The Sun.
London, England, 1852-10-22 00:00:00

PROVINCIAL EXPLOITS OF A LONDON

SHARPER.

A young fellow, described as being about 23 to 24
years of age, of low stature, dressed in a suit of black,
over which he wears a grey coloured over-coat, has
lately emerged from the metropolis, where it is supposed
he has been " schooled," and has been trying his luck in
the provinces, a few of whose adventures we will briefly
describe. Towards the middle of last month he made
his appearance at Maidstone, in Kent, where, after intro-
ducing himself to several persons, and boasting of his
respectable acquaintances in Canterbury, Tunbridge, &c.,
he hired a pony of Mr. E. Goodwin to go to Lenham on
business, and to return the same night, but instead of
going to Lenham, he proceeded to Gillingham, quite
another direction, where he disposed of the pony,
saddle, and bridle, and decamped with the proceeds.
No more was heard of him until the sth of the
present month, when he made his appearance in a
new character to act his part in a rather novel
scene. On that day he introduced himself at the Easton
station to a London broker, who was on his way to a
large sale of a gentleman's effects at Milton Hall, in
Bedfordshire, as the agent of no less a I,ersonuge than
Sir John Jervis, commissioned by Sir John to attend the
came sale to make some extensive pureba.es. Arrived
in Bedfordshire be was introduced by the broker to Mr.
1.),3;v, the auctioneer, who recommended them both to
most comfortable quarters at the Falcon lon, Bletsoe.
Next day atter his arrival he attended at another sale
at Reynold, a few miles where he made purchases
amounting in value to 207/ , representing himself there
to be en agent of Lord Campbell, to whom the lots were
knocked down. After some ineffectual attempts to trans-
fer some valuable bargains and draw the money, he left
with some 275. in his pocket, of which ho had succeeded
in bilking a poor man, without clearing a lot, or disburs-
ing one penny, and returned to his rural lodgings at
night. M rather an early hour on the ensuing morning
he was at Milton-hall, and paid great attention to a black
mare,which he pretended to be extremely anxious to per-
chase, but which was catered in the catalogue for sale
on the following day. Assuming a consequential air,
he desired the groom to put on the saddle and bridle
and bring her out, so as he could examine her
and try her. Finding her slightly lame, he pre-
tended he would go to the blacksmith's and have
her shoe altered, and return in a few minutes. This
was in the morning. Between six and seven o'clock in
the evening, Superintendent Graham, hearing that the
fellow had rode away with the mare, questioned the
groom, and found it to be the fact. The superintendent,
with another officer, immediately went in pursuit of the
fellow, and reached Kettering that night, rather over
twenty miles from the place, where he discovered that
the pretended agent had exchanged away the mare, sold
the one for which he had exchanged for a few shillings,
and started off by train from Wellingborough, with
the saddle and bridle. After some inquiry, the
stolen mare was discovered at Northampton. The
next appearance of the fellow was at Walsall, in
Staffordshire, on the 9th instant, at which place he pro-
fessed to be a broker, just arrived from London, to at-
tend a sale in the neighbourhood. Here he remained
two days, and on the 11th instant he stole another
mare and rode her off to Fazeley fair, where he sold
her with the saddle and bridle which he had taken from
Milton Ernest. At this place he had a narrow escape
from being captured by the police. The officer, on an
intimation being given that the mare he had sold was a
stolen one, started in pursuit of him, but he was passed
tgheattliehgia out of the way.
career will be
on the road by a person on horseback, who overtook
the
fellow, and it is supposed succeeded in making him re-
turn the money which had been paid for the mare; this
of course gave him an intimation of the imminent danger
in
speedily brought to a close.
andhe suchcoewedeevderT
Ithe is to ietob,e hoped,

