The Sun.
London, England, 1830-05-12 00:00:00

BOW-STREET.

Yesterday an elderly man, who gave the name
lien janzin Ridgeway, was brought before Sir R.
BIRNIE and Mr. MINSIIULL, charged with having,
it appeared, called on Mr. Blamire
by means of flaudulent pretensions, obtained a so-
vereign from Mr. Blamire, a solicitor, residing in
that morning, for the purpose, as he pretended, of
cornmunicat►ng to him something the '
to advantage
of his friend and relati • M
‘e r. Salkilt, of Herne-hill,
srtintr,
Nor
Thef Norfolk-street.
l kp-

near Carlisle. Mr. Salkilt is a solicitor, and a shore
time bark received a letter from a person named
Eddie, dated from No. 16, Houndsditch, stating
that he possessed some information of great value
to Mr. Salkilt, but which he would not disclose
without first receiving. twenty shillings. Thinking
that so:nething really might arise out of the affair,
Mr. Salkilt directed Mr. Blamire to pay the money
required and receive the communication ; upon
which the latter intimated to Eddie the instructions
which he had received, and the result was a visit
from the prisoner as above-mentioned. Mr. Blamire
stated hi s readiness to pay the sum demanded, pro-
v.ded the information should turn out worth it, but the
prisoner declined to part from the documents with
which his employer had entrusted him without first re-
ceiving the stipulated fee. Mr. Blamire then handed
him a sovereign, and the prisoner delivered in return a
letter containing references to persons of the name
of Salkilt who had died, leaving money in the funds
which remained unclaimed. Mr. Blamire at once
discovered the cheat, knowing that no connection
whatever existed between his relation and the
parties referred to, and accordingly requested thit
the sovereign might be returned. The prisoner,
however, did not understand any thing about the
system of refunding, and, instead of the sovereign,
handed to Mr. Blamire a receipt signed " Joseph
Eddie," whom he described as his master. Deeming
the transaction to be a gross fraud, an officer was
sent for and the prisoner given into his charge, when
two other sovereigns were found upon him.
Sir R. BIRNIE directed that the prisoner should
be locked up, and that his employer should be sent
for.—Accordingly about three o'clock, a bald-
headed, demure looking man, in the garb of a
quaker, whose tout ensemble was of the Cantwell •
school, entered the office and announced himself as
Joseph Eddie, the master of the prisoner Ridgeway,
whose detention he seemed to regard as a violation
of the liberty of the subject.
Sir R. BIRNIE—Oh I then you are the person
who have volunteered to give such valuable informa-
s tiNaltre.dSalkilt
ma
en Sad oo
bt
eh ejros
s?e—p
hEEd
Eddie,
aln have
-
at il
ena to
quire to know why my servant is kept in custody.
Sir RICHARD BIRNIE—Even I have to acknow-
ledge the receipt of some of your valuable commu-
ncations.

Eddie—Perhaps so, Sir, but my present business
here is to learn the nature of the charge against my
servant.

The prisoner Ridgeway was then brought in and
placed beside his master.
Sir RICHARD BIRNIE stated that both parties
were charged with having swindled Mr. Blamire out
cf a sovereign.
Eddie—l have maintained my character in the
neighbourhood of Houndsditch for the last twenty-
five years, and think you, if I were a person capable
of the conduct you attribute to me, would that
have been the case. But if there be any charge it
must be made before the Lord Mayor, as I live in
the city.

Sir RICIIARD BIRNIE—There, my sleek friend,
you are mistaken. The offence was committed in
Norfolk-street, which is in Middlesex.
The constable here, by order of the Magistrates,
produced the money he had taken from the prisoner
Ridgeway. One of the sovereigns was banded to
Mr. Blamire, and the constable was directed to re-
tain the other until the possession of it should have
been accounted for.

Eddie, without any hesitation, desired his servant
:o state the manner in which he had obtained it.

Ridgeway received it from a gentleman residing
at No. 9, Suffolk-street, Pall-mall, whose name he
had forgotten.

A messenger was despatched for this gentleman,
and during his absence, the Magistrates consulted
together as to whether they could interfere in the
matter.

Sir R. BIRNIE said, that he had received upwards
of fifty letters from persons who had been swindled
out of their money by this individual, who, he was
satisfied, had been carrying on a gross system of
fraud ? Eddie—You can't say that you ever were
wronged by me in your life.
Sir R. BIRNIE—No, certainly not; but was that
your fault ? Did you not honour me with a letter ?
Eddie—Well, if I did, I take it for granted that I
knew of something to your advantage.
Sir R. BIRNIE—Not you indeed; and what's
more I can candidly tell you that I never had a re-
lation as rich as I am myself; therefore it would be
quite useless to trouble me with such information.
Eddie—Very well, Sir, you may depend that I shall
scratch your name from my books so soon as you al-
low me to return home.—(A laugh.)
The officer at this moment returned from Suffolk-
street, and whispered to the Magistrates the result
of his enquiry.
•

. .
Sir R. EntritE—What ! M'Doherty the Irish So-
icitor-General ? Officer—Yes, Sir, that is the gen-
leman.

Sir RICHARD BIRNIE observed that Eddie e'as a
bold fellow, when even the law-officers of the
Crown could not escape him.
Eddie.—The circumstance is all in my favour;
for, think you, if I were as you suppose, a swin-
dler, would I have had such temerity as to have run
into the lion's den ?

Sir RICHARD BIRNIE said that as the party at-
tempted to be defrauded lived at such a distance, it
would be hopeless to expect a prosecution.
Mr. HALLS observed, that parties who speculated
in these transactions made themselves participators
in the fraud, but added, that if Eddie should ever
come before him again, he would strain a point to
send him before a Jury. After some further con-
versation, Eddie and his man were set at liberty,
apparently much to their satisfaction.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.
BlGAMY.—Yesterday, William Saunders, who has
undergone two examinations, was brought up before
Mr. CONANT for a final hearing on a charge of
bigamy. —The prisoner was fully committed.