The National Register.
London, England, 1818-01-11 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

POLICE.
• MANSION HOUSE.
A DUITRPM NO CiRCUMSTANCE.—A poor Irishwoman,
whose appear:uu•e indicated no ordinary degree of calamity,
WAN brought before the Lord Mayor, on Wednesday, to an.
swer the complaint of a gentleman of independent fortune
iu the city.
A friend of the complainant mentioned to his Lordship, that
a connexion had unfortunately misted between the tw o pet-
sous who thus appeared before the public about 1•t years
ago, the fruit of which was a daughter, who was immediately
removed into the protection of her father, by whom she was
educated with the most attentive care; at the same time
that she was taught to believe her mother to have been in no
respect his inferior, and that that parent was now dead. It
was apprehended by the complainant, that the very worst
consequences would arise fron► undeceiving the child upon
the subject of the very important distance between the con-
ditions of the parties, and more especially from a contradic-
tion of the mother's death. To prevent such a disaster, he
gave an annual allowance to the mother, in order to make her
of the same opinion, and to induce her to stay in her own
country, making it one ofthe conditions that she should never •
conic to this. For several years the understanding was kept
up with the necessary scrupulousness, and the young lady
was advancing in accomplishments, and had now attained
such improvement as to make the shock at beholding !tuella
1110iller impossible to be borne. The prisoner was however,
determined to break in upon the happiness of father and
child ; and accordingly came to town. and created much
disturbance at the complainant's honse, upon being told that
she should not see her child. The -feelings of the father were,
the witness said, indescribable upon the occasion.
The Lord Mayor.—" Who can tell Inc what the feelings of
the mother must have hero : were they not of an afflicting
kind, too?"

The complainant's friend replied, that much allowance
would certainly be made if it were not the fact that the
sole object of the prisoner was to oblige the complainant
to give her money. She had, he said, frequently travelled
from Ireiand, mid made her anxiety to sea her daughter the
pretence for undertaking the journey, without having any
visible means of accomplishing it. The complainant, influ-
enced by affection for his daughter, MRS unrestricted in his
liberality, and procured short intervals of ease from every
present to the visitor.

'lire Lord Mayor.—" Still there appears in this story some-
thing that operates more upon the heart of a poor It isliwoman
than the love of money generally does. The obligation im-
posed by an agreement made many years ago, although upon
terms so highly advantageous to the child, and honourable to
the father, falls to nothing in comparison with the force of na-
tural affection. Tlwe is too much in this to spring tions a
sordid principle."
The complainant's friend begged that all thertlrctim-
MUM:PS of the case should be considered, and krepresented
that the case would indeed have been very different if the
complainant had acted as 99 men out of 400 did,and left the
child to beggary and wretchedness.
The Lord Mayor.—" tie has unquestionably done his duty,
lint if he hail done as the ninety-nine do, how would he• be
descrilted ? The case is indeed one of deep distress. I (eel
the to. cc of what has been stated, and insist declare that
the distress must be very great, nut only to the father, but
to the poor creature before me."
The Irishwoman remained silent during this conversation,
and when she did speak, it-was in the manlier of the sonth-
era inhabitants of her country, which is peculiarly calculated
to express strong emotion, from being accompanied with the
raising up of the eyes in performing the duties of mourning
over the dead, or of bewailing those who are absent for ever
trout other causes. " God bless you. Sir," said she, " let me
have but one look at the child, and I'll never trouble you or
her again."
The friend of the complainant, after some conversation
with hint, said it was impossible. Ile told her she had no
feeling for her child, or she would never desire to see her
more. It was enough for her to know that the child was
well and happy ; and that all that wealth and tenderness
could do, should be done for her. _

Thr prisoner.—" But still I wish to see her. She is my
child, and the tither stands alongside of you ; aemi it he lets
we luuk oil her hut once, never ask it again, but go home
contented."

The complainant declared that she never should see her.
The Lord layor represented to her the propriety of ab-
staining from pressing the subject, especially as an interview
would inevitably cause the utmost distress to the child. She
at length consented to go to Ireland.
The complainant immediately engaged one of the officers,
by the advice of the Lord Mayor, to attend her on board the
Liverpool packet.
QUEEN-SQUARE.