SCRIPTURE READERS' ASSOCIATION.--yesterday
afternoon a meeting of the members of the above association
was held at their rooms, in Spring-gardens, Charing-cross,
for general business. The report for the past year stated that
the efforts of the association had been crowned with success,
and that among the current year's subscribers, were Diessrs.
Truman, Hanbury, Buxton, and Co. That eminent firm had
already subscribed 600 guineas. There are at present 116
readers supported by the society. The receipts of the past
year amounted to 8,8691. 12s 10d., leaving a balance to be
carried to the next year's account of 7111. Os. 4d.
DWELLINGS FOR THE POOR.—The Society for the
established, General
but Improvementwticof
sincethe
itwceollminmgsenoefemtheen, hasPtoor, beenlately
benefited by liberal support, have begun the first of a series
of operations in the metropolitan districts, by commencing
the building of model dwellings for the working classes and
their families in the large space of ground between Nev-
street, Hopkins-street, Husband-street, and Cock-court,
adjoining Broad-street, Golden-square, in the parish of st.
James. The above philanthropic undertaking will be the
means of providing respectable habitations, in lieu of the
present dilapidated abodes, one of the worst at present exist-
ing, of filth and pauperism in the metropolis.
JEWS LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTION,
SUSSEX-HALL. —The winter session of this institution was
opened yesterday evening with a conversazione of the mem-
bers, and other friends, in the new hall attached to the
e'tablishment in Leadenhall-street. Mr. Nathaniel Monte-
fibre presided; and among the other members of the Jewish
persuasion present there were the Rev. Dr. Addler (the
chief Rabbi), Mr. Fred. T. Goldsnsidt, the Rev. Dr. Schiller
Zinessg of Manchester, and Mr. John Clarke. It appeared,
from the speeches made during the evening, that the institu-
tion lacked support from those it most intended to benefit,
The
u
and who, from their natural intelligence, it was supposed
would have readily availed themselves of its advantages.
The proceedings wound up by a concert, in which a party of
male and female members defighted the company with some
audience.
ew fa
bre excellent singing.irsex ad
m
up by
was crowded to excess, but the
l
by far the greatest portion of the

