The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-11-28 00:00:00

BOW-STREET.

FRAM) AND FOHGEDT.—On Saturday Charles Ind!, Eliza-
beth Gardner, alias Meek, and Frenetic James Rigaud, were
brought before Mr. Halls fur examination, charged with having
fraudulently obtained letters of administration to the goods of ono
Joseph Rici, otherwise Ricci, by means of Elizabeth Cisrdner
sweating that she was his next of sin. and with forging and pre-
paring two powers of attorney fur withdrawing a part of Mr.
Ricci s property from the Bank, with intent to defraud the Go-
vernor ar.d Company of the Bank of England.
The female prisoner is about thirty years of age, and wee ele-
gantly dressed. Mr. Issett and 31r. Rigaud are persons of very
respectable appearance.
Mr. Lancaster, a clerk in the Registry in Doctont" Commons,
proved, that on the 11th of August letters of administration of
Mr. R.'s effects were granted to Elizabeth Gardner, upon her
oath that Mr. Ricci, of Windmill-street, Tottenham-court road, a
translator of languages, died intestate, without any relation except
herself, and that she was his niece and next of kin. Elizabeth
Gardner then said she resided at Putney. The usual bond for
carrying the administration Into effect was recanted by Mr. It igaud,
of Hayes-place, Liao:in-grove, and Mr. Green, of Camden-place,
Camden-town.

Mr. Wills, a Proctor of Doctors' Commons, proved, that by the
request of Mr. Rlgraud. he sited out the letters of administration in
question in favour of Elizabeth Gardner. They vete delivered
to Ai r.Rigaud, who paid the costs of the same. Mr. Wills also said
ho lie had done other buttons for Mr. Rigaud, and was 'directed

by Aim to ((Hain letters of admiti;• tension to tar recta.. of OM Mr.
James Riettrueed. but they were stopped by the consistory, on ac-
count (4 other letua.: of ad.uiuistration to the same estate baying
been obtained.

Phillls Whitiniumeproved that 31r. and 31rs. Issett. Mr. and
Mrs. Rigaud, Elizabeth Gardner. resided at N'oethlng ; they
appeared to be rich, and had plenty of money.
A widcw lady, yarned Stretch, residing at 32, °omen-stew.
road, ►aid bite knew the prisoner Elizabeth ineeke trout her birth,
and always knew her to pass by the same name. She never knew
her by the nanie of Gardner, or had heard of her ever being mar-
ried. She also knew her father and mother, but never heard of
their having any relation of dis name of Ricci. She had In oan her
itinsf August.

Mary Jobbing, who lived in the family of Mr. Ward, Brook-
street, Alanehester-square; knew the late Mr. Joseph Ricci, who
had married her aunt, Mary Jobbing. She never knew he had any
relation of the name of Meeke, or had heard of such a connexion ;
no such person titled, to her knowledge. visit the
C. Bennett, stock-broker, said, on the 17th August he sold out
1001.3 per Cent. Consols, and 1041. New 4 per Cents, in the name
of lEiizaheih Gardner, as the adminiatratrix of Joseph Ricci, de-
ceased. The powers of attorney now produced were the same under
which the transferlwas effected. Rigaud signed his name to the
demand made to act under the instrument. The stock produced
1971. IN. Id., and this sum was paid to Rigaud by a check on
Messrs. Everett and Co. . . .

Several ether witnesses were then examined to prove the hand-
writing of the three prisoners; also that the female prisoner was
never known by the name of Gardner in Putney. and In other places
where she said she resided, but that she Invariably passed by the
name of Elizabeth Illcelte. _ .

Rigaud, in his defence, field, that he did not consider there
was any evidence to charge him with fraud or forgery. He had cc.
companied Miss Ganiner to effect the transfer; he thought her
name was Gardner, and if he tell into error he did it unintention-
ally. Ile complained that on searching his person his money sod
receipts, which were necessary tiff his defence, were taken from
him; he had now no money or friends, and had a powerful body
like the Bank opposed to him, a single individual.
111 r. Faxsurt ELI). the Bank Solicitor, told him that the receipts
should be given up to him.
The other prisoners made no defence, and they were remanded
for a further examination.

