The Sun.
London, England, 1824-04-28 00:00:00

[BRITISH PRESS.]

The latest letters from Leghorn and Genoa
state, that all our shipping in the Mediterranean
had proceeded to their destination in safety,
without meeting a single Algerine vessel, from
our strict blockade of that port. The commerce
of other powers, Spanish and Italian, will ex-
perience the full benefit of our protection. We
shall thus, without the lose of a singlo man,
annihilate the pursuits of these barbarians ; not
a ship can quit or enter Algiers but with a cer-
tainty of capture, and the Pirate of that Regency
must of necessity submit to any measures we dic-
tate. Whether any new outrages may oblige us
to attack and bombard the place, and again lay
the defences of Algiers in ashes, we cannot now
anticipate ; but such an attempt cannot be made
but by a powerful fleet, and at great loss, and
every purpo,e is accomplished by the blockade.
The Corsair can now dispatch no aid against the
Greeks, and the Egyptian Pacha will pause be-
fore he forms an expedition. No half measures
with these barbarians would accomplish any
thing ; they must be taught to feel the conse-
quences of their outrages before they will relinquish
the perpetration ; and our blockade, at present, is
annihilation to them. The entire Mediterranean
at present appears free from them ; and if any of
their cruisers are abroad, they must ultimately
fall into our hands. This nest of pirates has for
ages been the curse of those seas, and the terror
of the neighbouring coasts of Spain and Italy.
The Powers of Europe ought to unite, and by a
decided expedition render them utterly incapable
of any further outrage. Sir Sydney Smith some
years since, with the chivalry that marks his cha-
racter, attempted to form such a union, but
failed. But for the interposition of this country
the Mediterranean would be impassable; these
pirates would swarm in every part of it, and make
descents on the unprotected coasts of Spain and
Italy, carrying away whole villages into slavery,l
as they did iu past times, and inflicting incalcu.
!able miseries on the wretched inhabitants ; but
this horrible traffic is now annihilated by our
blockade.

[MORNING 4iMILONICIA.]

We have an excellent Society in England, that
which has for object the improvement of Prison
'Discipline. In the Reports which they publish
from time to time, much valuable information is
communicated with respect to the state of the
Prisons, both of this and other countries. It is
gratifyiug to know that their labours have not
been altogether thrown away, and that our
Prisons which, when the benevolent Howard
first visited them, could find a parallel only in
the descriptions which Poets give us of the abodes
of the damned, are gradually receiving those im.
provemeuts which are necessary, if we wish to
make them a benefit and not a curse to the country.
It is to be lamented, however, that there are yet
too many persons, both in this and other countries,
in which the innocent and the guilty of offences
of a comparatively venial character become
thoroughly vitiated, and from which they are
restored to society " to prey upon its property,
pollute its morals, and disturb its peace." It
appears, from the Fifth Report of the Society
in question, lately published, that most of the
160 prisons attached to the boroughs, cities,
towns, and liberties, which possess the right of
trying criminals for various offences, in which
upwards of 16,000 persons have been confined

in one year, are in a deplorable condition. Some
of the County Gaols, too, are still in a most
wretched state:—" At a County gaol which has
recently come under the attention of the Com.
mittee, the prisoners committed for the Assizes,
that is those charged with felonies, are on their
first reception double ironed, and thus fettered,
are at night chained down in bed—the chain
being fixed to the floor of the cell, and fastened
to the leg-fetters of the prisoners. This chain is
of sufficient length to enable the prisoner to raise

himself in bed ; his cell is then locked, and he
continues thus chained down from seven o'clock

in the evening until six the next morning. As
there are in-this county but two gaol deliveries in
the year, a prisoner may continue to be thus
treated for six or eight months, and be then ac-
quitted as innocent on his trial ; the double irons
thus used on the untried prisoners vary in
weight from 10 to 14 pounds. In another County
Gaol, to which the Committee would refer,
the classification consists of two departments only.
Some of the prisoners are under sentence of
death—others are untried—several are detained
for various terms of imprisonment, from three to
five years ; these, together with all juvenile
offenders, are confounded together, uninspected,

and almost uncontrouled; in utter idleness, and of
course corrupting one another. In one corner of
a day-room, which was crowded with prisoners,
on a recent visit, was noticed one of four lunatics
who are confined in this prison ; another was the
object of sport to his companions. These wretched
persons had been committed as dangerous to be
at large. The evils resulting from this neglected
state of Prison Discipline are returning in
the part of the country in which this prison is
situated, in an increasing ratio of re-commit-
ments, especially among juvenile offenders.—
Several striking instances are on record of boys
and of young girls, who had passed but a few
months in this prison, for light offences, and who
have subsequently returned into confinement for
serious crimes. In this prison, persons committed
for trial are fettered with irons, the weight of
which is from seven to nine pounds."

