The Sun.
London, England, 1865-09-08 00:00:00

other allowances. About one mile and a half over four
flights of hurdles.
Mr. Henry's Rapture, aged, 9st 131 b (50) (Ablett) 1
Mr. John Nightingall's Land of the West, 4 yrs, 10st 21b
(.£100) (Roe) 2
Mr. J. G. Churchward's Sharpshooter, aged, 9st 131 b (X5O)
(Eatwell) 3
Mr. Burbidge's Sentinel, 3 yrs, Bst 61b (X5O) J. Smith)... 0
Betting-5 to 4 agst Land of the West, 2to 1 agst Rap-
ture, 4tol, " bar two." Land of the West made running
to the half distance, where Rapture closed with him, and
won a fine race by a neck ; Sharpshooter a bad third; Sen-
tinel did not pass the post.

Story of a Reverend Impostor.

In 1858 a slim, dark-haired, softly-spoken, priestly-
looking person, about 26 years of age, made his appearance
in the chief town of Surrey. He professed to be a convert
from Popery, and obtained considerable pecuniary aid
from Churchmen and Dissenters. Whence he really came
no one knew; who he really was none could tell. The
Rev. Edward Mandeville Moreton—for so the visitor called
himself—however, was suddenly found to be an impostor,
and having been apprehended by a constable, was tried at
the Guildford assizes on a charge of obtaining money
under false pretences, and sent to prison for twelve
months. Some men do not improve in prison, and Mr.
Moreton did not. He came to London and took lodgings
near Queen-square, where he became evening tutor to a
respectable young mau. Here he was taken ill, and re-
duced to a state of starvation. His pupil appealed to the
Rev. G. W. M'Crce, who has long laboured in the parish of
St. Giles's in connexion with the Rev. W. Brock's church,
and he went to see the invalid. To Mr. M'Cree he professed
to have been curate to a rector in Essex, who had discharged
him because he would not read the burial service over a
man who had died a drunkard. Mr. M'Cree pressed him to
reveal names, dates, and places, but finding the invalid coy
and reticent, he frankly said, " Well, sir, there is something
in your history which you wish to conceal from me. Be it
so. I find you sick, lonely, and starving, and I will treat
you kindly, as I would the worst man in London under
similar circumstances. I will judge you by your future con-
duct." The judgment was unfavourable, and Mr. M'Cree was
induced to watch Mr. Moreton with care and constantly in-
creasing suspicion. Hero we must transport our readers
into the country. A good minister, the uncle of the pupil
whom Mr. Moreton had been teaching and deceiving, came
to London, heard his story, and took him off into North-
amptonshire for the benefit of fresh air. Mr. Moreton now
flourished like a green bay tree. He grew stout, he paid
court to a rich widow, he ordered new clothes, bought
books, and made presents, all on the credit system. He also
preached, and Northamptonshire peasants marvelled at his
fluency and talent. The rector of the parish shook hands
with him, the branch committee of the Bible Society made
him its secretary, he was chosen as one of the officers of the
local literary institution, he made speeches, he went to
parties; and, most of all, was immersed by a worthy brother
at Stony Stratford, and preached a sermon on the occasion,
which sermon he published. It lies before us, and is en-
titled, " The Worth of Truth, a Sermon preached in the
Baptist Chapel, Stony Stratford, Bucks, on Sunday even-
ing, November 13, 1859, by the Rev. Edward Alfred More-
ton, M.A., on the occasion of his baptism. Published by re-
quest." From this era in his erratic history the Rev. Ed-
ward Alfred Moreton, M.A., went on victoriously. He was
the Apollos of Stony Stratford. A public journal was en-
riched with contributions from his facile pen. Eloquent
sermons poured from his lips ; he was sought by old and
young; he stood on a lofty eminence, and smiled benignly
on his worshippers. Then came his discomfiture and fall.
It was found that he told "fibs," that he was involved in
debt, that he was conspiring against the worthy pastor
who had treated him as a son, and, in brief, that he was a
very worthless man. Exposure came, and he fled once
more to London.
Remembering the kindness of Mr. M'Cree,he appealed to
that gentleman, and, in order that he might conciliateliin,
forwarded a long autobiography. It is a strange story. An
epitome must suffice. "He was educated at Oxford, dis-
graced himself, and left the university. Became a tutor in
a nobleman's family, and was dismissed because he led his
pupil into extravagance. Met with an engagement as a
curate, defamed an innocent person, had to apologise and
depart. Went to France, and began a career as a littera-
teur, seduced the wife of his friend, and was committed to
prison for 18 months. Came to England. Professed to be a
Popish priest converted to a purer faith. Engaged as a
tutor in Sussex. Got into debt, and was dismissed. Lec-
tured in the Midland Counties, cheated the printer, and
was sent to prison for three months. Forged some clerical
testimonials whereby he secured a curacy in the East of
London, offended his rector, and left. Went into Surrey,
began his operations at Guildford, and ended them in
prison." Such is a brief sketch of the history forwarded
to Mr. M'Cree, and now before us. None of our readers wil
feel surprised that Mr. M'Cree did not respond to the appeal
Mr. Moreton made to him. " Mr. Moreton," said Mr.
M'Cree, "if you choose to pursue a private career, and do
right, I will not interfere with you ; but the moment you
attempt to enter a pulpit I shall expose you.'.' Fearful,
probably, of Mr. M'Croe's antagonism, Mr. Moreton went
into Yorkshire, where, under various false pretences and
disguises, he victimised a large number of Christian folk.
He also married a widow, and then forsook her, but not
until he had reduced the unfortuate woman and her child-
ren to absolute want.
In 1861 Mr. M'Cree heard of the vagaries of Mr. More-
ton under another name, and resolved as a duty to the
Christian public to discover and expose him once more.
He was told of a preacher who was occupying the pulpit
of a chapel not many yards from Holborn. "He was
very clever indeed"—so said report. "He was a convert
from Popery"—so said rumour. "He has been baptised
by the Hon. and Rev. Baptist Noel"—so said his friends.
" What is his name ?" " The Rev. J. J. Crouch, 8.A."
" I should like to see him," replied Mr. • M'Cree. The
pastor of the church for whom the new convert to
Baptist principles had been preaching accordingly
agreed to introduce Mr. M'Cree to the neophyte. At
the time the introduction took place Mr. Crouch was
eating grapes in the drawing-room of a newly-married
couple. Behold ! Crouch was Moreton, and Moreton
was Crouch. A stormy scene followed. Mr. Were() ex-
posed the impostor, who with consumate coolness de-
nounced Mr. M 'Cree as a false accuser, and declared that
he had never before seen his face. The host censured Mr.
M'Cree for insulting his guest ; the pastor exulted in the
belief that Mr. M'Cree was mistaken, and that his pulpit
had not been defiled ; and the lady fled from the room in
dismay. Mr. M'Cree, however, stood his ground, and made

