The Sun.
London, England, 1834-10-21 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1834.

NEW COURT.

FORTUNE-TELLING EXTRAORDINARY.—EIIen Morgan
was indicted for stealing several sums of money and articles
of wearing apparel, the property of Miss Catherine Padley
Mather.

Miss Mather, a very pretty-looking girl, about twenty
years of age, stated that her father was a hosier, residing
in High-street, Shadwell. On the 10th of October the
prisoner came into the shop, and, after conversing two or
three minutes, inquired if she would have her fortune told.
It is but seldom such an instance of simplicity occurs, but
witness consented to dive into the secrets of futurity ; and,
as her father should not see her, took the prisoner into the
kitchen, where she asked her for the largest piece of silver
she had got.

REconnEa--What did she say she wanted it for ? Wit-
ness—She wanted it to put on the planet. She also asked
in a few minutes afterwards for three more pieces, which I
gave her.

RECORDER—What were they for, to put upon the planet
also ? Witness—Yes, Sir.—{Laughter.)
RECORDER—Did you go through any form in giving her
the money ? Witness—Yes, I crossed her hand with each
piece. She told me she would return the money at night,
and the prisoner then asked me for a shirt, a pair of silk
stockings, and a silk handkerchief, which belonged to her
father. I gave her five shillings of my own money, and she
came again, and wanted 10s. more, which she said she
would wait a month for.

RECORDER—What reason did she assign for wanting the
clothes ? Witness—Oh, to tell my fortune by.—( Laughter.)
RECORDER—Then what was the 10s. for ? Witness—
To put upon the planet.—(Laughter.) She wanted 10s.
more after that, and I gave her some money and a pair of
stockings of my own.

RECORDER-L-Were all these for the planet ? Witness—
Yes, Sir, they were to make up the planet.—(Much
laughter.)

RECORDER—Did she have any more for that purpose ?
Witnoss—Oh, yes ; she wanted to make up the corner of
the planet, and in order to do that I must make gold of
silver to make it all meet. She came again on the Mon-
day fallowing, and demanded 3s. more, which I gave her.
She said she would not tell my fortune unless I gave her
what she asked for.

RECORDER—What, did you imagine at the age of 2.0
that any woman could tell you what you call your fortune ?
Witness—l don't know (hesitatingly). She told me she
had spoken to the planet about it.—(Renewed laughter.)
She said she had a gold chain given her with other articles
for telling a fortune that day.
RECORDER—Did she say she would return the clothes
and the money ? Witness—She did ; and she added they
would be no use to her, for if she kept them in her posses-
sion they would immediately fall into holes.—(Much
laughter.)
RECORDER—And you were silly enough to believe she
could tell you your fortune ? Witness—Yes, Sir.
Prisoner—My Lord, Miss Mather told me she was deep
in love with a young man, and she wanted to know the end
of it.—(Much laughter )
Witness—lts untrue, my Lord ; I never said so.
Prisoner—Then she gave me ss. 6d., my Lord, to tell
her and the servant their two fortunes, and about their
sweethearts.—(Laughter.) She told me she would give
me any money if I would tell her the name of the young
man that she was to be married to, she wanted to know.—
(Renewed laughter.)
Witness—lt is not true. I wanted her to go away ; but
she said she would not until she had got what she wanted.
Ann Lowe, servant to Mr. Mather, gave the prisoner
Ss. by directions of Miss Mather, for the planet. She cor-
roborated the young lady's statement throughout.
Prisoner—Oh! you wanted your fortune told as well.
You told me you had been in love with a man for eight
years, and you wanted to know whether he was engaged to
any body else, or loved you.—(Laughter.)
Witness—l never said any thing about love. I did not
want my fortune told, I know my fortune already.
Miss Bignam, a young lady possessing a very pretty face,
stated that Mr. Mather was her uncle. Prisoner wanted
to tell her fortune, but she would not have any of her non-
sense, and got rid of her.
The prisoner in defence did not undertake to tell the
fortunes herself but to procure another person, who was
very clever " that way." She gave the person the things.
Miss Mather had told her that if she could procure her the
company of the young man she loved for one evening she
would give her she possessed.
The RECORDER summed up, and the Jury, after five mi-
nutes' deliberation, returned a verdict of Guilty.
The RECORDER sentenced her to seven years' transpor-
tation.

SURREY SESSIONS.-KINGSTON, OCT. 18.

Richard IVillis, a schoolmaster, residing at Battersea,
was indicted for receiving some money from one of his
scholars named Owen, which the boy had stolen from his
father.

The prosecutor sent his son to the prisoner's. Having
missed money from time to time, and suspecting the pri-
soner in consequence of his sending several times for his
son, he marked some money in his till. In the course of
the day he missed one shilling and two sixpences of the
marked money. The prosecutor then procured the assist-
ance of a constable, and proceedinc, to the prisoner's house
charged him with receiving money from the boy. He was
searched, and one marked shilling and one marked sixpence
found in his pocket ; the other sixpence he had shortly be-
fore changed at a public-house, where he was in the habit
of sending his scholars for liquor. The prisoner, when the
money was found on him, said he received from the prose-
cutor's son, and that the boy frequently paid him two and
three shillings at a time for sweetmeats, which be made and
sold.

