The Sun.
London, England, 1819-04-15 00:00:00

HOUSE OF ILL-FAME.

George Francis and Mary. Francis, alias Conway,
Ste. his wife, were indicted for keeping a house
of ill-fame in Lisle-street, Leicesier-square, and
with seducing girls to quit their homes. The
prosecution was carried on at the instance of an
unfortunate father, by whom, and by a variety of
witnesses, .the following distressing particulars
_were detailed :—William Sayers is the father of
eight children ; his wife died in child-bed g years
ago, and his eldest daughter, Sarah, had since
acted as a mother and guardian to them. In No-
vember, 1817, she, being then 16 years of age;
suddenly disappeared, and for :several months he
was kept in the most dreadful suspence, till at last
in Match; 1818, be was informed she had beei)
seen in the house ofthe defendants in Lisle-street.
Thither he repaired in a statent anxiety which
it. is imposstble to describe, when he saw the fe-
male defendant., who, in a plaintive time, told
him she pitied his • situation, as it was truly de-
plorAle, but she could not give bins any infor-
. matioh, as his •daughter had kit. her .house, and
was gone, she knew not whither. Disappointed
thus in his fond hopes, the afleted father again
sunk into Melancholy, till finally he diseoVe-red his
lost child in 'Bartholomew's Hospital, in a de7.
plorahle state orwretchedness. On her recovery,
he took her home, but in thrt:e - after she
was again induced to quit his house, and go to
this infamous nursery of vice in Lisle-street.
There he, went, and was, as formerly, answered
by the defendant, Mary Francis, WhO, in the' Most
hypocritical manner, again condoled-with him on
'his loss, and said his daughter was now in the Lock
aospital; He went there, but found the whole
a fabrication. Next morning he went to the
house with a, constable. and ft friend, and though
the infamous woman denied that the girl was
there, be found.her concealed under a sofa, and

dreaiftully ill. The unhappy girl, wilt) is not yet
18 years of age, was carried 'home, and has since
remained under her father's roof, conducting •her-
self, as was proved, with that Froptiety of eon-
dtict-wirich true penitence can aicine produce. She
stated, the story herself in the most affecting'
terms, shedding tears, and strewing the deepest
sorrow for her seduction. ,

Mr. 'BALM' COOdUeted the prosecution in a very
able manner, and lamented that the punishment
of the pillory was abolished, as there sever was a
wretch more deserving
,uf it than the two chara-
ters at the bar;
Mr. ALLEY defended them in a most ingenious
-speech, but called no witnesses..
The CHAIRMAW (R. BAKI R, Esq.) summed up
the evidence ; but before he concluded dile charge,
the Jury:declared they were satisfied, and pro-
, nounced the defendants—Guilty.
The COURT tlien sentenced George Francis to
pay a fine of One Hundred Pounds.to the King,
and adjudged him and the' female to one year's
hard labour in the House of Correction, 041 at

the expiry of that term to find securies to keep
the peace, themselves in 5001. each, and two
sureties in 2501: each, for the Luther term of

Ittee years.
The verdict and sentence were received witl
oud acclamations by a very crowded Court.
ASSAULT.

Mr. Thomas Maynard, ironmonger, in St. Mar-
tin's-lane, stood indicted for assaulting Thomas
Benbow and ----Terrea, .on the 2Sch of De-
cember last.

The prosecutors are a serjeant and private of
the Coldstream Guards, and were on duty on the
(14y mentioned in the indictment at Covent-_
Garden Theatre,. They were going off guard
with a file of men, consisting of ten,
,to the bar-
racks of Knightsbridge and in Coventry-street
they overtook the defendant and another Gentle-
man and Lady, walking arm ,and, arm together.
They gave them the side of the wall, and begged
leave to pass, when defendant, pushed Terrea into
the kennel. The Serjeant (Benbow), who was at
the head of the file, remonsaated, when he at-
tempted to strike him, but only knocked off his
cap. The Serjeant then secured. him, and, sent
for a Constable, who took' him to St. James's
watchhouse.
Mr: Testell, tailor in South Andley-street, said,
he and his wife., who was in a state of pregnitncy,
diner! with, th
the defendant on'at day, and he ac-
companied them for the, purpose of procuring a
coach for her in Piccadilly. The soldiers came
up to them suddenly and pushed her,, after having
turned towards the wall to let them pass, Terrea,
who was the second man in front, witness believes
pushed' the defendant, who instantly retaliated„:
and the setjeant presented hisltalberd to hi, body,,
threatening to run hint through it he attempted

to escape.
Mr. WALFoan, in, his, address to the Jury, ob-
served how unceremoniously . the Guards push
every person who comes in their way off the pave-
ment, although the laws of. England make no (Us,
tinction between red coals or coloured coats ; the
matter could, be considered only as a casual
assault in the street.---Xot Guilty.

ORIGIN OF THE WORD " DANDY."—This term,
which has recently been applied to a species of
reptile very common in the metropolis, appeals
to'have arisen from Et small .silver coin, struck
by King HENRY VII., of liWe value; called a
,dandy Pratt; and hence Bishop FLEETWOOD ob-
serves, the term is applied to worthless and con-
temptible peTsdus.

Letters and) Papers to •the 10f1 ult. from Ha.
vannah, have been received, by %villa) we leant
that the fleet of.;:ipahish ships which -sailed from

that port on the 2Gth Fehrpary, under convoy of
a frigate and sloop of tvar, tor Cadiz, had a tew
days after their departure experienced severe wea-
ther, and were .compelled to return to the island.
Several of them narrowly escaped being captured
by the insurgent privateers, and had• the vessels
continued their voyage; no doubt several of them
would have fallen into the bands of the Corsairs,
if selarated_from the ships of.war accompanying
them..

Some difficulty having been experienced :it i\la.
drid and the principal cities af. .tipain, in pro.sur- •
ing salt fish on occasions %Ow'l] solemn fasts are
observed, the Spanish povernmenf, in orderothat
an adequate supply might he Obtained-in future,
had reduced the duty on this commodity, which
was betore very high, to half of what it originally
Stood. The importation at Clidiz and other ports
has in ,consequence been considerable.-,-(/bid )

A depresiion took place yesterday in the price
of Stocks, in consequence of a report that a large
loan is in immediate contemplation. 'An E;fen-
lag Paper adds, that Owe were also rumours of
a new Property. Tax and of the renewal of the
:War Malt Doty,but it asserts are without
the &lightest foundation. It is worthy of remark,
however, that -not the least contradiction is given
to the report of an intended large loan.—(Mid.)