COMFORTS or M stowr.—A grave, elderly gentleman,
dressed in a mit of "solemn sable," came before the !Magistrate,
and In a tone's,' Indescribable agony, besought his NVortlaitip's ad-
vice and atialetanee in a matter that very materially affected not only
his peace but his purse. The Magistrate lent an attentive ear, and
the applicant proceeded. Like many other fools, he had married '
somewhat late in life; some, perhaps, would say, " Deter late than
never," unfortunately, from sad experience, be was inclined to think
otherwise; disparity of years, for lie had selected a rather juvenile
companion, consequently produced disparity of tastes, pursuits,
and pleasures prudent economy was the maxim which regulated
his life—prodigal expenditure seemed to be the glory nt her's;
plays, balls, riunttos„ concerts, eunverzasionts, routs, and quadrille,
cannot be cheaply enjoyed, and the constant drain on his purse
compelled him at length (and, indeed, reluctantly, he should say)
to resume a life of "single blessedness,"having previously executed
a deed of separation a mom et Moro, conceiving that by this step
he could at all events screen himself from the heavy responsibili-
ties to which he hod hitherto been subject. Woful was his mistake;
bills poured in, some of which, to avoid legal disputation, he set-
tled ; but not content with this, she thought proper to exercise her
conjugal prerogative, and, taking advantage of his absence, she
packed up a quantity of plate, which, for better security, no doubt,
she placed in the hinds of a gentleman who keeps the sign of the
" Three Golden Balls," and the next day, through the medium of
the Two-penny Post, enclosed an acknowledgement of the deposit.
Now, he wanted to know whether, under such circumstances, he
might not claim his property, so being surreptitiously obtained and
made away with; lull begged to know if the Statute-book did not
contain some special provision against offences of this nature, should
it so happen that they were again attempted to be put In prac-
tice.

The Magistrate sympathised in the gentleman's distress; but at
the same time begged to inform him, that redress was out of the
qnestion, as in common law it was laid down that " the man and
wife are one and the same, as regards the right of property, and
therefore that neither can rob the other." The only recourse that
seemed to promise subhuman' relief wu an appeal to Doctors'
Commons.

This intelligence extended the length of the applicant's counte-
nance, and, with a "sigh that seemed to shatter all his bulk," he
bowed low and retired..
AIARLBOROUGII-STREET.

Sarah Stevenson, a servant of Mr. Boyle, a silversmith, in Ox-
fore-street, was brought up on a charge of assault against a Miss
Kirkman. residing under the same root with her. It appeared that
Miss Kirkman and a Miss Burton, are dress-makers; one half of
Mr. Boyle's shop frnnt being appropriated to the display of their
dresses, and the other devoted to the exhibition of ;11r. Boyle's
jewellery and plate. The upper part of the house was divided be-
tween the aforesaid parties, but, unlike the shop, there were no par-
titions, or other means of preventing a free communication between
the rooms itilotred to Mr. Boyle and those let out to his lodgers.
Miss F. Kirkman, a lady whose appearance challenged much
observation, now stepped forward, and curtsying to his %Worship,
in mute silence displayed the tattered remains of veil, shawl,
clink, lace, and trimmings, the state of which seemed pathetically
to bewail some recent breach of the peace. She at lrrgth stated
that it had been her fate to reside under the same roof with Se-
rah Stevenson, whose spirit of curiosity exceeded all that had ever
been attributed to the sex by the most malicious of satirists. No
friend, acquaintance, or customer, could call upon the complain-
ant, that the said Miss Stevenson did not want to know who and
what they were, where they came from, what they came for, and
how long they were going to stay. These questions, it was not al-
ways possible, end sometimes not pleasant to answer. Sarah
Stevenson, however, tried to supply every deficiency of direct in-
formation, and her eye was to every key-hole, and her ear to every
crack, that was about Miss Kirkman's premises. It was thus
that lilies Kirkman often found, to her astonishment, that secrets
which she thought hermetically sealed in her own bosom, were
fully known to Miss Stevenson, who had moreover divulged them
to the multitude. When Mrs. Kirkman had, from prudential
motives, resorted to certain ruses de guru?, to prevent her con-
ferences with her friends being known to Miss Stevenson, this
lady would open the door, walk in. surprise the parties, anti then
provokingly pretend that she thought she heard some one call her,
or would officiously ask if she could not do something for
Miss Kirkman. In short, Marplot was but a noodle, and Paul
Pry an absolute fool, compared to Miss Stevenson. After suffer-
ing this vexatious system of annoyance to the very utmost of
human endurance, Mies Kirkman thought proper to remonstrate
with Mies Sarah Stevenson, attd afterwards with Mr. Boyle upon
the enormity of such conduct. So far from these complaints curing
Miss Stevenson of her propensities, they induced her to proclaim
war against Miss Kirkman and all her goods and chattels; her
muniments of trade, and implements of household furniture—
dormitory, culinary,and of all other denominations. The first utensil
belonging to Miss Kiekinan which was injured after this declare.
lion of hostilities, was a beautiful and sacred china vase, the demo-
lition of which was so ingeniously contrived, that it might bailie
human ingenuity to say whether it had been fractured by Miss
Stevenson. or by the tom cat. However, Miss Kit kman, " potting
that and that together," came to the conclusion, that the cat that
had destroyed her utensil was a twmlegged cat, or, in other terms,
that it was Miss Stevenson, and whom she accordingly accused as
perpetrator of the mischief. After this grave charge, Miss Kirk-
man retired to her own apartment, where, as she was sitting quietly
at needle-work over the candle, she was suddenly alarmed- by the
boisterous entrance of Mitts Steverson, who, approaching her, ex-
claimed " I am net going to be accused of breaking your pitcher
that you know's the tom cat broke; I won't stand that neither ;"
saying that she made a dash at the solitary candle, knocked it into
Mire Kirkman's lap, whose dress and work were on the point of
ignition, when the incipient blaze was put out by a second blow
from Miss Stevenson, which knocked over another pitcher of water,
and fortunately into the lap into which she had just before knocked
the candle. The next day Miss Kirkman made a formal complaint
of this outrage to Miss Sarah Stevenson's mister, but Sally Steven-
son, despising all furmalties, revenged this complaint by repairing
to Mica Kirkman, attacking her with such fury, that tags, lefts,
frills, furbelows, shawls, and trimmings, with every other elegance
and contrivance of female dress were soon in tatters.