ANNOTTO BAY MINING COMPANY AND LIGUANEA
AND GENERAL MINING COMPANY.—A special general meet-
ing of the shareholders in the last of the above-named com-
panies took place yesterday., at their offices M Moorgate-
street, to consider the propriety of an amalgamation or the
two companies. 51r. Prinsep, the chairman, stated that the
basis of an amalgamation of the two companies had been
laid, a former meeting, in a series of resolutions, under which
12,000/. additional capital would have to be raised. The
Chairman moved the adoption of the resolutions, which was
seconded, and unanimously g
areed to. A similar meeting of
the Annotto Bay Mining Company took place immediately
afterwards, at which correspondMg resolutions were Passed.
CWMDTLE ROCK AND GREEN LAKE COPPER
DINE COMPANY.—The first general meeting of this com-
pany was held yesterday, at the Queen's Arms Poultry; Mr.
John Webster in the chair. The proceedings consisted of the
reading of reports from the engineer, the captain, the
manager, and Professor White, who had personally inspected
the mines. These reports were deemed highly encouraging
by the adventurers, and were unanimously adopted. From
an account presented, it appeared that property to the value
of 3,285/. belonged to the company at the mines, and that
nothing was owing. Of the 1/. shares, 1,449 had been issued,
and 2,551 remained to be issued.r. Lutwich, Mr. John
Webster, the Rev. J. W. Blew, Mr. Ward, and Mr. Deckers,
were elected members of committee. 'Votes of thanks to
the chairman, and to the several gentlemen who presented
reports, were proposed and duly acknowledged, after which
the meeting separated.
SUPPOSED SUICIDES BY DROWNlNG.—Yesterday,
information was forwarded by the police to the various me-
tropolitan police stations, of the discovery of the bodies of
persons who are supp ssed to have drowned themselves.
The first was the description of a man, about 60 years of
age, who was found in the river Lea, on Wednesday morn-
ing last, near Ilomerton. The second information referred
to the finding of the body of a man, about 35 years of age,
and about five feet six inches in height. The third gave an
account of a man, between 50 and 60 years of age, who, with
the former deceased, was picked up in the Regent's-canal,
at Islington.
ROYAL IV. A.TERMEN AND LIbIEITERMEN'S ASYLUM.
—The poor watermen of the river have many claims on the
public for support ; as from the advancement of science con-
sequent on the restoration of peace, the formation of docks,
and above all the development of the mighty power of
steam, the labouring waterman has been almost deprived of
the means of his daily subsistence. Another and a strong
consideration for their support by the public is, that they
have been regarded by the legislature as one of the nurse-
ries for the royal navy, and by act of parliament of the 4th
and sth of Queen Anne the company is compelled, in time
of war to summon and provide such a number of watermen,
to serve in the royal navy, as the Lord High Arniral of Eng-
land, or the commissioners for executing that office, shall
from time to time give notice they require; and such persons
so summoned are liable to imprisonment and disfranchise-
ment should they fail to appear when called upon, and
many eminent and distinguished naval officers have borne
The propriety,
testimony to their excellence as seamen.
of forming an asylum for the poor aged, de-
cayed and maimed watermen and lightermEn of
the river,
and their wives or widows, was for some time under the con-
sideration of the court of the company (a very ancient ost9;
but, being unable, from the state of their funds and the
general distress of their members, to erect a building for that
purpose, they were induced, some time since, to solicit sub-
scriptions from their friends and the public for the purpose;
of
and
la nd by the liberality they experienced, and the gift of a piece
at Penge, by the president of the institution, Mr.
John Dudin Brown, for the purpose, they have been enabled
to build 41 houses for the accommodation of 41 married
couples, where many of the aged, and decayed members of
the company and their wives and widows are now living in
humble and decent retirement. It was announced at the
dinner that the institution had been recently honoured by her
most gracious Majesty the Queen and his Loyal Highness
Prince Albert becoming patrons of the same, and that they
had contributed 105/. towards the endowment fund thereof.
Also, that his Grace the Duke of Northumberland had
kindly consented to become vice-patron thereof, and had
contributed a similar sum. The allowance to the inmates
and the expenses of repairs, &c., amount to nearly 800/. per
annum, and which the committee almost ent,:relY depend upon
themselves, their friends, and the public to make op.
DEATH OF A W1FE.—.51.1% Brent, the deputy coro-
ner for Middlesex, concluded, late on Wednesday evening,
at the Pox and Hounds, Little Coram-street, Bloomsbury,
en adjourned lengthened inquiry _touching the death of
Bridget Barry, aged 29, the wife of Joseph Barry, a car-
penter, residing at No. 18, Upper James-street, Camden
Town, which was alleged to have been caused by the brutal
and inhuman treatment of her husband towards her, who
has since absconded, fearing the result of the coroner's in-
quest. After hearing the whole of the case, the coroner
summed up ; and as there was no evidence to connect the
death with the ill treatment, the jury returned a verdict to
the effect—" That the deceased died from disease of the
heart; but whether produced by want of proper nourish-
ment, or any other cause, there was not sufficient evidence
to show."

TENANT LEAGUE.—The Freeman states that the
mission of Mr. Lucas, in collecting funds for the Tenant
League, has been successful in the counties of Kilkenny
and Carlow, and the Queen's County.

CIIERTSCY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY,—
The annual
meeting of the members of this society took wisee yes-
terday, at the Town Hall, Chertsey. Colonel w. H.
Sumner presided; and was supported by Mr. Henry
Drummond, M.P., and Mr. Evelyn, M.P. In the inter-
val between the toast being proposed and acknowledged,
a labourer nzmed King was introduced, who
produced
a magnificent sheaf of barley, the produce of one single
grain. It excited universal admiration, but he made no
statement as to the method by which he had obtained so
aatistaotory a tesult,