The Sun.
London, England, 1834-12-06 00:00:00

HATTON-GARDEN.

Yesterday James Jeffrey, a chinmeysiieep, was brought
before Messrs. LAING and BENNETT by Kimpton, the
beadle of St. Pancras, charged with having deserted his
wife, and refusing to maintain her.

The wife had been legally married to the prisoner, who
deserted her about a week ago, and she had not received a
farthing from him for support, although he was doing a
good stroke of business.

Mr. LAING asked him why he refused to support his
wife ? Prisoner—As to that 'ere, your Vorship, I can't
say as how she is my wife, and I can't say as how she
his'nt —(A laugh.)
Mr. LAINC—What do you mean by that ? Prisoner—
(coolly, and rubbing his hair)—Vy the fact o' the matter is
this here, she was always arter me ; I could go no vares
but she folioed me, and she knows as how she hactually
forced me into the match your Vership.—( Laughter.)
Mr. LAING--There she is—She is your wife, and you are
bound to'support her.
Prisoner—But I vont do so ; I'll take care--

Mr. LAING—Then you must give some substantial rea-
sons for not doing so. On what ground do you refuse ?
Prisoner (indignantly)—Vy, your Vership, she has been
living with another man, hoff and on, ever since she forced
me on to marry her, and do you think as how I could live
with her arter that 'ere ? No, never (turning half round
and clenching his fist determinedly.)
Mrs. Jeffrey (who had symptoms of the soot-bag about
her person), with a black look at her spouse, exclaimed,
" Oh, fie, Mister Jeffrey ; oh, fie ; you ought to be ashamed
of yourself."

Prisoner (sharply)—Vy, you knows it's true.
The Beadle—Well, Jeffrey, you have no reason to
grumble at her doings, for she says the very same thing of
you—that you have picked up with another fair companion,
and that you not only live off and and with her, but that
you are now " hactually" living with her and neglecting your
wife.

The prisoner said it was a " and Mrs. Jeffrey res-
ponded, " Its true."
Mr. LAING—You must support her or go to prison.
Prisoner—Me support her ! I won't support her. Didn't
she bolt off with everything I got ? Took the furniture,
the brushes, the shovels and all, and never left me a stick
or a feather to fly upon. Besides, has she not got five bob
a week to live upon, and ain't that ere enough to support
any respectable woman without coming down upon me. I'll
not have it, you know. That's my temper.
Mr. LAING—IS it ? But you must support your wife.
What is the ss. per week that he alludes to ? Mrs.
Jeffrey—A legacy left to me by my father.
Mr. LAING—Are you ready to make any arrangement
with the parish officers ? Prisoner—l'll have nuffen to do
with her ; blow'd, ye know.
Mr. LAI NG— Well, you may take your choice of two
things, either to support your wife or be committed to
prison. Prisoner—l'll not support her. You may commit
me to prison. That's my temper.
Mr. LAING—I have given you the choice of two things.
Now you may go outside and come to terms if you think
proper as to the maintenance of your wife.
They left the Court, and in a few minutes subsequently
the beadle and the prisoner returned, when the former in-
timated that the latter was determined not to allow any-
thing to support his wife.
Mr. LAING—Then I shall commit him to prison.
Prisoner—Commit me ; and I'll rather rot in prison than
I'll allow her a farthing. That's my temper.
Mr. LAING—IS it ? Then you'll go to prison.
Prisoner—Then I'll do it. He then quitted the Court,
and stood committed for three months to hard labour.

Mr. LAING told the parish-officers to warn the prisoner,
that his temper " might cool a little," that if he persisted
in his determination not to support his wife, and suffered
his commitment to be once made out, he should remain in
prison during the whole of the period of his sentence, and
that no after applications for release or mitigation would be
listened to by the Magistrates.
He was ultimately committed to prison, evidently " ill-
tempered."