The Sun.
London, England, 1849-02-15 00:00:00

GUILDHALL.

Patrick and Catherine Burrows, with six children,
were placed at the bar on the charge of begging at a
late hour the previous evening in Farringdon-street.
A few days back an application was made to the sit-
ting magistrate by Patrick Burrows for relief, aEd he

was referred to the union, upon which he became most
abusive outside the court for some time, threat-
ening that he would break the windows ; but
being watched closely he eventually departed,
declaring that as he could neither get relief from the
workhouse nor from the magistrate he would break
some one's window for the purpose of getting into
prison, or resort to the alternative of begging to effect
that object. How he has lived since was not mentioned;
but he, with his wife and family of six children, were
found in Farringdon-street, between eleven and twelve
n'oLuAr, walking about to excite tho sympathy of those
who might be passing by. They were conveyed to the
station-house, when the inspector ordered the officer to
convey the five children (the other being at the breast)
to the West London Union. The officer did so, but the
porter refused admitting them, at the same time telling
him that as they belonged to Gray's Inn-lane, ho had
better take them to the workhouse there. In conse-
quence of this refusal he returned with them to the
station-house, and they were locked up in one of the
cells all night. On the woman was found 6id., with a
bag, a saucepan, a spoon; and on the male prisoner a
cigar-case, five duplicates, and two tobacco- boxes.
Alderman CHALLIS asked if they were known, and
was informed by an officer of the City of London Union
that the prisoner had been a most troublesome customer.
lie had received relief over and over again, and they
had offered to pass him and his family to Ireland, but he
refused to go back.
Alderman CHALLIS said, however bad the father and
mother might be, nothing could justify the refusal of the
officer to admit the children, particularly when they
were brought there by an officer. lie should, therefore,
order a summons for him to attend at once.

The summons was immediately made out, and shortly
after Robert Turle, the porter, appeared.
Police-constable 313 deposed to taking the children to
the West London Union about twenty minutes past
twelve o'clock, when the defendant refused to admit
them, and desired him to take them to Gray's Inn•lane.
Alderman CHALLIS—Did you tell him that you had
their father and mother in custody? Officer—l did.
Alderman CHALLIS—WeII, Mr. Turk, what have you
to say for such conduct ? Turle—l certainly told the
officer to take them away to Gray's Inn-lane, as they
did not belong to our union. Besides, the father has
been a constant annoyance to us, and has been repeatedly
relieved.

Alderman CHALLlS—Officer, where did 3 ou find them?
Police-constable—ln Farringdon-street.
Alderman CHALLIS said, he could not understand why
the defendant should refuse to take the children in at
such an hour of the night, more particularly when taken
by an officer, who informed him fhat their parents were
in custody. He had clearly violated the rules and regu-
lations issued by the Poor-law Commissioners respecting
cases of urgent necessity, and rendered himself liable to
a penalty of 201., but, thinking ho had acted ander a
misconception he should only fine him 10s. in this in-
stance. If the refusal to admit urgent cases was re-
peated, the next fine would be 5/.1
The man was sentenced to one month's hard labour,
the woman to fourteen days' imprisonment, and the
children were directed to be taken to the union.

There were no less than twelve more Irish vagrants,
who were sentenced to terms of imprisonment varying
from seven days to one month.

BO W-STREET.

The two begging-letter imposters, who, passing as
man and wife, in the names of Thompson, Henderson,
.11eppell, Johnson, Mather, &c., have carried on an ex-
tensive business for several years past, were placed at
the bar before Mr. Henry for further examination.
The officers of the Mendicity Society were in attend-
ance to prosecute, with ample presumptive evidence to
convict the prisoners in at least twenty cases; but in
the absence of the illustrious and noble personages to
whom the letters written by the prisoners had been ad-
dressed, with more or less success, it did not appear
that the Court was in a much better position to proceed
with the investigation than when the case was remanded.
Mr. Taylor, of the Royal Household, was present,
but no further steps were taken with respect to the beg-
ging-letters signed " Elizabeth Henderson," and ad-
dressed to the Queen, the application having failed in
its principal object, although not altogether unproduc-
tive
to the male prisoner, who, on roceivinfrMarrajesty
Tay-
lor's unfavourable reply, in the name of h
availed himself of the official envelopeo,ewffiectht
another
its large
" privy purse " seal
.and autograph, t
as 'possible, the imposition, by imitating, as f._A
hand-
writing and signature of MrTarylorw,itnh note
cheque
forpurport-
ing to come from
.that gentleman,
question, and by
101.," and inclosed in the envelope
the envelope
in
envelope to a lady,
forwarding the forged no
together with an appealtato her benevolence, and a re-
quest that the.
.inclosures might be returned, he suc-
ceeded in obtaining s
0 a almonerove of the Queen Dowager,
pt i produced,oanadresse
to andher
Captain
d
proved that.l3twellor letters r
of the
epp , beenehaddescri
signed Richard
Majesty- a short
. time
.since.
ere any cases in which
Mr. HENRY inquired if there w
the applicants had obtained money? The clerk of the
Mendicity Society said there
were several, but the par-
ties could not attend, excepting in one case with which
they were ready to proceed.
Mr. Cuthbert Ellison, of Whitehall-gardens, proved
that he had received letters from " Margaret Mather"
within the past fortnight. The writer alleged that she
was suffering extreme distress from the ill-treatment of
her husband and the loss of a child which she had no
means of burying; and she also stated that two of her
brothers worked in one of his (witness's) quarries. A
letter from Lady Wahham to the applicant was enclosed
in the first communication received by him, showing
that she had been assisted by her Ladyship; and, before
witness had replied to it, he received the second letter
from the bittlie Weraith, whe repe§tekher tale pt distress;