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

TITHE CAUSE

MANSION TIOUSE.---YWCe;day the LORD
MAYOR (with whom sat the City Solicitor as Assessor) was
occupied in hearing the case of tithes which has excited consider-
able ferment in the parishes of St. Mary Woolnoth and Wool-
church, of which the Rev. Mr. S. Bridges is the Rector.
The circumstances under which a number of the inhabitants
for non-payment of tithes were summoned were these :—The
tithes had been allowed to accumulate for 6,8, and 10 years,
and in the particular case before his Lordship, for 12 years.
—The present occupier had only lived in the parish two years,
during which time he had not bees applied to for the payment
of arrears, nor did it appear that proceedings had been adopted
to enforce payment from the preceding tenants.
The LORD MAYOR (with whom the City Solicitor con-
curred), after hearing, the case at great length, was of opinion
that the Rector had forfeited his right to recover, by neglect-
ing to demand his tithes annually, and take proceedings for
their recovery against their former tenants. There had been
gross neglect on the part of the Collector ; the rates might
have been improperly formed or assessed, and the inhabitants
were now, by the lapse of time, deprived of the right of ap-
peal. Besides, it was not impossible that some of the rates
had been paid. Under all these circumstances, the warrants
of distress prayed for on behalf of the Hector were refused.
CURIOUS CASE.

Bow-STREET.--A dashing damsel, named Eliza Louisa
Edey, was yesterday brought before ROBERT HALLS, Esq.,
on a warrant charging her with obtaining the sum of 381. from
Mr. Allen, an officer in his Majesty's service. The office was
crowded to excess.

Mr. Allen stated, that he came to reside in London about
three weeks ago, and took up his abode at the Golden Cross,
Charing-cross. On the Thursday after his arrival he break-
fasted at the coffee-house, 25, Charing-cross, kept by Mrs.
Edey; she was in the coffee-room, and in the course of conver-
sation he asked her if he could be accommodated with a bed-
room ; she said he could, and, after agreeing on terms, he was
to take possession on the Saturday following. On the Monday
she sent her servant to the Golden Cross for his luggage, with a
note for him, which requested the loan of a sum of money. In
the evening he again saw Mrs. Edey, and asked for an'etp/a-
nation of her note, when she represented herself to him as being
the widow of Captain Plomer, of the 10th Hussars, and stated
that she received a pension of 1001. per year through her agents,
Messrs. Cox and Co. ; she also said she was the daughter of
General Dunbar, who was some years ago Governor of Jersey ;
she then told him that she had the misfortune of having a bill
for .381. returned to her, and that if she did not get the money
by the morrow, she would certainly be arrested. From her
story he took pity on her, and as he had some money which
he had not immediate occasion for, he agreed to let her have
the required sum, on' her promise to return it by the end of the
week. He did not make any inquiries at Messrs. Cox and
Co.'s until Thursday last, when Mrs. Edey went out in the
morning, and about the middle of the day sent a note home,
saying that she was going to the Theatre, and should not re-
turn to dinner ; since which time he has not seen her. Mr.
the Allen produced several letters from the defendant, worded in
most " loving" terms, concluding with " your faithful Louisa."
Mr. HALLS observed, that he should infer by the letters that
the money was advanced to " his faithful Louisa." • . •
Mrs. Edey, in answer to the charge, stated, that the prose-
cutor came into her coffee-room, as stated by him. On his
entering .she was about to leave the room, when he requested
that she would stay. He began reading, out of some old Ma-
gazines, some nonsense concerning love, and asked her if she
ever was in love. She, not liking his discourse. told him she
never was in love; he then, after asking her hbout'a lodging,
said that he was very respectable, having an income of 150/4
per year, and that if she chose they might live very comfortably
together out of business, and asked her if she had any debts ;
she told him she owed a few small debts, which hepromised to
pay, saying he was about to receive some money of a trades-
man in Rathbone-place ; and pressed her very much to apply
to him if she had the least occasion ; the bill being returned,
she wrote the mote to him, asking- for the money as a favour
she coneuded her defence by saying, that they had since been
living together at Windsor as man and wife.
While she was making this defence, which was-delivered in
a tone and manner indicating perfect confidence and selfapos•
session, the complainant paced about the room,. clasped his
hands together, and at the close of every sentence, exclaimed,
in a tone of perfect astonishment, " False, false ! so help me
God ! Pure invention, your Worship, on my honour and my
oath. Not a syllable of truth, so help me God ;7
The lady maintained her composure.
Mr. ITALLs—Give me leave, Madam, to ask yotiffiretitieS-.
tion. Are you the widow of Captain Plomer ?. •
Defendant—l hold the lease of the house at. Charipg-crpss.
My name is Edey—at least I am known by no other name.'`
The question put by the 'Magistrate was repeated several
times, and at length she reluctantly admitted that she was not
tie widow of Captain Plower.
She was then asked if she had a husband of the name of
Edey, and after great pressing, she said Mr. Edey was dead,
and that she had lived with, but was never married to him.
She was asked her real name, and after again being much
pressed, she wrote on a piece of paper, " Mrs. Webster," and
handed it to the Magistrate.
Mr. HALLS—You now state yourself to be Mrs. Webster.
Pray who is Mr. Webster ?
The defendant conceived she was not bound to answer that
question ; and all she should say was, that Mr. Webster died
in France.

