The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-12-16 00:00:00

MARLIIOROUO 11-STREET.

Earegge zests; ------te7daYilson;;;l;;c. a young man,
very fashionably attired, was brought before Mr. CONANT, the sit.
ring 513gin.rate, charged with having embezzled several sums of
money, the property of his masters, Messrs. Sims. Pope, and Co.
linen.drapets, No. 263, High Holborn.
Mr. Pope deposed,that in the summer he carried on business at
Kennington, under the firm of Buckingham and Co., an el he sent
his brother and the prisoner, who is his apprentice, to conduct it ;
and that there might be no temptation, he allowed the prisoner
double the sum for pocket-money that he allowed his brothers. In
the month of October lie found it necessary to discontinue the bu-
siness at Kennington ; and, in consequence, he removed his stock
to Holborn ; he then sent the prisoner to the various customers to
collect the accounts, and he had been employed until Wednesday.
when, finding that the accounts were not satisfactory, he examined
the books, and found that various persons had not settled. Ho
then resolved to apply himself : the first customer on whom he
called, which was Mrs. Kelsie, showed him the receipt which the
prisoner had given, and from which it appeared that he had been
paid ever since the 25th of October ; and this he found, on going
to the other persons, to be general. On his coming home he de.
sired the prisoner to attend him, and on his producing the books
he said, Sir, it is not ail right, for I have received some of the
money, and hare spent it." On investigating the hooks he found
that the prisoner hail, one day with another, embezzled about 18s.
He could, if it were necessary, bring 50 cages against him.
Mrs. Kelsie deposed, th,at the prisoner came to her house in the
month of October, when she paid him her bill, which was 21. n. lOd.
Ile had since then called on her, when he said. " Mrs. Kelsie. for
God's sake do not say anything about your having paid me, for I
hare spent the money."
The prisoner, in his defence, said that if Mr. Pope would look
over his books, and sum up the money which he had paid him, he
would discover that lie had not been robbed of any of it.
Mr. CONANT observed that such a statement must be false, and,
if he could make a Jury believe him, he shonid have no objection,
but, as the case now stood, he should commit him for the offence.

POLVGA7rV.—Josep3/4 Mercha,, alias Mitchell, apparently
about 36 years of age. was brought before Mr. Conant, by Smith,
one of the constables of St. James's parish, on a charge of having
deserted hhi wife and child, thereby causing them to become charge-
able to St. George's parish, but which offence was loot iu a charge
of polygamy.

Mr. Gist, the assistant overseer to St. George's, deposed that the
prisoner hail formerly lived as waiter at the Old White Horse cof-
fee-house, in Piccadilly, by which circumstance he became a pa-
rishioner. In the month of July last he deserted his wife, which
occasioned her and the child to become chargeable to them, and
there was a warrant out for his apprehension.
Mr. CONANT, who seemed not to have been aware of any other
charge, asked the prisoner what he had to say to the accusation?
"Oh !" replied Merchan, with considerable indifference, and
apparently quite unprepared for what was coming. " I must car.
teinly say that I left my wife and child because I was out of em.
ploy, eel still am."
Mr. Gist here desired a person to come forward, when a female
about the prisoner's age came to the table, and Gist stated that he
believed Smith had a charge of rather a serious nature to make.
Smith than deposed that on Wednesday night Mr. Young. a
tailor, who resided in Marshall.street, came to him, anti said that
1 he wanted him to take a charge. He then accompanied Mr.Yonng,
who infuriated him that had just seen lilerchan, who owed him
5/. for some clothes, parsing down Coventry-street in a chaise with
a young lady ; and knowing him to have two wives living whom he
had deserted, he suspected that there was something wrong, and
this induced hint to follow the chaise. when he sow the prisoner
end the young lady get out, and go to a shop in Cranbourn.
street. After remaining there a few minutes, they got into the
chaise and proceeded to an eminent solicitor's in Lincoln's Inn.
31r. Voung went into the office and inquired for Mr. Merchan, but
the clerks replied that they knew no midi ti gentleman, when Mr.
Young replied that he had seen Mr. Merchan enter into the office
about halt an hour previous. There was, repPsil a clerk, a gentle.
man of the name of Mitchell came in with a lady. Oh ! that is the
person, replied Mr. Young. When Mr. Mitchell was called out
into the outer Mike. How do you do lilr.Merchan said Mr. Young
The prisoner directly replied, Oh ! I will come out and speak to
yon, when, on coming into the street, Mr. Young gave him into
custody. After ho had secured the prisoner, he went back to the
solicitor's office, and from the information he there received, he
learned that the prisoner had come to town respecting some trans.
actions in money, when he stated that to his knowledge the prisoner
was married, and that he had two wives living. Well, replied the
clerk, if that Is the case, I can only say that he has now his third
wife, to whom he lila been married only a few dam and the lady's
family is not enly reepectahle. but a very wealthy one.
Mr. Gist here handed to the Magistrate the certificates of the
two former (marriages. The first one appears to hove taken place
at Oxford, where the prisoner was married to Charlotte Norgrove
10th Dec. 1810; and the second proved him to have been married
to Eliza Painter at Marylebons church, the 24th of June MI
Mr. CONANT—This is a most disgraceful case. have you any
objection to state who is this young lady, or her friends 1'
Merchan—l shall not say a word upon the subject.
Mr. CONANT—WeII then, we must endeavour to discover who
they are, and to have the necessary evidence; you must be re-
mended.

The prisoner's first wire, who was in the office, appeared very
much affected a: the charge which was thus brought against her
husband.

WOILSH IP-STREET.

ARREST OF PERKINS, alias WELCH.—Yesterday, just as the
business of the office was about to close. a person, against whom a
warrant was issued some days since in the name of Hutton Perkins,
was placed at the bar by Attileld, one of the officers. A person
named Peter Atkinson has already undergone several examinations
at this office. eh erged with fraud ults tl y obtainin g goods to th e mo un t
of above 5,0001. from various silk manufacturers in the neighbour-
hoods of Spitallields and Ilethnal.green, for the. house of Alexander
Welch and Co. 76, Qusenatreet. Cheapaide. In the course of the
nvestigation it appeared that Atkinson had ordered the goods to he
sent in to the firm of Welch and Co.; and that the tradespeople,
'on ceiling at the house, 7R. Queen-street, were introduced to a per-
son, sometimes as Mr. Perkins, and at others as 51r. %Welch, until
at length the house in Queen-street was dosed against the creditors,
and the key was afterwards enclosed to the landlord in a letter,
signed " Perkins." Under these circumstances, a warrant was is.
sued against Perkins, who was now placed at the bar.
Mr. BENETT haring recapitulated the substance of the charges
against the prisoner, informed him that Atkinson's examination
was to be resumed on Monday next, at which time his case also
might be fully heard.
The prisoner, who is of very gentlemanly appearance, seemingly
between thirty and forty years of age, bowed respectfully to the
Magistrate, and was removed from the bar.

Bu RGLARIES.—On the night of the 10th instant, the dwelling.
house of Mr. Wm. Courtney, Bransbury, Hams, was entered and
robbed of property to a very considerable amount. The thieves
having effected an entrance through a front window, obtained ac-
cess to the property, consisting of a considerable sum in guineas.
sovereigns, and silver, and a great quantity of wearing apparel,
with which they got clear off: On the morning of the 14th instant
some thin broke into the dwelling-house of J. L. Lowe, I:N.,
5, York•plice, Camberwell New road, and carried off a great
quantity of plate, wear:ng apparel, &c. A reward has been offered
for their apprehension, but hitherto without success.