The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-07-13 00:00:00

POLICE.

MANSION- HOUSE.
A soldier in the Ist Regiment of Foot Guards was beought before
:he Lord Mayor. charged with having refused to pay fur the sup-
port of his illegitimate child.
Three months ago the child had been sworn to the prisoner by
the mother. He refused to pay a farthing towards its support, and
was sent to prison, where it appeared he was very willing to remain.
The officers conjectured that after so long an imprisonment he
would be disposed to come to terms, but they were disappointed.
They told the Lard :Mayor they would be satisfied with a shilling
• week teem the defendant, and were convinced that he could pay
that sum. They declared that on no lower terms would they cos-
sent to his liberation.
The prism* said he could not pay a shilling a week out of
eight shillings, the whole amount of his pay.—a sum little enough
fur his own p
The Loam 31170 s asked the serjesnt whether soldiers were
not allowed to work when off duty ?
The serjciuit said, that the military regulations gave the
privilege to married men, but denied it to those who were us.
married.
The Loin 31AV011 observing that the mother of the child was
a young person of very decent appearance, naked the defendant
to marry her, and thus entitle himself to the privilege of working
for her support.
Prisoner—We should have a larger family, and only make our-
selves more ntiseratile. We should do much better fur ourselves,
if we would each take a rope and hang the other.
The Loan 31avol said, the prisoner must not expect other
people to maintain his children.
he prisoner said he was aware of the hardship of being com-
pelled to support other people's children, for he now felt it, having
en impression. which nothing could remove, that he was not the
father of the
The Loan 31.troa said, if that was the case the defendant was
certainly to be pitied; bat he had acknowledged an intitracy with
her, and as she bad sworn, they must presume that she swore the
truth. . .

The prisoner persisted in his refusal.
The Loan MAYOR, with whom sat Alderman Baowx, re-
gretted that the prisoner, by refusing to make or to agree to any
proposal, obliged them to send him to prison. The duration of
hi- confinement depended upon himself.
The defendant swore, upon leaving the justice-room, that he
would die in gaol sooner than suffer the woman's perjury to
triumph.
Another case of a more unfortunate description was afterwards
heard.
A fellow, named Dixon, was charged with baring refused to
summit his inegitimate child.
Ihe unhappy girl was scarcely able to stand, so great were her
shame and grief. Iler mother was also in deep affliction.
The Loan MAYOR learned that the girls father had been a
gentleman, and that his death invoked his wife and children ; that
the defendant had beet: paving his addresses to her, pretending that
' he was a bachelor, while he had a wife and four children ; and
that he had proceeded in the most serious 'twiner in his courtship,
by inquiring particularly into her moral character, of which he re-
ceiced the most satisfactory account from all her friends; that in a
moment of weakness she believed his promise to become her hus_
hand, and gave him all the privileges of one; and that afterwards
he deserted
her, proposing to her the streets as a trade.
The defemiLt accused her of infidelity to him, in the usual
terms, upon which she fell into a violent fit.
The parish officers said, they had inquired into the girl's cha.
I carter, and found that it was excellent.
the Loan MAYOR said, he had never heard a more aggravated
case of seduction, and that no punishment could be too great for a
I man who had been guilty of such aboniirable deception.
1 The parish ogle= having ascertained that the fellow was in good
. business, determined to have a proper allowance for the child, and
had the defendant sent to prison until he shall be prepared whit
I bail.