Hannah Peasant, a poor ill-dressed old woman, apparently
about 60 years cf age, was on Monday brought to the•office
to custody of kietson, one of the Hammersmith constables,
under the following circumstances:—
Witness stated, that prisoner had been delivered to him by
one of the watchmen belonging to Hammersmith, and a pa-
trol of the same parish, who had found her traversing the
road between two and three o'clock. that morning, and finding
her answers to to the questions they asked her very incohe-
rent and wild. they thought it their duty to confine her iu his
watch-box till he quitted his beat, and he bad then brought
her to witness's house,aud given her into his custody. Wit.
oess seat for another constable who lived hard by, and they
searched ps isoner, and found tied mood her waist, the large
canvass hag now produced, which to their great surprise they
found eu opening romantic(' a very large stun in shillings and
sixpeuces. Witness asked her if she had any more property
about her, and She said no l but on serelaing further, he found
seven silver tea spoons, also produced, sewed inside one of
her petticoats, and in her other pocket tits bunch of keys,
produced all which he had pin into the bag with the silver
and brought to the other fur the Magistrate's disposal.
Smith, tho other ceastable, confirmed the foregoing testi-
mony,
The siver being counted amounted to 591. 14s. 6d.
Prisoner being asked by the Magistrate (P. Colqiihoun , Esq.)
how she came by so much money, answered, that it was her
own, and else bad got it at different grocer's shops where she
bought tea, and where she had given guineas and Bank notes
to have silver is their stead, by which, in the course of two
years, she had got the above sum. 'The spoons, she said,
were also her own; she said she lived in Crown-street, jevest
Dials, with her two suns and her daughier, who was married.
She was remanded to give time fur inquiry.
Prisoner was on Wednesday brought up for further examina-
tion when it appeared from the evidence of C.Drew, the office.
keeper, who was ordered to make the inquiry, that lie had

found every thing she had arid As to references quite cor.
rect.

W, Penson, prisoner's eldest son, stated, that 1114 mother
(the prisoner) had left their lodging, No.:, Crown sheet,
Seven Dials. oir Saturday morning, is a flighty tit, and he
produced u Morning Chronicle of Monday, with an ads et tisa-
anent off'eringat reward to any one who would Wing he•r to
that house. Ile also deposed, that the hag, silver, and tea
spoons, where her pi uperty. Ile said she had dreamed on
the Friday night that thieves had broke into the Ironic ; and
made so mach noise as to awake 1113(1 Marro the whole family.
In the morning, after begging every one's pardon for the
moire she had made, she went off unknown to liiin or his bro-
ther and sister.

The worthy Magistrate ordered all the money, tea spoons,
&c. to he restored to her, and humanely advised her never to
early so much money about her again. She promised she
would not, and sas dismissed.

