The Sun.
London, England, 1821-11-24 00:00:00

BOARD OF EXCISE.

Yesterday, Thomas Salter appeared Upon an information
charging him with having Worked a private still, without hav:.
ing given notice to the Excise, &c., whereby he had incurred
penalties to the amount of 41101.
William East, an Excise officer, stated, that on the 13th of
July last he went to the house, No. 2, in Queen's Head-court,
in the parish , of. St. James's. Ile found the defendant in the
shop at work at his business, as a last-maker. On searching
the house the witness found in the cellar a complete forty gal-
lon still, with full apparatus. In the course of his search the
witness found a bottle of caw spirits in a cupboard in the de-
fendant's room.
The defendant said, that an Irishman, who called himself
31‘Lane, and who had represented himself as a seowerer, had
taken the cellar at a rent of 2s. a week, and erected a copper
and other apparatus, as it was conceived; for the exercise of his
business as a seowerer. The Irishman, however, had said, soon
after he had been in the house, that there was nothing to be
done in the seowering business, anti that he should try his hand
at brewing spruce and ginger-beer. For this purpose he now
and then gave the defendant a job to fetch treacle from the
neighbouring shops, but never permitted him to go into the cel-
lar. As there was a .separate passage to it, any thing of the
nature of the business discovered might becarried on without
the knowledge of the defendant, who protested that he had no
idea that any thing improper was carried on until the seizure
was made.
The Uciuivi asked' the defendant whether the bottle found in
his cupboard contained scouring fluid ?
The defendant declared that he had not the slightest know-
ledge how it came there, but surmised, that as his wife was in-
disposed, she had been accoinimodated with a bottle as a cordial.
• A witness proved the letting of the cellar to the man who
called himself I`Lane. '
The Coi;IIT, under the circumstances, acquitted the defend.
ant, whom they 'cautionedto be more inquisitive fOr the future
as to the business carried on by his tenants. The apparatus
Anil :,,00ds were condemned.
' 'Numerous` cases of a sithilar description to 'the above have
.occurred recently. Fellows; mostly Irishmen, take cellars fro'...
poor andignorant people, under the pretence of wanting their.
to carry on the dying and scouring hilliness. They then erect
stills, which they 'work at a furious rate until discovered by the
Excise, by whom the occupiers, are proceeded against in the
event of the escapeof the lodgers.' •

AFFECTING CIIICUM:FEANCE.—On the afternoon
of Saturday, the 10th inst. a genteel looking
young man called at an inn in Lockerbie, and
after siguifying his intention of remaining all:
night, went out for the purpose of visiting the
barber, but did not return. About six-o'clock
of the same night a man was found in a ditch
near Broomhouses, who had evidently attempt-
ed to destroy himself, and who proved to
be the same unfortunate individual. Baying
tied his bankerchiefs together,' and looped one ,
end round ' his nedk; he mounted a dyke, and
fastened the other 'to the branch-of a tree which
grew-1)y the side, of the road, and in this way had
well nigh -accomplished his purpose. Fortu-
'nately, however, the handkerchiefs gave way; and
in a short time the unhappy man, was found by
some persons who .happened to be passing near
the 'spot:- 'At thii time he was . quite speechless;
but after:6'll4d be-en-carried into Broomhouses,
acid a surgeoh'sent- for, he-revived a little, and as
soon as he was able to speak, he seemed to re-
gret- thitt. hiS -deliverers- 'had not -put him out
of pain." -By-tin&by,'hoWever, he becathe more
composed, and to the inquiries of personS from
When) he 'received every- possible attention,hestat-
ed that he had been a tradesthan in London ,but
iitiinet withan uccidetitivllich prevented him from
working for fourteen months, his affairs had be-
etithe so embarrassed t' tlialle was forced to -leave
Ethidini. Doting his lOtigillness.he 'had pawned
otgliold• almost every artiefeorhiaclothes or tools,
ititt at Mit seVOut for Edinburgh, very slenderly
fiernished4itlltneauS:ibtit buoyed up with the
hope' that be able to work his way to the
Scottish metropolis. But- during the wole jour-
fiey::he..:had been unable to find employment:
anslsvt.henAlte arrived. in Lockerbie, he. sold a
book-Jul:1021..10d. which he 'described as his last
resountefenAfter, however leaving the barber's
Itetifilskrotere&—with what feelings we need not
state's Oat he had.. lost 9..5; 6d., of this sum, and
being ashatnal to revisit his lodgings, and still
more atharned: to bug,he wandered out inthe direes
tion„oE),Broomhonses, and, in a fit of despera-
tion, 'attempted, to perpetrate the rash . act
v4Alich.. bad so providentially 'miscarried. We
have :only to add that,- independently of some
documents which -were found about his person,
the .appearance of the unhappy man- was such
us to confirm is the ,strongest manner, the ac-
count he. gave of himself, and the persons who bad
an opportunity:.a: seeing him, seemed so vvell
Satisfied that he was noimpostor, that they cheer:‘
fully, subscribed a sudicient sum for carrying him
to .-Editiburgly, whither he has . gone.. to visit a
friend, upon whose patronage he places great re
ce.--(Dumfries Courier.)

''eee were sold last iceek in the Dublin mar.
kit; tit 10d. Quill. and talkies, our informant
bOtighi'lit it sovereign a score. •