The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-25 00:00:00

GUILDHALL.

An Irishman of short stature, and who to all appear-
ance was in great suffering, named John M'Cormack,
was placed at the bar before Alderman Challis (who
relieved Alderman Farncombe for a short time), on the
charge of begging.
Samuel Speck, 119 of the City Police, stated that about,
one o'clock that day he saw the prisoner, whom he knew
to be a begging impostor, following his occupation in
Moorgate street, and the better to excite the sympathy
of the charitably disposed he had round his head a white
cap, fastened under his chin, so as to show only his face,
and which gave him the appearance of having recovered
from a severe fever, and that he was greatly debilitated,
while, on the contrary, he had a fine head of hair, and
was not at all the object of pity he had pretended to be.
Alderman CHALLIS—WeII, we will see how he appears
with his cap off. Remove it. _ _ _

The officer immediately took out the pill from under
the chin and removed the cap, when the appearance of
the prisoner was as instantly altered as if he had re-
ceived the touch of a harlequin's wand; for instead of
the pale face and the wobegono looks, a fine crop of
black hair set his countenance off to advantage, while on
unbuttoning his outer coat, which appeared to be much
the worse for wear, it was found that he was warmly and
comfortably apparelled, and, in fact, it was evident he
made a trade of begging. The removal of the cap created
great laughter.
Alderman CHALLIS—WeII, prisoner, what have you
to say why I should not send :you to prison? M'Cor-
mack (in a very weak voice)--Sure, then, I was not
begging at all,
Alderman ClL:um—Come, come, that won't do ;
you can speak louder? M'Cormack—l can't speak any
better.

Alderman CHALLIS—Were you ever at the treadmill?
M'Corntack—Ah, then, I'm more fit to go to the doctor
than the treadmill.

Alderman CHALLIS asked if the prisoner was known?
Speck replied that he knew him well, and that he (the
prisoner) and his wife sometimes went about with five
or six children, and at other times by themselves, ask-
ing alms.
Alderman CHALLIS observed that ho had no doubt
the children wero hired for the purpose.
A City officer, 655, here stepped forward, and informed
the Alderman that he had known the prisoner for the
last seven years as an impostor. Sometimes he might
be seen picking his teeth until they bled, and at others
spitting and coughing as if he had an asthma. In fact,
he was one of the greatest impostors in London.
George Evans, an officer from the Compter, said the
prisoner had 14 days in November last, and in fact had
been in custody in every part of London.
Alderman CHALLIS considered it a very bad case, and
sentenced the prisoner to one month's imprisonment,
when the doctor was to see him and report whether he
was most fit to receive a whipping or bo worked at the
treadmill.
Prisoner—l am neither fit for the one nor the other.
Alderman CHALLIS—WeII, We shall ascertain that
fact.

lie was then removed, still keeping up the appearance
of being very
BOW-STREET.

Edward Baker was brought before Mr. Henry for
obtaining money under false pretences.
The prisoner went into the shop orMr. Callaghan,
optician, in Great Russell-street, on Monday morning
last, with a pitiful tale of his sufferings from affliction
and distress, consequent upon the death of his wife,
whose body was lying at the Westminster Hospital, as
an alleged certificate from the house surgeon (backed by
the signature of Mr. Magee, a clergyman) appeared to
prove. He ws desired to call again, with the promise
that his case should be submitted to a few benevolent
persons; and in the meantime inquiries were made,
which proved that the certificate and the signature were
forgeries, and that the prisoner had been practising
similar frauds to as great an extent as ever, although not
long since committed from Bow-street for addressing a
begging petition to Lord Lincoln.
A Mendicity officer stated, that the prisoner had been
also convicted in the City, and, if time were granted,
many cases could be proved against him.
Under these circumstances his Worship remanded the
prisoner for a week.
Margaret Cochrane, an old begging-woman, who
usually takes off her shoes and stockings, and has a
sickly child at her back, was convicted for the second
time within a very short period, and committed to prison.
In this case

Mr. HENRI( observed, that the practice of giving
casual relief to these vagrants, instead of sending them
back to the parish in which they had a settlement, tended
greatly, in his opinion, to increase the begging nuisance,
which was now so universally complained of. The latter
course would be the most economical to the parochial
bodies in the sequel, and it would be certainly the most
effectual way of getting rid of them.
MARLBORO tl G S T.R EE T.
James Robertson was brought before Mr. Bingham for
final examination, charged whh having in his possession
1,179 prints, the property of the Entomological Society,
stolen from their rooms, No. 17. Old 13ond-street, and a
book the property of Mr. Charles Gunnell, stolen from
one of the comniittee-roonas of the House of Commons.
The prisoner said he was entirely innocent of the
charge us to the prints, and was fully committed.