The Sun.
London, England, 1836-08-23 00:00:00

UNION-HALL.

Yesterday, Maria Harvey was brought before Mr.
TRAILL, charged with obtaining money from Samuel Dawes
under false pretences. The circumstances under which the
prisoner contrived to dupe the complainant are of a very
singular description.
About a fortnight ago the complainant, who is an en-
gineer, received a note through the hands of a young man
named Hughes, purporting to have been written by his
(complainant's) mother, and informing him that she was
then an inmate of a prison. The complainant's father was
in the army, and had separated from his wife when the
former was a child, so that the son had no recollection what-
ever of his mother, and on receipt of the note alluded to,
and which was couched in language of the most affectionate
kind, he immediately concluded that the epistle must be
that of his parent. He at once wrote a letter off to the gaol
where his supposed mother was confined, expressive of his
heartfelt gratification on the receipt of her note acquainting
him that his long-lost mother was still in existence, and
offering to render her all the assistance that a devotod son
could do to extricate a parent from her present difficulties.
As she had expressed a wish in her note that her" dear son"
would not as yet communicate to his father anything re-
lating to what had occurred, the young man kept everything
a profound secret—and on the following day went off to
Tothill-fields Prison, where he had an interview with the
prisoner. She received him apparently with the most un-
bounded joy—called him her dearest child—spoke of the
time that he was born on the rock of Gibraltar, and her se-
paration soon afterwards from his father, and expressed the
delight that she then felt, and to which she had been so
many years a stranger, on beholding him by her side. The
young man was equally overjoyed to see a mother whom
he had been led to suppose was either dead or had re-
moved to some far distant country, having on his part
also expressed the happiness he experienced on seeing her,
then proffered his exertions in extricating her from her
present situation, and inquired the nature of the offence
which had consigned her to a gaol. She told him that
she had latterly been in great distress ; and having been
compelled to make way with some articles from a ready-
furnished apartment, which she occupied to get bread, she
was afterwards taken in custody and committed to that
gaol for illegally pawning, and that she was to be tried at
the ensuing Westminster Sessions. She proceeded to re-
late that there were many mitigating circumstances in her
case, and that if an experienced Counsel were employed to
defend her, she had no doubt a verdict of acquittal would
be pronounced, which would release her from the horrors
of a gaol, and once more restore her to the comforts of a
home with her child. The young man having reiterated
that he would make every sacrifice to obtain her liberty,
then inquired who he should employ to manage her de-
fence, when she named either Mr. Phillips or Mr. Clark-
son ; but desired that he would first proceed to Mr. Flower,
the Solicitor, of Hatton-garden, and arrange with him about
preparing the brief for Counsel ; adding, that whatever fee
was paid, she should repay her son again. Having expressed
his determination to do all that lay in his power to get her
out of her present situation, he then went off to Hatton-
garden, and had two or three interviews subsequently with
Plc. Flower, and ultimately paid that gentleman the sum of
5/., the receipt for which he produced to the Magistrate, for
undertaking his supposed mother's defence. All was then
arranged for the forthcoming Sessions, and Dawes attended
in Court, and during the trial of. his supposed parent exhi-
bited all the anxiety of mind which such a proceeding was
calculated to produce ; and at its termination a verdict of

