The National Register.
London, England, 1818-10-26 00:00:00

GUILI)H

',dens!Fine OF Pomtetts.—On Tuesday, Knight, a porter
at lb.' Angel Inn, St. Martin's-le_Grand, was brought before
)l r. Alderman Wait'imam on the charge of a per,Mlof the
name of Flint, for demanding and receiving 011 C shilling
for carriage of a parcel than he was legally entitled W. .Nlr,
stilted, that lie received a parcel fruits Kiii.;lit on Sa-
turday last, with the regular porter's tiekel ; 3s. 10d. was
changed for the carriage, which lie paid, but judging from the
weight of the parcel that the carnage could 11111 a01.,1111i to St.
Mlleit, he applied to the coach alive, whet.- the clerk inform.
eil Win lie had been itoposed upon the charge let carriage
to the porter being no more thin ton shillings and ten pence,
Knight, in his del cure, endea.onred to allow that the area.
sation Otlaillsteil in private animosity on the part ot*Mr.
who, lie said, hail a grudge against hint : lie assured the N 1.4.
gist rate, that lie bad vu intention to defraud; but that the
mistake must have arisen in the making out of the ticket. On
the worthy Alderman's inquiring who made out lite ticket, it
appeared that this was done by the porter 'Moist If'; that the
clerk or bookkeeper called out the sums, and the porter mark-
ed them is Ilie ticket. Knight's defence, therefore, was,
that lie had mistaken the sum, and Hasked 3s. led. instead
of 2s. 10d. Mr. Aldetonan Waldman said, the public were
much indebted to Mr. Flint for bringing forward this charge.
The Act of Parlianient, which provided for the punishment of
Ibis species of imposition, was bill of recent date, and as yrt
but little known; although the offence was notoriously prac-
tised, in one form or other, by all the porters in the metio-
puha. In some instances the porters altered the tickets, and
in °theta, destroyed them altogether, and fabricated different
ones, This was a gross fraud and forgery, which, for the
sake of the public, might to be narrowly watched, and se-
verely woodshed when detected ; and feeling that the offence
enghtto be severely marked, tie should cons let the defeudant
in ihe hill penalty of 20s

DAtootrs.—W. Clarke, a young person in very tight stays, and
decorated with all the other insignia 01 a dandy, was brought up on
the vulgar charge of picking a brazier's pocket.
Mr. John Dean. the complainant, said, that as he was going
through ‘Vhitefriars, a gentleman named Bushell told him his
pocket bad been picked, and that die person who had picked it was
just turning the corner into a paved court. The complainant saw
the prisoner and another man walking along unconcernedly, until
they came to the corner of the court, down which they gave a short
turn. Witness called out " stop thief," upon which the prisoner's
friers& ran away, and the prisoner himself tried to do the saine, brit
some how or other was unable. Witneol saw his pocket book lying
on the pavement ; it contained six ii. notes, and a Birmingham note
for 51. Mr. Bushel said, he saw the prisoner and his companion
follow the complainant, but had no suspicion that they were thieves,
as they appeared to be men of fashion. Ile was, however, soon
convinced that they were in the exereite of a trade for success in
which their dress was well adapted. The prisoner put his hand into
Mr. Dean's pocket, and very calmly took out his pocket book. Ii
was done in such a manner, as not to excite the slightest suspicion
in the witness,who concluded that they were friends ofthe gentleman,
and were playing him a pleasant trick. Ile thought it rather odd
that they should turn a corner without speaking to Mr. Dean ; on
which lie spoke to that gentleman upon the subject. When Mr.
Dean went after the prisoner, the witness did not follow him ; fur he
knew that the Dandies, if they attempted to escape, would be obliged
to return by the way they went out of their sight ; and he accord-
ingly stationed himself at the corner, to pievcnt their getting away,
in case the thing turned out to be more than a jest. The prisoner's
friend first ran from the passage, and did so with such violence as to
break through the oppo.ition of Mr. BushelL The prisoner himself
next appeared, but was unable to make any struggle ; a edit' would
have stopped hint. The witness of course kept his finger upon him.
and was surprised at hearing nothing escape from him but " Cline
the stays."
An officer found some Bank notes on the prisoner, a silver watch,
hair chain, and five gold seals.
Prisoner.—" 'Pon my honour, I got them all in the way of bu-
siness."

Mr. Alderman Atkins said, he never heard a clearer case of felgny,
lie directed that the watch, seals, &c. should be advertised.iftid
expresved an expectation that the person to whom they formerly
belonged would be induced to come forwent' upon the subject.
The prisoner's solicitor observed, that he was to understand that his
client was to be brought up again.
Mr. Alderman Atkins said, if any fresh charge shoald be brought
forward, he should c •rtsinly have the prisoner again before
William Clarke was, however, to be considered finally examined upon
this accusation.
The prisoner was conducted to prison.
John Taylor. the porter of the Blossoms inn, was fined 10s. and
costs, for charging more than the due for delivery of a parcel.
BOW STREET.

Michael Kentish was charged with threatening to murder
a woman. The defence set up by the prisoner, as a justifica-
tion, was rather of au extraordinary nature, he having ad•
mitted the threats. He stated that the prosecutrix and
another woman bewitched him about three years since, by
means of some stuff which they put into some tea, and whiefi
he was induced to drink : he was in s: trance for several slept.
They also bewitched him in other respects, so that lie did nut
know what he ores about, by means of a black cut and a
pound of pins. He entreated the Magistrates not to 'suppose
that he was deranged, but that his state of distracted mind
wholly arose from tire bewitching of the women, and which
deprived him of following his trade of a shoemaker, and he
was frequently so much reduced that lie could not pay for the
washing of his shirt. He was told by the women that teething
would cane kite of the spell they had set upon him but cross-
ing the sea, and lie Intended to leave England for Ireland,
which was his native country, for the purpose of getting
cut ed. The proseenrsix,whu had very much the appearanee of
a gipsey, denied any know ledge s f what the piscine, had
been talking about as to bewitching him, but said that lie
was a !lumen Catholic, and was extremely snperatitions,
which canard his mind to be in the disturbed state it was.
The warrant against the prisoner was discharged by Mr Ba-
nk., on condition that he did nut insult nor use sissy more
threats towards the proseculiix pies toes to his leaving Eng-
land for Ireland.
Lady Bruce was brought to the office, in custody of
Ifam-
phreys, on a charge of teluity. It appeared by the evidence
of two young men of the liost•e of Hal ding CO., in Pall
Mall, that last Fi May a midi slid some (sir is ionising were
ordered to be sent to Lady Bruce, at be r !tootle, 8, Upper
George-street, Mary-bs-bourse: a mod of the valise of 81., and
fur ts heeling of the value of 71., verse sent accordingly in one
box, which, on its arrival at the lionise, a servaat took tip
stairs to Lady Itroice. In a shot t time Ilse servant returned
wills she box with the nod its it, saying her Ladyship slid not
like the mull, but ws,tild keep the maiming, and desired that
a tur tippet might be sent the next day. The MAO Who was
sent with the box wee desired not to leave the goods without
the money ; the measlier, however, being a plausiale Lose, he
went away. 'lrhe next day the tippet waiiseist, with injniir.
f jell, that the possession of it was not to be parted with with.
out the money, which not being furtiscaning, our Lady Brut,*