The Sun.
London, England, 1841-09-06 00:00:00

BOW-STREET.

SHAMEFUL IMPOSITION.—On Saturday Thomas Green
the keeper of a marine-store shop, in Clement's-lane,
appeared to show cause why he detained two metal
spoons, the property of Sarah Cain.
The complainant stated that she was a widow, and
having been ill for several weeks, she was compelled to
pledge a variety of articles, in order to procure food for
herself and children. About a month since she took the
spoons in question and some other things to the defend-
ant's shop. and he advanced her one shilling upon them,
and for which she paid him twopence a week interest.
At the expiration of a month she went to relieve theni,
when the defendant gave her up the other articles, but
denied all knowledge of the spoons.
Mr. JARDINE inquired whether the defendant was a
pawnbroker ?
The complainant replied in the negative ; but said he
was in the habit of advancin,, money to poor people like
herself, on various articles brought to him, and for which
he charged interest. He did not give them any dupli-
cate, but entered a list of the articles deposited with him
in a book, which was kept by himself. On one occasion
he advanced her 2s. 6d., for which he charged her sd. a
week interest ; and she paid him 4s. 2d. for ten weeks'
interest (a tolerable per centage!).
Mr, JARDINE said the defendant had got himself into

a serious scrape by acting as a pawnbroker, without
being licensed so to do.
The complainant said it was a common practice with
marine store-shop keepers and others, who took advan-
tage of the misfortunes and necessities of poor people,
and advanced them money on articles, charging fur in-
terest the amount she had first stated.

Mr. JARDINE said the defendant's charge for interest
was most exorbitant, and a shameful imposition on poor
persons like the complainant. He was not aware that
such ieamous frauds were practised on the poor, and
would do all in his power to put a stop to them. The
defendant declared that he never advanced money on
goods. He bought them, and if the parties chose to re-
purchase them at the expiration of a week, or any other
time agreed upon between them, he allowed them to do
so on their paying him a trifle for warehouse-room.
With regard to the complainant's spoons, he had never
seen them.

Complainant having called a witness who was present
when she delivered the spoons to the defendant, and
proved that fact, the defendant called a witness who act-
ed as his assistant, who swore she did not see the spoons
among the things brought to her master's shop by the
complainant. In answer to a question from the worthy
Magistrate, she admitted that the defendant was in the
habit of buying goods for a limited time, such as a week
or a month, and when he re-sold them he charged the par-
ties for warehouse-room.

Mr. JARDINE said the defendant's cunning would not
shield him from the penalties to which persons were lia-
ble who practised as pawnbrokers without being duly li-
censed. He then ordered the defendant to pay complain-
ant the value of the spoons. and also the costs of the sum-
mons, which he reluctantly did.
Mr. JARDINE then directed the clerk to take down the
names and addresses of all the parties, with a view to ul-
terior proceedings against the defendant, and at the
same time expressed his determination to put down
such an abominable system of imposition as that prac-
tised by him.

There are scores of these pawn-shops in London,
where the business is carried on openly, and under the
very noses of the police, who, however. take no steps to
put them down. By the Pawnbrokers' Act (25 George
III.) it is Qnacted, that every person who shall exercise
the trade of a pawnbroker shall take out a licence, and
renew the same annually, under a penalty of 501., and
that all persons who shall receive any goods, &c., by way
of pawn or pledge, for repayment of money lent thereon,
shall be deemed pawnbrokers.