The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-05-21 00:00:00

POLICE.

HATTON-GARDEN.
Yesterday an elderly man, about sixty ears of age, from whose
appearance we might presume that he had' even forgotten the hey-
day of youth, presented himself in the outer office, with a " green
and yellow melancholy" sitting on his countenance, and inquired
of Thisselton, the racer in waiting, if he could have a private
audience with the Magistrate on a subject of such moment that his
life depended on it.
l'hisselton, supposing that the old gentleman had been knocked
about in some public-house row, told him, if he wanted a peace-
warrant it was granted in the regular routine of business.
" Peace !" exclaimed the old man, " my peace, I warrant you,
is gone for ever." Finding a private audience unattainable, be was
content to exhibit himself publicly before the Magistrate, and on
being introduced, after making a low bow and heaving a deep sigh,
pulled from his waistcoat pocket a letter (which bore marks of being
in company with tobacco and snuff), and presented it to the Ma-
gistrate for perusal. The letter, which was both ns to style and
spelling perfectly original, purported that the old gentleman
r whom we understood to have buried four amiable partners) was
anxious to try his success with a fifth, and accordingly paid his
addresses to a young fish-woman, whom he particularly admired
"as a hard-working girl, and of excellent good breading ;" and in
due time be so far won her heart that the banns were proclaimed in
church; his coat and breeches underwent repairs, and he even
spent a pound among his ahopmates to drink to them a happy
honey-moot—when, alas ! this frail, fickle creature, suddenly
transferred her affections to a drayman. Not thinking it right to
" curse all laws hut those which love has made," the uld man now
applied to the Magistrate to enforce the contract.
The Magistrate very feelingly sympathised with the old man,
and regretted that he could only advise him to look out for •
partner whose years might be a guarantee foe the steadiness of bet
affections.
The complainant then retired, " with tears of sensibility"
streaming along the rocky outlines of his face.

UNION-HALL.
HORSE-ST E AI. TS:G.—Yesterday Joseph Briles was chlirged with
stealing_ a horse and cart, and b cwt. of potatoes, the property of
James Leech, residing in Francis-street, Newingtoe.
Mr. Leech deposed that on the 27th of April, the property in
question was stolen from an outhouse on his premises. From in.
formation received from Pople and Gronmitb, officers of Onion-
hall, he met the prisoner and Thomas ‘l'lliffen at a public-house
in Smithfield, when prisoner said he knew where the property was.
and requested a deposit of N. in the landlord's hands, the reward
offered by witness on recovery. This, however, was refused, and
eventually prisoner accompanied the witness, Pople and Oroannith,
in two carts, to the Chaise and Hones, at SmaUborough-green,
near Hounslow. Prisoner drove one of the cans, and on their ar-
rival at the public-house the property was delivered up, after some
little difficulty with a drunken constable of the place. The name
and address were on the cart. The constable thought himself en-
titled to the reward, and Pople and Orossmith were obliged to get
the order of a 'Magistrate in the neighbourhood before they could
obtain possession of the property. The potato sacks were empty.
ll'hen about starting homeward, witness endeavoured to borrow a
whip, and at length succeeded, the prisoner lending him that with
which he had driven them down from Smithfield. On reaching
home, his carter complained to him of the manner in which his
whip had been destroyed, and on examination of that lent him by
the prisoner, he first discovered that it was the one stolen with the
horse and cart—prisoner was accordingly sought after, and appre-
hended on the capital charge.
Pople and Ornasmith, in this instance (who have fully supported
their former character for intelligence and zeal), corroborated the
entire evidence of the prosecutor.
Prisoner, in his defence, wished a person of the name of 'Whitten
to be called, and meted that he himself had borrowed the whip in
queeion from the hostler at Smallborough-green.
Thomas Irhiffen—ls a coke-dealer, and knows the prisoner,
who told him of the reward, and of his knowledge of the place
where the property was. Witness gave prisoner three sovereigns,
at Smithfield, on the 29th of April, for a shire of the M. reward
on recovery. He also assisted in giving the information to Pople
and Grossmith, with a view to obtaining the reward, on recovery of
the property by the owner.
The ostler of the Chaise and Horses at Smallborough-green
denied having given the prisoner the whip in question ; neither
was it in the cart which was left in his care by the constable of the
pail.th. He had seen the prisoner a few times before the '2llth, but
lie had always previously used the Coach and Horses, which is the
opposition house.
The Also isTnaTe (Mr. Chambers), in fully committing the
prisoner for trial, observed that in this case the old adage of
" Thieves being the best finders," was ftilly verified.

Thursday an inquest was held at the residence of the
late Chapman Barber, Esq., of Chancery-lane, on the body of that
gentleman. It appeared from the evidence adduced, that on
Monday evening he complained of slight pain in the eliebt, and
not finding relief on Tuesday morning he then took a dose of
castor-oil, and while his daughter was preparing a cup of tea, he
fell from the sofa and expired. The Jury returned • verdict of-
-1 " Died by the visitation of God."