-
acquittal having been pronounced, he could scarcely restra.'l;
1 his joy when the accused was discharged from the bar, enc.
permitted to join him. They then left the Court immediately,
and walked into the Kent-road, where Dawes lived ; pre-
viously, however, to which, the young man' procured soil
decent clothing for her, she being destitute of apParel ; an
in passing the Green Man-gate together, who s•bould the):
meet plump but the young man's father. The latter vya
astounded on seeing his son and an elderly female Vandal
inquirer
arm-in-arm together, and having gone up to them,
who she was ; upon which the son, indignant that his fad°
should pretend not to know his own wife, observed that hi!
must be well aware who she was, and that she was his
mother. The father, however, immediately said that the
woman was not his wife, and that if she told his son s°,
she had told a most egregious falsehood ; the young 083
immediately dropped the arm of his supposed parent, an?,
exclaimed, " What ! are you not my mother after all
The father :—" No, she is not your mother, and if she
attempted to make you believe that she was, she is a goss
imposter. My dear boy, your mother, I have every reason
to believe, has been dead many years." , The young
almost petrified with astonishment, addressing his supPese,
parent, who by this time betrayed so much confusion thal
she was ready to fall to the ground, again invoked her t°
say whether she really was or was not his mother, as fr'rl d'
the unfortunate differences which had formerly exile
between his parents, the father might not be disposed ti
acknowledge her. The pretended mother, however, it
length admitted that she was not the complainant's parent'
begged forgiveness for the attempt to practice such an it"
position, adding, that the adverse circumstances were t
e
cause of her having assumed a character to which she ha
no right. The ),oung man, annoyed beyond measure that
such a gross deception should have been practised 111)°n
him, immediately called a policeman and gave the prisoner
into custody for obtaining the money, which it be re•
collected he paid for her defence, under false r,vresenta-
tions.
Mr. TRAILL, upon being made acquainted with the
cumstances of the case, said that it was a very ext.nor,
nary one, and inquired whether the complainant's fat'e
had formerly known the prisoner, as she seemed to "t
aware that he had been in the army, and that he wasB
Gibraltar.
The complainant said that it was true his father had bead
in the army, and that he was at one period stationed wit!
his regiment at Gibraltar, but he (complainant) was
aware whether he was acquainted with the prisoner.
The father being in attendance, he was questioned by
TRAILL, and, in reply, said that he had been a ser-
geant-major in the 37th Regiment, that his son was born
at Gibraltar, and that soon after his birth, nineteen Yeas
ago, his mother left the rock, and returned to Englall,i
He (the father) remained with the regiment up the geu,i^.
terranean until about eleven years ago, when he return e 7
and on his arrival ascertained that his wife had been deg
for some years previously.
Mr. TRAILL—Does the prisoner bear any resemblaile
to your late wife ? Dawes—Not the least in the vorit`
my wife was a different looking woman altogether.
Mr. TRAILL—Have you seen the prisoner before Ynit:
met her with your son in the Kent-road, when she nia
him believe that she was his mother ? Dawes, in reply
;
said that he recollected having seen her in Gibraltar at t"-
time that he was there with his regiment. He also eif'.
plained that the mother of the young man (Hughes), wfa
was the bearer of the note to his son from his supPes.4
mother, was at Gibraltar, at the time that he was there, °o
that she (Mrs. Hughes) having seen his wife muut ha
been aware that the prisoner was not what she represeote%
In reply to Mr. TRAILL, the young man Dawes le
that the prisoner did not ask him to advance any srelhe
sum of money to fee Counsel ; her request being, whet/ he
went to gaol to see her, to employ Counsel, and that 5
would repay him.
The Magistrate said that it was very extraordinary tha,.,
Mrs. Hughs should not have undeceived the young In
with respect to the prisoner being his mother, as it now nro
peared that that woman had seen him subsequently to t'
interview with the prisoner in gaol.
Mr. TRAILL then asked the prisoner what she had t:
say in answer to the charge.—She at first said that Os
had no defence to make, but afterwards she went into s,
long history of her family, saying that her father held t
high Government situation at Gibraltar at the time thad
the 37th regiment was doing duty there, and that she
,i.,11380
now two brothers commissioned officers in the army. .1
she had experienced many misfortunes, and amongst
rest, was shipwrecked off the coast of Scotland. 111,11„,
she contrived to make her way to London, where she
came embarrassed, and that she unfortunately got ines/.
cerated in gaol.
Mr. TRAILL—But what have you to say in answer t°
the charge of endeavouring to practise such an impositiolia
on this young man as to say that you were his mother, anr
under this fictitious character induce him to fee Counsel f 0.,,
your defence on a criminal charge ?—Prisoner—l knew his
father at Gibraltar ; he was th occasion of many et.
misfortunes. mY
The complainant's father here stepped forward, and de:,
nied the imputation ; saying that she had no claim viba
ever upon him. b°
I
Prisoner—" God tempers the wind to the shorn =a-
nil
hope one day to be enabled to show my innocence to tb°
world. the
Mr. TRAILL—But why represent yourself to be, uid
mother of this young man ? Prisoner—At present r 5
rather not answer any more questions.
The MAGISTRATE said that he should remand the rl.
soner, and gave directions that Mrs. Hughes, who was eld
leged to have been acquainted with Dawes's wife, ow
be requested to attend the next examination.
The prisoner was accordingly remanded.