Sara Steirenion was noir call ad to emitter this strong etunplaint.
She said that it was most provoking that she never had been able to
know what Mks Kirkman end Miss Burton and their friends were
about. At all hours people were calling upon them. Young gen.
tlemen were calling upon them at twelve and one o'clock, and she
knew that they could not be after buying bonnet. and caps, and
such like o'that, at such hours as them were; and if she ever asked
what them and the other folks came about, she never could get no
satisfactory answer. She hsd there're determined just to see for
herself what folks were talking about, and why they came for.
As to the pitcher, why it was the cat that broke it ; and us to the
candle, why it turned into Alin Kirkman's lap of its own accord,
and as to the assault. why Miss K. began the row herself, and
complained of it only she found that she had got the worst
of it.

3lr. Boyle now stepped forward, and declared that his servant
was a very intelligent, peaceable sort of a girl, and that he could
give no such character of his lodgers, whom he wi►hed out of the
house.

The Magistrate proposed a compromise, which Ur. Boyle dis.
dallied, offering to give bail for his servant.
t4Rrah Stevenson now advanced, and curtsying to the Magistrate,
said. "Plesse your 'Worship, 1 hope I don't intrude too much;
but I should like to know who them people are that is constantly
calling upon Miss Kirkman t and I should like to know who Miss
Kirkman is, what are her concerns, where she tame from, and ull
about her ?"

The Mammate, however, by no means seemed disposed to gra.
tify the insatiable curiosity of this fenialePry, and she was at length
required totted ball for the assault.
Mr. Boyle wart admitted as hail, and Sarah Stevenson left the
office, expressing her astonishment what people could be about,
that she could eat be allowed just to know their concerns.

MATTO:I-GARDEN.
FORGED BI Lc —Saturday Samioei flfappirs, formerly overawe
in the house of Gregorie, filappin, and Fishbun, of Sheffield, was
brought up for re-examination on a charge of forging and uttering
two bills, purporting to be drawn by Mr. George Richardson. on
the house of Alarm. Rowbottom, Wingfield, and Wade, Sheffield,
payable at the bank of Ransom and Co., London.
f he prosecutor, Mr. Healey, glass manufacturer, of Great
Saffrou-hill, who discounted the bills, appeared to request further

that
time, as no one of the house in She
had come forward to on,
charge, would be brought forward by 1.0112 e WWII/ ill 11 estatizettr.
the forgery of thear ecceptanee. It was understood,
s..„„ne
aloe
Remanded till Friday neat.