The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-01-16 00:00:00

POLU E.

DISTRESS OF THE TIMES.
Yesterday a pc. suss haviug the appearance of a decayed
gentleman, presented himself before the I.ord Mayor, and
in a strong Hibernian accent, narrated hie Lordship's assist-
ance, to rumble him to reach his native country.
The Lord Mayor—" Who auJ what are you, Sir !"
Applicant—" My [Aril, I am, by birth and education, a
gentleman. I was once in Absent circumstatices, but mis-
fortune has so reduced me, that I am now totally destitute
even of the means of procuring a dinner. The object of
my present application is, to entreat your Lordship to grant
me a pass, ur in some other way to furuish cane with the
means of reaching Ireland"
The Lord Mayor—" I cannot grant you a pass—the law
will not allow it, useless you were seen to commit an act of
vagrancy. We have a great number of applications of this
sort, and would willingly give the required assistance, but
we hove nut the means; we have no funds fur such •
purpose."
Applicant—" I am a Gentleman, my Lord, and cannot
beg. All I ask is • trifle to enable me to get to Liverpool,
and from theuce I could easily procure a passage to Ireland,
without expense. lam only a single individual, and surely
your Lordship could step a little out of the usual path to
assist a distressed gentleman."
The Lord Mayor asked him if be bad applied elsewhere,
or if he had any friends in Loudon ?
Applicant—" I have applied to the Secretary to the Irish
Scciety, but was told there were no fonds. I have a rich
relation in town, Mr. L—, the eminent distiller. I called
at his house and saw Ills wife, but she would not know me
because I bad nothing about me in the shape of a Bank note."
The Lord Mayor—"4lw Gentleman you have named is
well known to ine, and is much esteemed in the world. You
do wrung to attack the character of a worthy individual."
Applicant—" I do nut attack his character, that may be
good; but his want of charity is the object of my eensnre.
I have applied at his house a number of times, hut always
met with the same reception."
The Lord Illayue--* I commiserate your distressed situa-
tion, but cannot assist you."
With this answer the unfortunate stranger departed.

SOW-STR E iT.
Yesterday Mendling Harding, a man of • very gentleman-
like appearance and beleiviour. •nderweut a *retool exami-
nation, being charged with fraudulently obtaining • mangle
from Mr. Oxenham, the manufacturer, in Oxford-street,
when he agreed to pay 301. but instead of paying for it, he
had tt drove away from the manufactory to Mr. Wells, the
auctioneer's premises, in Long-acre, where be left it for sale,
and gut U. advanced on it previous to the sale of it.
He was ordered to be detained.
Robert Knowles iris charged with robbing Mr. Williams
Nicholls, • linen-drisper, of No. 3, Jermyn-street, Hem-
mi•g's-row, yesterday, about eleven o'clock, as be was pass-
ing, wheel he felt something at his coat pocket, and in-
stantly misled his pocket-book. He saw the Prisoner 13111.•
niugleno hilt, and saw him stopped in Orange-court, by
Edward Price, the landlord of the Light Horse public-house,
who, on haring the cry of " Stop thief!" stopped the Pri-
mmer, and van him throw the pocket-book away.
Theism Miles sad Thomas Rain., who were dressed like
sailors, were charged on suspicion a being impostors, be-
ing found begging in Cockspur-street and its neighbourhood,
nod by that means imposing on the humane, pretending that
they lost their limbs in the service of their country in battle,
one having lost • leg sad the other an arm.
Os their being interrogated, they acknowledged that they
had not been employed in the Royal Navy, but went to sea
from the port of Bristol, on board the Union. They were
ordered to be sent before the Committee sitting at the
King's Head Tavern, in t►e Poultry, to inquire as to their
being itspostors, and if so, to be dealt with accordingly.
John Curran, • man babited as a sailor, but sho was evi-
dently dressed in disguise, having a rough wig, and • wea-
ther-proof travelling great-coat to guard him against the in-
clemeucy of the weather, aid who appeared in perfect health,
was brought to the office by Humphreys aced Bond, being
detected in gross imposition, by attacking carriages in which
there were some ladies, in Bond-street, to beg alms of them,
■nd as • false pretence to excite their humanity to give hies
money, be exhibited a large white metal medal ou a string,
preteeiding it to be a reward of merit fur having signalised
his valour in battle, hut which, on examivatiou, proved to
be merely one such as were commonly sold In the shops soon
after the battle of Trafalgar, with a likeness of Lord Nelson
on one side, and the representation of the battle on the
other. The conduct of the Prisoner has been a terror to the
inhabitants of Bond-street, St. James's-street, and their vici-
nity for stone time past, from his attacking perilous in car-
riages in particular, who stopped at the doors of shops ; and
when servants or other persons interfered to prevent him
from applying or interrupting the ladies and gentlemen, he
made use of threatening, blaspbemouse, and obscene lan-
guage to them. In consequence of • complaint at the office
of the conduct of the Prisoner, by some of the inhabitants,
Humphreys and Bond were appointed to lay in wait for him,
which they accordingly did, and detected him ill the act of
attacking some ladies in • carriage.
Mr. Hicks, the Magistrate, committed the Prison& as a
vagrant for fourteen days to the House of Correction.
He refused to tell time parish be belonged to. All be said
he knew of himself BM, that he was found un the Rock of
Gibraltar.