The National Register.
London, England, 1811-08-11 00:00:00

MOCK PARSON.

FURTIMR PA RTICULA RS.
The deception that this man has carried on have been to a
much greater extent than any swindler has done for a number of
years past, as he has perpetrated his depredations in all parts of .
Loedon, and in different counties, and with a description of
men such as the clergy, who are in general well educated men,
and it would be supposed nut easily duped; but we believe there
is not in the history of the country one instance where an im-
pOsi or has practised a deception as this fellow has done. He
got a pretty good footing at St. Clement's Church, in the Strand,
by merely calling there some times in a curricle, gig, or on single ,
horse, pretending he was just come from the country ; and under ,
pretence of being familiar with the Colleges, and gentlemen be-
longing to them, he imposed on Mr Gurney, the Rector, arid
Mr. Shepherd, his assistant, and got aeouainted with their con-
nections, frequently haring dined with them, and he has oftett
done the duty at that Church. One day Mr. Shepherd was
engaged to bury a corpse, at el about the same time he was en-
goged Gut to Limner, when ucker being there, he offe:•ed his
services to bury the corpse, which Mr. Shepherd accepted, and
he performed the burial ceremony. Dr. Hawker was engaged
to preach a charity sermon at that church lately. Tucker made •
his appearance 111 the vestry at an early hour previous to the
time appointed for the church service beginning; and although -
Mr. She pherd had promised to read the prayers for the Doctor,
thia 111:1t1 got possession of the surplice, against the consent of the
Clerk at:d Sexton, and went into the desk. Mr. Shepherd
comine, into the church in good time, was surprised and .
pl, ascii to discover him in the desk; the Clerk and Sexton of-
fered to put him out, but Mr. Six.pherd declined that; however .
it was this circumstance, an:l his wanting to burrow Mr. Shep-
herd's Master of Arts gown, for the purpose, as he said, of going
to the Installation of the fluke of Gloucester, at Cambridge, a
v..tek before the Installation was to take place, that W 23 the
cause of his beine suspected, and found out in that connection.
The following additional charges have been made against hint
at I:ow-street.—Thomas h,lbrook , of the City of Quebec public
house, in Oxford-street, said, that about a fortnight or three
weeks ago, the prisoner came to his house, and had sonic Port •
w-; ice, which he said was very good, and he liked it so much,
that he ordered some to be sent to his lodgings, •in Green-street,
Grosvenor-square, also some :hurry (tor which he never paid),
stating himself to be Curate of Park-street Chapel. The pri-
soner preached at Park-street Chapel one afternoon lately for
Mr. Noung, and administered the sacrament the same day for
Mr. Clark. Sunday fortnight he read prayers at St. Martin's
Church. Mr. Cousins, of the King's Arms, in Oxford-meet,
sai! he recollected the prisoner coining to his house with Mr.
Channon and two horses. The prisoner called again a short
time; after, and from that circumstance introduced himself, and
said he was a clergyman, and doing duty at Park-street Chapel.
Ile lived at hii house for a short time, and run up a bill for se-
veral pounds, for which the money bath not been forthcoming.
It is strongly suspected that this imposter has been in custody
bef..re on a charge of felony, as when the irons were put on his
log, he handled them, and aoearcd to know how to tie them up
to prevent them from rattline. is well as one of the oldest thieves
in town. He is suspected by Mr. Tapster, of the Ship 'l'avernw
I at Charing-cross, of having stolen some silver spoons when lie
was living there. He has got into a number of inns and coffee-
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lanet he was in great distress; one Sunday morning, the chalmber-
/mitt having neglected to get his bands washed, as he was eu-