The Sun.
London, England, 1825-10-27 00:00:00

DISTRESSING CASE.

Wonsnir-sTREET.---Yeaterday morning, An-
thony Compere, an interesting-looking youth, whose tattered
I garments and woeful countenance clearly indicated that he was
labouring under considerable distress of mind, and had re-
cently been the victim of serious want, was brought before Mr.
-BENKETT, the sitting,MaOstrate, charged by the night con-
stable ofKingslanttitith being found loitering about the neigh-
bourhood of the Cock and Castle, Kingsland-road, in an ap-
parently distressed state of mind, and without being enabled to
-give.a proper account of himself.
The youth, on being placed at the bar, burst into a torrent of
tears; and in a manner bespeaking at once that the tale he told
proceeded from an ingenuous mind, stated that he was the un-
happy- offspring•-of a father who had a second time entered the
bonds of wedlock, and as is. too often the case in -alliances of
this -nature, had become the unmerited victim, not of the step-
mother merely, but to the paternal relation to whom lie owed
his birth. To such an extent indeed had their unkindness and
persecution recently gone that he preferred even the torments
of death itself to the insufferable continuance of such a life as
that which he had been compelled, from- his religious awe of
self-destruction, so distressingly to prolong. He had made many
efforts, indeed all those which ingenuity or perseverance could
devise, to obtain such a livelihood as to enable him to quit that
roof, and forego that protection, which, as a child, an affec-
tionate. and obedient child, he had aright to expect from those
who were destined to guide his future pursuits in life. The
ill-success of his efforts was attended with an increased severity
on the part of those from whom, as he had already stated, he
might have expected better treatment, and unable longer to
bear their persecution he.quitted home with Providence only as
his hope and guide. Still -unsuccessful, famine and disease
overtook him,- and in this wretched plight was found by the
constable who had now brought him before his Worsnip, a
situation which the natural consequences of his forlorn condi-
tion, and not crime, had placed him in.
The tale was told with such clearness and such an appear-
ance of truth, as to excite from all those who heard it the
deepest feelings of sympathy for the wretched situation of the
unhappy youth ; in which feeling the Bench itself seemed
greatly to participate.
Mr. BENNETT, the Sitting Magistrate, who treated the case
with great feeling, asked Compere in what manner he had been
employed. • ' •
He stated that be had hitherto been in the employ of Mr.
Jackson, a. stationer in the Strand ; but from his weak state
of health, he was unable to perform the duties allotted to him.
lie would, however, accept any situation rather than again
obtrude himself on the bounty of those who had thus ill-treated
him.
Mr. BEN NETT having ascertained that his age was 15, and
that in point of stature and every other consideration lie was a
fit object for recommendation to the Marine Society, asked him
if he would like to go to sea. •
The boy, with great eagerness, embraced the opportunity
thus humanely suggested to him by the worthy Magistrate, and
said he would gladly accept any employment, however menial.
The Magistrate immediately gave directions for the neces-
sary communications to be made to the leading officers of the
Marine Society, and in the mean time -thought it prudent to
adopt means for acquainting the parent with the destination of
his child.

---
To this, however, the youth objected, observing, that front
the recent treatment he had received from his father, he was Per-
suaded that his future fate must be a matter of perfect indifference
to him.

. It appeared, on a question from the Magistrate, that the boy
had been for some time without food. Air. Bennett humanely
ordered some to-be immediately procured for him, and request-
ed the paiisb officers ofShoreditch to take care of him until he
should have 'carried into effect his arrangements' with the Ma-
rine Society, which was accordingly promised. The father was
etateti to be living in Fetter-lane, Holborn..