The Sun.
London, England, 1838-11-13 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION-HO USE.
About three weeks ago a little mulatto boy, between thir-
teen and fourteen years of age, who said that hie name was
Dick Symons, was la-ought before the late Lord Mayor by
woman of colour, who met him in the streets deserted agd
hungry, took him under her protection, and soon afterwards,
upon hearing his account of himself arid his adventures,
brought him, by the advice of some persons to whom she men-
tioned his singular story, to the Lord Mayor of London.
The late Lord Mayor, who never failed to sympathise wi4h
the unfortunate, communicated with Alderman Pirie, and
that gentleman, being an extensive shipowner and possessing
facilities of acquiring knowledge connected with our western
colonies, undertook to inquire into the particulars of the boy's
statement. _ .

Yesterday Alderman Pirie acquainted Mr. Hobler with his
belief in the facts stated by the boy, and also said that he had
procured for the little adventurer a passage to Jamaica, from
whence the poor fellow had been stolen.
The details of the case were not given at the time the boy
was introduced to the Lord Mayor, because they appeared to
have been for the most part fabricated, and to have no more
foundation than man} of the tales of suffering recited before
the Chief Magittrate, and no sooner recited than detected and
exposed. The opinion that this poor child has told nothing
but the truth, however, justifies the description of what occurred
at the Mansion [louse on the subject.
The woman of colour who solicited the attention of Sir
John Cowan to the case of the little mulatto, said that he had
informed her that he had been induced by an English captain
at Jamaica to go on board the captain's vessel, was taken by
him to Cuba and offered for sale there without success, and
finally conveyed to London, where the captain, not being able
to prevail upon any one to take him as a present, contrived to
lose him.

The late Lord Mayor received the following account in an-
swer to many questions on the subject :—Dick Symons was
born free at Kingston, in Jamaica. His father was a white,
but his mother was black, and he had a brother and a sister.
The business in which his father, who supported his family
by selling salt fish and pickled frogs and rats, was bringing
him up was the odd one called a dolls' shoemaker, at which
he was becoming a proficient when he was taken away frdm
his home. As he was walking in Kingston the Captain of an
English brig asked him the way to some place, and, upon
being informed, invited him to look at the vessel. The boy,
upon going on board, was thirsty, and the Captain gave him
some strong white drink, and he very soon afterwards fell
asleep, and when he awoke he was surprised and terrified at
finding that he was at sea, and the vessel dashing along.
When he cried to he put ashore the Captain told him if he
made a noise that he should go overboard and, be food for the
sharks, and thenceforward employed him in cleaning up the
cabin until they reached Cuba. While at that island, where
they took in mahogany, fustick, and lancewood, the Captain
tried to sell him to a gentleman for twenty dollars, but no one
would buy him.
Mr. /Lbler—Are you sure that he endeavoured to sell
you ? Boy—Yes. A -gentleman came a-board and the
skipper pulled out a long bottle of wine and gave him a
drink, and then he said, " Buy this fellow fur twenty dol-
lars ;" but the gentleman was afraid, and so we came off for
England.
Mr. Hobler—And how did they treat you ? Boy—They
knocked me about, and kicked me and cursed me, and they
used to make me go up the shrouds when the wind blowed
heavy.
The report sent in by the Keeper of Giltspur-street
Compter' where the boy has been lodged, was extremely
favourable. The Chaplain said that Dick was so indus-

•
trious, that, rather than sit idly, he would work at the pump
for hours. _ _ _

Mr. Hobler—Did you go to Church regularly at Jamaica
Boy-Yes, Sir ; I went often, and we used to have a great
many black and white people. Where I went the Jews used
to come.

Mr. Hobler—The Jews t Then you used to go to a syna-
gocrue? Boy—No, I went to a Protestant Church.
'Mr. Hobler—And the Jews went to that Church? Boy--
Yes, plenty of 'em ; they'd go anywhere at all.
Mr. Nobler—And you say 3 our prayers constantly ? Boy--
Ido ; and I say grace before and after meat every day. I
always pray to get home to mother and father, and I hope
you'll send me soon, for they think I am drowned; but the
skipper didn't care about that. I think though he asked
twenty dollars for me he would have drowned me for ten.
The late LORD MAYOR asked what became of the captain or
the skipper, as the poor little fellow called the rascal who
attempted to sell him ? The boy—When we came into the
dock„aliather skipper got the brig, and he went to Ireland,
for he could not sell me here, and I don't think anybody
would buy me there. —( A laugh.) The skipper tried to make
a butcher take me when we came into the Downs, but the
butcher, upon turning me round, swore he would not stow
away such rubbish.—(Laughter.)
Alderman Pirtle had reason to believe the mulatto's story,
and on Wednesday or Thursday next the boy should sail for
Jamaica. The sale of the boy could not easily have taken
place at Cuba, as the penalty attached to any offence of the
kind was enormous.
Dick was delighted at hearing that he was soon to leave
England, although he appears most grateful for the kindness

with which he has been treated. He is a fine tempered boy,
and he has not varied in the slightest degree in the numbers
of times he has mentioned the particulars of the calamity which
befel him.
Alderman Plum is in possession of the names of the skipper
and the brig.