The Sun.
London, England, 1825-10-08 00:00:00

A CHILD KIDNAPPED.

UNION-HALL.--On Thursday evening, when the office was
about to close, a respectable female presented herself before the
sitting Magistrate, SWAM.: V, Esq., and in tones of deep dis-
tress' besought his advice and assistance in recovering her child,
who had been kidnapped only a few hours before her applicae
tion. The poor woman having been accomodated with a chair,
and having in some measure composed her distracted feelings,
proceeded to give the following account of the manner in which.
she had been bereft of her offspring. In the afternoon of that
day (Thursday), she entrusted her child, a boy about five
months old, into the care of a little girl to nurse, who pro-
ceeded with her charge into the streets in order to have the
benefit of the air. Having walked about the neighbourhood of
Walworth for some time, the girl sat down on some logs of wood
near the Duke of York public-house, in the Borough-road, nurs-
ing and playing with the child. She had not been many minutes
occupied in this manner, before a dirty-looking woman, as she
described, dressed in a dirty white shawl, light blue gown,
with flowers upon it, came up and asked permission to look at
the child, at the same time taking it out of the arms of the
girl into her own. When the woman had the child in her own
possession, she walked down the road towards the King's
Bench prison, followed by the girl, who never suspected what
her intentions were, but only imagined that she was going to
purchase a few sweetmeats to present the infant with. How-
ever, when the woman arrived at the sign of the Britannia
public-house, near the King's Bench, she stopped outside the
door, and calling the little girl, to whom the child had been in-
trusted by its mother, gave her 6d. in silver, desiring her to go
into the house, and get it changed, which she did, and on
coming out gave the halfpence to the woman, who gave her a
penny, saying, " Go in again, my dear, and inquire of the
landlady at the bar if Mr. Johnson is there, and if he is, bring
me out word." The unsuspecting girl once more entered the
public-house, and having made the inquiry as she was di-
rected, the landlady told her that Mr. Johnson was in the
habit of frequenting the house, but that he was not at present
there. Upon coming out, neither the woman nor child were
to be seen, and the girl, dreadfully alarmed at the circumstance
ran about crying and wringing her hands, proclaiming that a
child was stolen from her. A milkwoman happening to conic
up at the time, and .seeing the violent agitation of the little girl
and a number of persons surrounding her, upon being informed
of the circumstances, stated that she (the milk-woman) had a
short time before observed a shabby-looking woman walking in
great haste towards London-bridge, with a very fine infant in
her arms. On hearing this account, several of the spectators,
as well as the girl herself, proceeded off in that direction, but all
efforts to trace the offender were unsuccessful. At night the
girl returned to applicant's house without the child, and a ith
the dreadful tidings of its being kidnapped.
The Magistrate having inquired the name of the applicant,
she stated it to be Mary Weller, that her husband was a black-
smith, and that they lived in Frederick-place, Borough-road.
She then described the dress of her child when it was stolen, as
follows :—A seal-skin cap with a gold band, and a double
bordered cap underneath, a cross-barred lilac frock, anti blue
worsted boots.

The Magistrate immediately directed Mr. Staples, the chief
clerk, to have hand-bills printed and circulated, describing the
dress and persons of the child and the miscreant who had stolen
it. A great number of these bills were forwarded into the
country by the mails the same night; and, indeed, no exer-
tions have been spared by the Magistrate in rendering the un-
fortunate and brokm-hearted mother all the assistance in his
power, which the poor woman seemed fully sensible of.
Glannon, an active and indefatigable officer, was selected,
for the purpose of tracing and apprehending the offender, if
she is to be found in London. He proceeded in his task, and
the sante night, having inquired at the Britannia public-house
whether a man named .Johnson used the house, and being an-
swered in the affirmative, he had an interview with an indivi-
dual of that name, who attended at the office yesterday. The
Magistrate having stated to Mr. Johnson the above particulars,
and also that part which alluded to the woman sending the girl
into the Britannia to inquire for a person of his name, Mr.
Johnson expressed his surprise, declaring that he knew no
woman of the description, and intimating that he would do all
that lay in his power in discovering the retreat of one of the
worst description of robbers.
The Magistrate having ascertained that the parents of the
stolen child were unable to offer a reward for its restoration and
apprehension of the woman, intimated his intention of making
the circumstance known to the Secretary of State, who, he had
no doubt would carry this measure into effect.
Tuic faxci.—Yesterday Tom Shelton, the pugilist, ac-
cording to promise, brought up his friends (Dick Curtis, who
is termed the "Pet of the Fancy," andJackßissiter, nicknamed
Young (i as, ) for being present at the intended fight on Streatham
Common. These two individuals were not present when thegrand
batch of the fancy displayed themselves before the Magistrates
a few days ago. Toni was their spokesman on. the occasion,
and will he performed his task. Ile apologized for their ab-
sence on Wednesday, by stating, that they were both souse
distance in the country at the time, otherwise they would opt
have neglected the Magistrate's mandate for their appearance
at this office. " Indeed, your Worship." said Tom Shelton,
" Curtis has been on sonic particular business; he is about to
get a wife, and lett town for the purpose of seeing her before
the warrant was issued against him ; that is his excuse, Si:,
and when a lady is in the way, 1 hope you will make allow-
ances." Tom, finding he was quite successful, made another
apology on the behalf of young Gas, when' the Magistrate di-
rected them to enter into their own recognizances to appear at
the next Sessions.