The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-08-01 00:00:00

POLICE.

VICISSITUDES OF IIIT:11AN LIFE.
ITATTOR-GARDEN.—A venerable old man, named Jets Hopes,
whose white hair, thinly scattered over an ample and Intelligent
forehead, was well ralculated to excite respect, was brought before
Mr. Room's, in the custody of Jackson, one of the Meadicity
Society's constables, chreged a ith being found in Brunswick-oreet,
Brunswick-square, soliciting alms from the passengers, on Friday
last.
The officer having described the situation In which be found the
prisoner,
Mr. ROGEns inquired whether he tail ever lXen apprehended
on a similar charge, or if Ise wan in any way known to the Society?
Mr. Fagan, • principal clerk belonging to the establishment,
stated that the prix nee had opplied to the Society about two yeari
ago, through Mr. Walker, the late Assistant Manager, when he
represented himself as fairly entitled to very considerable property,
bat that his claim being disputed by a distant relative, he had not
the means to carry on a suit at law ; and being wholly destitute of
support, was recommended to lay a statement of his case before the
Directors of this Institution, who, in all probability, might be to.
laced, If the claim appeared well founded, to pursue the action on
his behalf. In the first instance he ,was supplied with the means of
immediate subsistence from the Society's funds; and as there
seemed to be a reasonable prospect of his succeeding in the law-
suit, the Beard of .Management adianced at different times various
sums of money, to the amount of 601. or 701., in furtherance of the
proceeding., which, however. were ultimately abandoned, as Haves
claims to the property were foritatehe not so strong as he had ee.
presented theta. Ile lied since that time received occasional relief,
and having hewn seen begging in the street; before, ens admonished
against the illegality of that calling, and recommeeded to apply to
his parish for a itaintenance, which, it seerfrA, he declined dmng.
preferring the pieentious chances cf street begging.
Mr. ROGERS said he was surprised that a man of his age and
seeming respectability should have diegraced himself by resorting
to so despicable a means of obtainie n livelihood.
Hayes, with a deep-drawn shah, and his eyes sufatsed with tears,
said that he was driven to it front actual necessity.
Mr. ROGERS observed, that in this country no man could be
actually in want.
Hayes, admitting the justness of the worthy Magistrate's remark,
said that although the parielt was open to every man in distress
still it was a painful alternative for an individual to resort to, We:
hail previously held a respectable station in society. lie spoke
from experience, indeed, be could say, sad and truly painful ex-
perience.
Mr. Hostas—What has been your occupation in life?
Hayes--Why, Sir, for nearly the last sixty years. I was engaged
in mercantile business in Bristol, and maintained myself and tallaily
in good credit during the greater part of that time; hut, front the
flectuations to which every, man in trade is subject, I was reduced
to the extremity in which yeti now see me; but notwithstanding
what has been said with regard to the invalidity of my claim to the
propprty spoken of. I ant confident that the claim is perfectly valid,
and I have no doubt that if an application was made to the Court,
an advance would be made iq my beluilf.
Mr. ROGERS said he was extremely sorry to see any respectable
man reduced so such an extremity, hut a, the same time it was
his duty, as a Magistrate, to prevent a recurrence of die offence.
Hayes—Then, what am Ito do—how am Ito live ?
Rot:leas—Yoe should certainly apply to your panlh, but
at the same time you mug not now want assistance. The worthy
Magistrate then put his hand in Isis pocket and slipped a sum of
money into the old men's hand, who dropped a tear on the gift, *sal
the complainant was discharged.
EXTENSIVE ROBBERY BY A SHOPMAN.
Mant.looooosisSTUEET.—Yeaterday, Henry Dunn, shop-
man to Messrs. Charge Drake.. Sewed, and Thomas Cross, very
extensive linen-drapes and mercer'', 44, Ohl Compton-street., Soho,
WAS brought from St. Ann's watch.house, charged with robbing
his employers to a great extent. Menrs. Sewed and Cress ern.
played betwixt thirty and forty attendants in their warehouse, and
so confidential was the trust reposed in the prisoner, that, thought
not much more than a twelvemonth in their service, they had
raised his salary from 30/. to 301. per annum. The confidence of
the font in the rectitude of the prisoner was such, that on finding
unaccountable deficiencies that appeared to implicate two persona,
they Math:aged them; one of whom was the porter, who was ac-
tually discharged on a suspicion of his honesty, for the very goods
yesterday produred at the ether. The prisoner s department its the
concern was the care and exposure of the India shawls, China
tram, and the silk rnercery goods. They were entrusted to
him in pieces, without a particularization of yards; and when
he waited on ladies with a picyc, the abstraction of a fes
yertle could not be detected. Merits. Sewell and Cross believe
thentetlyes to have been robbed to tee amount of three or four
hundred pounds; but until the Lean came to a further development
of Ilia peemier's perulations, /hey cannot speak with precision.
What they at present have found will amount to between one and
two Minaret! pounds. The prisoner is a good.looLing, genteel man,
about twenty.five years old; and, to his sorrowful recollection, for
rest of hit life, has become acquainted with a Jell/wood, in
itmokestreet, West-11118re, Lambeth, who calls herself 3listrese
Smith; she very properly is committed to gaol with him; that is to
say, not In the same cell, for they are to be kept separate. For
this woman, out of a salary of 30/. per year, he engaged to pay a
sovereign a week fey domestic expenses, Me per year rent for
house, which. with the taxes, would make it (AL per year, and keep
her an chug di. besides finding them both in clothes. And ittl this
Ise did in no ordinary style; Madame had a fashionably trimmed
[Rabaul bonnet, with white satin riband, a cashmere shawl, :Ind
full floured ntorning gown ; altogether degager, and not particu-
larly conspicuous for an entree to the Ningisterial lie: .ell. ateeie,
her servant, was in tears, for the fate of her toaster, her mistress, or
perquisites. though there was only evidence of the latter to the use.
ceptance of halt a dozen pair of kid gloves. Mre. Smith is a pleas-
log young women, above the middle stature, in just proportion,
though it might be interns] something had been in contemplation,
from the circumstance, of a discarded servant, named E. Mills.
having been in the lady's establishment under the designation of
nurse. _ _ _ - _ .

....-...
Air. Cross, of the firm of SeweU and Cf JIM, stated that the pri.
wryer had been in their employ about twelve months; that he was
given to understand lie was living with a married woman in loot-
hob, and that if he obtained a search warrant he would find a con.
siderable quantity of their goods at his lodgings. In fact they had
obseharged the porter and ano.tber person upon suspicion of steal.
*tog the very artich a found ,in the prisoner a house on Saturday.—
110 wae informed that the prisoner was in th.i habit of visiting the
woman be bred with in the day time, and going to bed in the after_
noon. In cons. fuenre of what had been eommui.icoted to him, lie
sit a boy lii his venire to watch the prisoner when lie went away at
night, and oft Sunday morning. The young man watched him
through the skylight, and saw him take stockings, or articles some-
what like, omit pot them In hot pockets. This was on Sunday.
IVititess was in his hed.roorn, and sari the prisoner go out; lie in-
stantly pia/amid him and stnpped him in Dean-street, near the
church. l'itnrso said to him, lie suspected he had something in
his pockets which ought not to be there. The pri user said he was'
surprised at the thought. IVitness told him his pockets were very
bulky, and dished to see the contents. The. prisoner rejoined,
' Ay, I have something there," anti drew out two ;sir of stock-
,oirt. Afterwards, witrese observing hjs pockets ?tuned up, de-