THAMES OFFICE.
Yesterday, Andrew Jackson, a rough weather-I°6lW.
sailor, was brought before Mr. BALLANTINE and .0
CLARKSON, charged with stripping himself, and whilellosi
state of complete nudity, committing a desperate assafill',;,(l
Mr. Michael Maxwell, the landlord of the Turk's
in Butcher-row, Ratcliff.
The prisoner was put into the dock with nothing °I3

person but his trousers and shirt. e'
The prisoner, on being called upon to account for bis

. .
traordinary conduct, said he was half seas over. of 1
Mr. BALLANTINE said he had never heard before 00
seaman conducting himself with such gross indecenei.;, be
if the byestanders had given him a sound horsewhiPls°'
should not have found fault with them. the"
Mr. CLARKSON said the prisoner was a disgrace "%ea
fraternity, and deserved severe punishment. He seritei"oreci
him to pay a fine of 51. to the King, and in default Ott
him to be imprisoned for two months. vas
Yesterday, Was. Addams, a smart young seawall' 00 I
brought before Mr. CLARKSON for re-examination,three
charge of obtaining clothes, linen, and money, from gr.
4More.st
.Jarcekestr.
a,nd A,r.
of Hiig. Hurt,h-street, Shadvvell:bigle
i,
tradesmen,
a g g,o f
oiyof Rateliu„otie°
way), by representing that he belonged to the Conser-to re
a South Sea ship, lately arrived, and had 401. or 504 - .
ceive when the ship was paid off.
It appeared in evidence that the prisoner bad boo oder
mitting extensive frauds on the slopsellers and other tr
men along shore. roilol6
Mr. CLARKSON said the prisoner was a worthless ' Os
and had been timely checked in his career of fraud,' coid
fully committed him for trial on three charges of swal
the slopsellers.
.0000141.
NOVEL PROOF OF TIIE IDENTITY OF A 1 '''' 00;
_At the Presteign Assizes the following occurred on tke,id io
examination of a witness :--Counsel, to the witness-diger"
ever see him ? Witness-if have seen him by hearsay' le,
ford Journal. .....e'l it
------ if
- - -
PR I Z E C U P S.-- ---Ne.;ancl Second-liandS- Itlelocv til
PRIZE CUPS are offered at very Reduced Prices, IT;ltterto, sr
may be made from a great variety, both of Sizes and ra ,oste '
Woo.
T. COX SAVORY'S, Goldsmith, Silversmith, and i. st
47, Cornhill, London. poso
** A Sheet of Drawings of Cups will be forwarded bi
a single letter, in answer to a post paid application.
•.--_—•
B IR T H S. goiber6
On the 15th inst., the wife of Dr. J. Oldermann, a irl .
of a son. eee' li
On the 20th inst., at the Manor-house, Westbourne-gr ti
J. Brathwaite, of a son. -il stree
On the 19th inst., Mrs. E. T. Clarkson, of Gull-(0r
ar"
Russell-square, of is son.
On the 20th inst., at Doughty-street, Mecklenburgh.Oleor
Mrs. W. Atkinson, of a daughter. ,frs Ales
On the 20th inst., at Lansdowne-place, Hackney, ,v '
der Weynton, of a eon.
We*.
MARRIED. Joe°, te
On the 16th inst., in Paris, at the British Arabes° at-110,1 r
Montagu Manning, Esq., of Lincoln's Inn, barristerlierabrioie
Emily Anne, eldest daughter of Edw. Wise, Esq, of
il 0/1
Isle of Wight. cootior
On the 20th inst., at St. Olave's, Southwark, PiltlseiV• '''
of Jeffery Smith, Esq., to Julia, only daughter of Je"-5 , 00,
tyr, Esq. ,„rt pfilste
John
oOnn
Anderson,
the
eed
el2r7sotoht inst.,nh:nEs st.q .a
4 at
fd •
oC4ladimAliebreisr-deell,en.Alexander Rell-0 f t h 6
Esq., of Wilton-place, to Elizabeth Charlotte, daughter
Burn, of Hatton-garden.
The°
1), D.
s
rose/ ors
On the 16th in at Newbury, Berks, Mr. Gray, VII.
solicitor there. •'
the Itel
On the 18th inst., at Glocester-terrace, Horton,
on Oil
Lyndall, aged 75. (red ivy'
William, third son of Sr*
On the 18th inst., at Birkenhead, near Liverpool, 8,....,1ace,
Henry, second son of Frederick de Lisle, Esq.,
Susa
man-square. B9,
On the 19th inst., at Denmark-hill, Surrey, aged fC'
relict of Mr. J. Raworth. ,i; the yriffl°o
On the 17th inst., at Bayswater, aged 31, Eliza, 4. gel
Adam, Esq., late of Bombay, and eldest daughter of is
of Yorx r
lob,
,----70,
of Dorset-square.
"•.-. ~ o.' of '..,41
'=-2_=_^''''.... '4. '••••••7_'_._. _ -------;r0 UJ, coi.u•
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