The Sun.
London, England, 1835-04-30 00:00:00

MAR YLEB ONE.

Yesterday a middle-aged man, of very stylish exterior,
and who gave, his name Thomas Hasher, was placed at the
bar before Mr. SHUTT, together with Mary Ward, a fe-
male of equally showy appearance, charged by the Hon.
Colonel Philip Spencer Stanhope, No. 3, Duke-street,
Portland-place, with having obtained money from him under
false and fraudulent representations, when the following
particulars relating to an extensive system of swindling on
persons of high standing in the military profession and others
were gone into.
Colonel Stanhope stated that on the previous morning
his footman delivered to him a sealed packet, which he
said he had just before received from a tall respectable-
looking gentleman who delivered it at the door, with an in-
timating that a second visit would be made on the following
day (yesterday) for the purpose of obtaining a reply. He
(the Colonel) immediately broke the seal, and found a letter
addressed to him, of which the following is a copy :
Honourable Colonel—l most humbly, take the liberty of
addressing you and soliciting your consideration. I enclose a
War Office certificate and notes from his Grace the Duke of
Wellington, Earls Mansfield and Lichfield, General Sir Tho-
mas Hislop, Major-General Campbell, General Sir Alexander
Dickson, and Lord Skelmersdale. I have had, Honourable
Colonel, the honour to hold a commission in the army, but
in consequence of my having been a principal in a duel I was
dismissed the service. I am painfully situated, my wife was
confined on Friday last, and no hopes are held of her reco-
very. I have two more children in the greatest distress
and in want of the common necessaries of life, being hi-
therto obliged t o part with everything I had. Thus situ-
ated, and bereft of every means, I unfortunately am driven to
the painful alternative of appealing to your benevolence, and
trust that you will be pleased to notice the destitute situation
of an unhappy Gentleman, deprived of his profession and rank,
and that you will be pleased to grant him some pecuniary as-
sistance. I most earnestly beg that you will not make your
servant acquainted with the purport of my application.

- . . ..
' THOMAS HASKER.
" Late Lieutenant of the 55th Regiment,
and Captain in Don Miguel's army.
" April 28, 1835."

The Colonel then went on to state that in the packet he
found a paper purporting to be the War Office certificate
in question, and a number of notes and letters referred to in
the above communication, of some of which the following
are copies :

" War Office, October 1, 1834.
" There are to certify that Mr. Thomas Hasker was ap-
pointed Second Lieutenant in the 23d Royal Welsh Fusileers
on the 16th of September, 1812 ; to a First Lieutenancy in
the same regiment on the 12th of May, 1814 ; and on the re-
duction of the corps on the 25th of December following he
was placed on half-pay. On the 27th of April, 1815, he was
appointed Lieutenant in the 55th Regiment ; on the 3d of Fe-
bruary, 1819, he exchanged to the half-pay of the 12th Foot.
It further appears that the name of the said Lieutenant Tho-
mas Hssker was erased in 1829 from the list of the army for
a breach of discipline in being concerned in a duel.
" ROBERT LUKIN, First Clerk."
_ _

" The Duke of Wellington presents his compliments to Mr.
Hasker and begs leave to acknowledge the receipt of his letter
of the 26th inst.

" The Duke regrets Mr. Hasker's situation, and in return-
ing the accompanying paper begs his acceptance of the in-
closed trifle.—Nov. 27, 1834."
" The Duke of Rutland has received Mr. Hasker's note,
and would have noticed it earlier had he been in town on its
arrival. The Duke is extremely sorry for the distress of Mr.
H. and his family, and hopes the inclosed sum will be of ser-
vice to them in their present condition."
The rest of the notes from Lords Mansfield, Lichfield,
&c., were similar to the above.

Colonel Stanhope, on examination of the notes in ques-
tion, at once suspected them to be fabricated for the pur-
pose of imposition, and on a subsequent communication with
some of the Noblemen alluded to, he ascertained that his
conjectures were well founded. He (the Colonel) then
gave information of the affair to the Commissioners of
Police.

Police Sergeant Haining, 2 A, having been informed
that the person who left the packet would call for an an-
swer at Colonel Stanhope's house, accordingly proceeded
thither ; and, after waiting some time, the female prisoner
came to the door, and was admitted, when she asked if any

thing had been left out for Mr. Hasker. Witness then con-
sulted
with the Colonel, and suggested to him that a
marked shilling should be enclosed with the papers. This
was done, and delivered to the applicant, who then went
away, followed by him (witness) as far as Foley-place,
where she came up with the male prisoner, who was wait-
ing for her, and, taking his arm, they both walked on.
He immediately went up, and told them they were his pri-
soners for obtaining money under false pretences, when
Hasker said that distress had driven him to do so. On
conveying them to the station-house he (Hasker) contrived
to draw from his waistcoat-pocket a note, which he put into
his mouth, and instantly swallowed. On searching him a
letter, purporting to come from Lord Fitzroy Somerset,
and which he (witness) had ascertained to be genuine, set-
ting forth that his Lordship had enclosed a donation, was
found in his possession, together with a purse, containing a
quantity of silver, and a number of elegantly-engraved cards,
bearing his name, but no address.
Mr. SHUTT said he should commit them each to the
House of Correction for three months. They were then
locked up.