Mr. G&RRATT, a solicitor, said she had consulted him coil-
' fidently about some property which she said 'belonged to her.—
She stated herself to he the proprietor of an estate at Northend,
Fulham, and spewed him a schedule which she had made out,
and in which she made it appear that her whole property, in-
cluding 2,5501. in the funds, amounted to about 6,9001. She
told him she was niece by marriage to Sir T. Plomer, and con-
sulted him as to the propriety of going into mourning when that
Gentleman died. i!e always considered her to be of the highest
respectability, and had so much confidence in her that he in-
troduced her to his own family, and became answerable for
several debts of hers. She talked of her intimacy with the
family of Mr. Ramsbottom, M.P., and other persons of
distinct" on. '

A Mrs. Withers next preferred a charge. She was the
daughter of an elderly man who was waiter at the defendant's
coffee-shop, and she had let her have 201. upon the representa-
tions that she was the widow of Captain Plomer, and receiving
1011. per annum, and that she wanted that sum to enable her
to administer to Mr. Edey's will.
Mr. HALLS, who was joined by Sir R. BrivirE in the opi-
nion, held that neither of the charges were tangible uneler the
statute of false pretences. Credit had been given without pro-
per caution, and the defendant could only be sued for the debts.
Mr. GARRATT contended with much earnestness that there
was sufficient to go to a Jury.
After some conversation the defendant was about to be dis-
charged, when the following fresh case was brought forward:—
Mr. Samuel House, a broker in Sloane-street, stated, that on
Thursday last the defendant and Mrs. Dexter (a confiden-
tial servant of Mrs. Edey's, who was present) came to his
a'up, and 'Mrs. Dexter said, that her friend, Mrs. Wintnell,
bad lately fallen in love with a young life-guardsman, and
that she wished to furnish apartments f'or him, until she could
get his discharge, when she intended to wash her hands entire-
ly of soldiering, and take him to her friends in the country
as soon as she could get some money to which she was entitled.
The witness told her he had no wish to dive into her private•
affairs ; all he wanted was a reference. The defendant re-
peated the story, and said she wished only to hire some furni-
ture for a short time. She stated her own name to be Witnell,
and said she lived with Mrs. Edey (Mrs. Dexter), who kept an
hotel at Charing-cross. Mrs. Dexter assented to this, and
said she had kept it for five years. %Vitness•made inquiry, but
not being satisfiied, he did not furnish the goods:
In answer to this charge the defendant and her confident de-
nied using the pretences alleged by Mr. House.
Mr. HALLS was of opinion that this case was sufficiently
strong to go before a Jury, and he ordered, Mrs. Edey and
Mrs. Dexter to give bail, eadh, herself in 401. and two sureties
in 207. each, for a misdemeanour, in attempting to obtain goods
from Mr. House under false pretences.
' The witnesses were bound over to prosecute.