to be distilled from herbs. He pretended to be
deaf and dumb, hut exhibited n placard headed " John Walker,"
setting forth that from bug experience both by sea and land, at
la.aie and abmsd, lie had acquired the knowledge of knowing, at
lost sight, must disorder, in men, women, and children, only by
I. :kie.„ in their faces ; and cured all disorders by incilieines cum.
timed by himself. To this modest announcement was attached a
..atificate, signed " Henry Monteith, Provost," and " Ales. Han.
iine, 1/.." certifying "that the hearer was a native of the Pity
or Glasgow, and was born deaf and dumb, but was of a wandering
it...post:ton and wank, nut settle." Ile carried x large stock of bot-
tle; of all descriptions, sent through the houses, and in virtue of
his power of knowing trouble at first sight, at once indicated several
pp ople to be dangerously iii, who were quite unaware of their peril.
Ile was pretty succeasful in his contributions, but unfortunately
fur I:in:self he sentured beck to a house where he had previously
sold a 3s. 6d. bottle. By some fatality his herbs in Om instance
hut not had that miraculous effect which was looked for, and the
money was demanded back. Ile made a number of signs, end in-
vited them to try another bottle, but considering him an imposter,
Serjeant Leckie lodged him in the police-office. He was taken
before the Magistrate yesterday, but still pretending to he deaf and
dumb, be made signs, and tie only collllllUttiratioll with hint was
by writing. He was sentenced to thirty Jays confinement in liriJe.
well. 1113 the evening Savgeart Leckie, being convinced that lie
was only feigning, to frighten him, said they would brand his
forehead forliwgery in addition to his confinement The deaf and
de oda derma this in: leanly recovered the full use of his faculties,
and, with same tremendous oaths. said lie was baiter at:qua:mist
with the law than to isehese that he could be punished moreseverely
than he was sentenced to. lie is howl headed, and is *twenty-two
years of age. He says hie real name is John Stevenson, anti that
be belongs to New Kilpatrick. Ile s.iya his skill in mettle ne com-
pletely transcends that of the whole faculty ; and that though
Haexparte put down Mc Inquisition in Spain it had beau: re.esta-
blishod in Calton, when they confined a person of his abilities, and
ha is determined to publish his wmngs when he gets out of his
dungeon. lie says he served in the American war from 1773 to
I/Cl?., and was at the siege of Gibraltar. For the last linty years
he says lie has followed no regular employment. —Giusittne
Clirenick.

. - -
FATAL Arcint rir.---Seweral days ago the butler of the
Hum Mrs. Maitland Macgill, Durham Cottage, while pruning
*nue trees ice the shrubbery, had one of his fingers pricked by an
old stamp, it is said, of the barberry, which in a short time be-
came very much inflamed, and extended over his whole arm. The
Pilarnmation in This linger and arm soon subsided ; lint was fol.
lowwd by the formation of a tumour in his arm-pit and inflamma-
tion in his breast and chest. Medical aid was called in, when lie
was copiouelv bled; but notwithstanding which the till:amnia-
-01a conC:nucd to extend over his body, and ultimately occasioned
his death an dist day week on which his linger received the injury.
—llfe Herold.
SSNOULAR DICATN.—An inquest has been held at Cite-
visgtoe, on John Wallis, a labouring man, who died from drink-
lag beer infocted will some poisonous quality. The beer hail been
brewed by the deceased, and put into the cask, which he bought
about a year ago of ao:ne person unknown, ut Bury. This cask
Led been used to keep a ferret in, which hail dual there, and it was
afterwards m h le up in a smaller size by a cooper. who cleaned it.
:loam of the beer was drank by the deceased, his site, and son, on
Thursday week, and they became sick shortly after. kleveral
other persons hail afterwards partaken of it, and had subsequently
became ill; but it did not appear that any suspicion Wirt !MCI.
reined of the cause of their illness till after the mm's death, which
oak place on Friday. The remainder of the beer had been thrown
away by the advice of the neighbours, anti there was no made of,
a.certaining its veiny. Tho rate of the body, and the tune which
Lad elapsed, rendered it impossible to ascertain any material fart
-um dissection, and the Jury being convinced that the death was
caused innocently, returned a verdict of " Accidental Death.--
-Vbrd hews.