Died at Dundee, on the 22nd ult. Thomas Clark. a labour
lug man, aged 06 years, who, by dint of parsimony and saving
had accumulated property to the amount of from SOO to 10001.
He lived by himself, in a small garret, situate iii a filthy
lane, called Tyndal's Wind. His diet consisted of a little
oatmeal mixed with water, which he begged from his neigh-
bours every morning ; ter many years he had laboured under
a severe disorder ; but could not find it in his heart to put
himself node, the care °fa surgeon, fearful ante cost. 1/riven
at last to desperation by the intenseness of his sufferings,
he, about 12 months ago, sent for Mr. Cricht 1111 l who fonnd
hint lying, in the most inolement season of the year, barely
covered by an old tattered blanket. The furniture of the
apartment consisted of about a dozen pairs of old shoes, some
old tattered clothes, a ploughshare, a wooden dish, and a
horn spoon, u pair of scales and weights, a tub fin holding
meal, and ars old crazy chair.—His disorder having been as.
certained, he was informed that a surgical operation would
be necessary for Ilia relief • to this lie expressed his utmost
willingness to undergo ; Cut when he was informed it would •
be necessary se have hint removed to a comfortable room,
his eyes died within him; and he said he must just then con-
tinue as he was, until death relieved him. In vain was he
told that every thing needled would be provided. He still
persevered in his determination. Leaving a trifle with him
to procure necessaries, Mr. Crichton descended from the
garret and made inquiries of the neighbours concerning this
miserable object ; from whom he received the account above
narrated. Possessed of this information, he returned and
rated the wretch ter his miserable disposition; but all that
could be obtained, was a promise to procure souse bed
clothes, and to allow the operation to be performed iu a room
belonging to one of the neighbours, and immediately after to
be conveyed back to his miserable abode. The first morning
after theoperation he was found quarrelling and abusing the
old woman left in charge of him, for her extras agance in
making use of soap to wash the clothes that were occasi-
onally taken from under him ; and he expressed great exulta•
lion when he was given to understand that soap was not ab-
sobriety-necessary for the purpose. A dose of castor oil that
had been prescribed for him, he would not allow to be sent
f .r, but in its place swallowed a pieco of soap, Which be•said,
would answer the pus pose equally well, and at much less cost.
The cure going on well, he was ordered some beef tea. The
parting with 3d. every morning to put chase half a pound of
meat, was perfect torture. But recollecting a piece of old
rusty bacon, which he had formerly picked up somewhere in
his travels, he thought of the expedient of converting a piece
of it into beef tea, and drank it with seeming relish. Nixt
morning, however, the old woman, alarmed for the conse-
quences, insisted peremptorily for money to purchase fresh
meat, at the same time acquainting him that a supply of coals
was necessary. " The coals consumed already ! Impossi-
ble ! They should have served hint ler the winter ! She
must have carried off some of them! Threepence tOr meat
and ISd. for coals I ruination ! Site must pack off imme-
diately I But before she goes, she must account for the 2s.
received on the day of the operation!" The poor woman
being somewhat confused could nut bring to her recollection
the disposal of more than Is. led. It was then perfectly
plain she was robbing his room, and ruining him by her ex-
travagance, and she must go to prison ! By this tune the
garret was tilled with the neighbours, alarmed at his noisy
vociferation; and nothing they could say, having pacified
him, they sent for Mr. Crichton, who thought it might be the
wisest plan to leave him alone, and let him manage and feed
himself in his own way. By thel help of a good constitution
he soon recovered his health, but never afterwards could •
forget the expences lie had been put to during his confine-
ment. The failure also of some people tinkling money of his •
in their hands, tended much to embitter the remainder of his
life; and he was often observed lamenting his misfortunes ;
frequently saying aloud, " All bankrupts should be hanged!"
There would be ho cud to the detail of this poor creature's
miserable eccentricities. He wort into a neighbour's room
three days previous to his death, to warm Iriurselt, (it being
a bitter cold day) before ascending to his tarrtt, on the next •
day he was found lying almost stiff wilts cold, and unable
to move himself—the bedclothes, which be had made to •
provide himself with last year, lying folded up in a corner,
as he had not the heart to use them. He lay in this state
till he lost the use of his faculties, and expired in a most de-
plorable cauclitieu. His only surviviug sister, a ;woe old
woman, living somewhere in Strathmore, iulierits all liiiarro.
perty.
A few evenings since, as Mr. Bray, shoemaker, of Prince's
stieet, Drnry.lone, was coming down George-street, from a
friend's house iu Tottenham-court-road, lie was accosted at
the Black Horse public-house by oi elderly man, in the garb •
of a sailor, who asked him what it was o'clock. 311. Bray
pat his hand to his fob to get his watch, and at the seine mo-
ment was knocked down from behind. Two fellow* thou,
after taking ills watch and titling his pockets of some silver,
ran away.

MIIRD►:R AND PIRACY IN THE INDIAN SEAS,—The ship
Wabash, Capt. Grant, of Baltimore, attired in Macao roads (Can-
ton river,) from Smyrna, on the thin of May last. The captain p.o
corded to Canton, to inquire the markets, leaving the two mates.
and 13 others, to take care of the vessel On the tells she was
boarded by the crew of a Ladroon bust, to the number of faun 2,S to •
30, under pretence of putting a pilot on hoard. After amusing the
officers until dark, they commenced an attack on them and the peo-
ple with long knives; killed Mr. Hall, the first mate., and three
seamen, out right; and mortally or badly wounded the other mate,
and two of the seamen ; and compelled two others (boys) to jump
overboard—one of which, &tier having been seven hour, in the Water,
was savesL The surviving crew rttreattil to the forecastle ; but were
compelled, by threats to burn the voice', to come on deck, owl die.
close where the money was stowed away. The Latinions then secur-
ed about 10,000 dollars in specie, 35 chests of opium, and other
property, the whole amounting to nearly sit,ouu dollar.. Mr. Cush-
ing, and other American residents in Canton, were taking measures
to obtain restitution, from the Chinese government, for tltia robbery
In their waters but their ft&GCCSS v doubted.

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