The boy, who is about nine years of age, said that the
prisoner asked him on Monday week to procure him some
money. The boy said he did not know whether be could ;
but on going home he took from his mother's cupboard six
or seven shillings, and when he went to the school in the
afternoon he gave the whole of the money to the prisoner.
On Friday following the prisoner again asked him for
money, and he then took from his mother three shillings
and sixpence, which he also took to the prisoner. On Mon-
day the prisoner again asked him for money, and he then
gave him the shilling and two sixpences, which he also took
out of the till ; and the prisoner then asked him if he could
bring him any more money when he came aTain to school.
The prisoner never asked him where he got the money from.
The prisoner received a goad character from several wit-
nesses.

The Jury found h:m Guilty, and
The CHAIRMAN sentenced him to seven years' trans•
portation.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

GUILDHALL.
Yesterday Mary Lamb was brought before Sir J. Key,
charged with threatening to do grievous bodily harm to
Mrs. Verge, of Holborn-bridge, because she had prosecuted
her for uttering counterfeit coin.
Mr. FLOWER stated that the prisoner was convicted of
the offence, and, being a known offender, was sentenced to
be imprisoned-for one year. She had jtut been released,
and on Saturday night went into Mr. Verge's shop for the
purpose of taking Mrs Verge's life. This was an act done
not in a state of inebriety, but coolly and soberly ; and
Mrs. Verge, who was confined to her bed, having heard of
the circumstance, was so much alarmed that her life was
now in jeopardy from apprehension.
Mr. Verge stated that the prisoner came into the shop,
and inquired for Mrs. Verge in a manner that did not ex-
hibit any ; but, upon being told that she could not
be seen, the prisoner became very violent, and solemnly de-
clared she would have revenge. Witness then recollected
her, and ordered her out of the shop, but he was obliged to
give her into custody to get rid of her. She struck him in
the face with her shoe.

The prisoner, a quiet-looking young woman, was sorry for
what she had done, and she would promise never to offend

again.

Mr. Verge doubted her sincerity, and begged that she
might be held to bail.
She was accordingly committed to the next sessions.

QUEEN- S QUARE.
THE CHIMNEY SWEEPERS' ACT.—The office was
crowded both outside and in with sweeps of all denomina-
tions, in consequence of several informations having been
laid by John Staples, the informer, against members of the
fraternity for crying " Sweep" in the public streets, contrary
to the new Act of Parliament.

The first case was against John Taylor, an elderly master
sweep, of a very doleful visage, who stared at the Magis-
trates and clerk as the information was read over to him.
He was then asked if he was guilty or not guilty ? Sweep
—Guilty of vot ? of yarning a bit of wittels for myself
and kids ?

Clerk—Are you guilty or not ?
Old Bob, another sweep (slapping him on the back)—Say
not guilty, like a man and a chimbley-sveep.
Sweep—Then not guilty. I was bred and born a chim-
bley-sveep, and my father vos a sveep afore me. I've never
disgraced the purfession, and I hopes to die a chimbley-sveep.
Old Bob—That's right ; I knew your ould dad ; he vos
a chimbley-sveep. My eyes, he just vos sich a fellow for
running up a chimbley ; there's nothing like him to be seen

now, poor fellow ; I've heard him say that his father and
grandfather too vos all chimbley-sveeps.
Sweep—No, have you though ? he was an out and
outer to be sure at a ehimbley.

Charles Miller stated that he was a master chimney
sweep, and appointed by a Society of Master Sweeps to
prevent the Loys from crying " Sweep " in the streets.
Old Bob—That's a precious lie, your Vortship ; he dare
to call hisself a master chimbley-sweeper I'll be pounded
he knows no more about the inside of a chimbley than a
cat does.

Old Bob was desired to hold his tongue or he would be
ejected.

Old Bob—Veil, all I says is this heie—he's no master
chimbley-sveeper. _ _ _

Millard then went on to state that about 9 o'clock in the
morning he heard the defendant crying " Sweep" in Holy-
well-street.

The defendant denied the charge.
Mr. GREGORIE—Have you got any apprentices ?
Sweep—Not one, your Vortship.
Mr. GREGORIE—Are you a householder ?—Sweep.—
Bless you, I've only got von room, and that's full of my
kids almost starved to death ever since this Hact of Par-
liament came up.
Mr. GREGORIE said that he thought the intention of the
Act was to prevent children from calling " Sweep "in the
streets.

The witness said that the Act said, " If any person," &c.
Mr. GREGORIE said that he was aware of that, but in
this case he should only fine the defendant 6d. and 2s. costs.
Sweep—l can't pay a fardin ;my kids are all starving at
home for bread, and " Sveep" we must cry or starve, and
so there is an end on't.

The defendant was told that if it was not paid in a week
a distress warrant would be issued.

Sweep—So it may for vot I cares. I knows nothing of
the Hact, but I knows I've a right to cry sveep when I
likes for my living.
Old Bob—So ye all have.
Two other informations against sweeps for a similar
offence were adjourned.
The informer complained of a number of sweeps outside
who had threatened him, and he had only a few days ago
been very much maltreated at Lambeth-street by the sweeps.
Mr. GuEconn said that he should have every protection.
As soon as the informers got outside they were assailed
with yells and hisses by about one hundred sweeps, but they
got clear off without sustaining any rough treatment.