a solemn appeal to Crouch, alias Moreton, to confess his
imposture, which at last ho did by throwing himself at
Mr. M‘Cree's feet, acknowledging his villany, and imploring
pardon from the man whom he had just denounced.
Soon after this exposure Mr. Moreton endeavoured to
defraud Sir M. Peto and others, but Mr. M'Cree check-
mated him at every turn, and at length he resolved to
emigrate to Australia. He did this in a very characteristic
fashion. By some dubious means, probably by forged docu-

ments, he became chaplain of the emigrant ship Boanerges,
and set sail for the distant colony which henceforth was to
rejoice in his presence. On board the Boanerges the chap-
.

lain soon displayed all the combined attributes of the Rev.
Edward Alfred Moreton, M.A., and the Rev. J. J. Crouch,

,
8.A., and paid such unworthy attentions to the ladies that
the gentlemen tarred and feathered him. When ho landed
he obtained the office of tutor to a settler's children, re-

sumed the garb, title, and profession of a clergyman, was
"found guilty" of wrong-doing, became a " Baptist minis-
ter," or nearly so, once more, committed a fraud on the
bishop of the diocese, and was sentenced to prison for three
months.

-------
We thought, as we heard of these Australian exploits,
that England would probably never see him again ; but our
bright hopes have been blighted. It would seem that
Crouch-Moreton returned to England, became "Brother

Maurus," of the monastery, Norwich, and is, if we mistake
not, the monk whom Brother Ignatius condemned to stand
for three hours with a broken saucer on his head. Having
left the monastery, he contrived to get some testimonials,
went to Worcester, taking with him a lady named " Polly,
and was engaged as curate by the rector of St. Martin's.
But Crouch-Moreton-Maurus was still the same man, and
having obtained illegal possession of a gold watch, both he
and " Polly " have fled from Worcester, the police follow-
ing hard after him. Where this "strange story" will end
—who can tell ?

It may be expedient to append hero a copy of the police
placard issued at Worcester in consequence of the flight of
the Rev. Arthur J. Henry Morton—for such is the most
recent designation—his name now being Morton instead of
Moreton. The hue and cry is as follows :
"Absconded from Worcester, charged with obtaining by
false pretences a gold hunting Geneva watch and chain
—the watch, No. 76,880, with white dial—the Rev. Arthur
Henry Morton, age 30, height about sft. 2in., rather stout ;
has pale face, closely shaped, and dark hair cut very short ;
when he left ho was dressed in dark clothes, and has the
appearance of a monk. He pretends to be a clergymen of the
Church of England, and has been for about a fortnight offi-
ciating as curate to the rector of the parish of St. Martin,
Worcester, to whom he presented credentials which

had been the property of some other person. It has been
ascertained that he has been recently received in the

Roman Catholic Church, and that he was previously an

inmate of the Norwich Monastery, where he was known
as Brother 3laurus.' Information to be given to the
Worcester City Police, who hold a warrant for his appre-
hension.—City Police-office, "Worcester, August 28, 1865.'
We hope to be able soon to announce that "the Re♦
Arthur Henry Morton" is once more on his way to the
Antipodes. If any of our readers come in contact with a
" fascinating" person who boars any resemblance to the
man described above, we hope they will not delay to give
information at this office, or at the City Police-office, Wor-
cester.—Freeman.

THE MURDER AT SWANSEA. —A reprieve has been
obtained for Francisco Giardienari, the Italian seaman
convicted at the last Swansea Assizes for the murder of his
follow seaman, Peter Moitch. Tho sentence of execution
had been previously respited for a month, and on Wednes-
day morning a communication was received from Sir Geo.
Grey, the Home Secretary, to the effect that, taking all the
circumstances of the case into consideration, he should ad-
vise her Majesty that the capital sentence ought not to be
carried into effect