The Sun.
London, England, 1828-12-03 00:00:00

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

LOVE IN A COAL-CELLAR.—Yesterday a fashion-
ably-dressed young ►nan, rather dandified in his a►p-
pea►ance, and enveloped in a large brown mantle,
was brought up from St. James's watch-house, and
arraigned before Mr. CONANT, charged with being
found in the coal-cellar attached to the dwelling-
house of Mr. Griffiths, in Regent-street.

Mr. Griffiths stated that he was aroused from his
slumbers about four o'clock that morning, by a light
whispering noise, as if some persons within the house
were conversing in an under tone. Knowing that
all his family had retired to their apartments at
an early hour, and tho noise increasing, he re-
paired to the lower apartments, where the noise
appeared to nroceed from ; in the passage he dis-
tinctly heard. several voices, and the knowledge
of the recent burglaries impressed him with
a belief that there must be thieves in the house; he,
therefore, armed himself with a poker, and proceeded
to the kitchen•door, which he discovered to be
fastened inside. He instantly burst it open, when,
to his utter surprise, he discovered a young lady and
his female servant in the greatest state of agitation►
at his "untoward" appearance. The young lady
was on a visit to him, and confidtiki to his care.—
Suspecting, from their manner, that there were yet
further discoveries to be made, he proceeded to the
coal-hole, when, lo and behold who should be there
but the young gentleman now placed at the bar,
trembling like an aspen leaf, from fear and the cold,
as he (Mr. Griffiths) had every reason to believe.—
lie immediately removed the young gentleman fiom
his dark retreat, and handed him over to the care of
a watchman, who conveyed him to the black hole in
St. James's watch-house.

In answer to a question from the Magistrate, Mr.
Griffiths said the young gentleman was a stranger to
him.

Mr. CoNANT asked the young gentleman who
and what he was ?—ln reply he stated himself to
be a surgeon residing in St. Martin's-lane. That
his name was Wm. Dufours; that he came to Mr.
Griffiths' to see Miss Dukes, the young lady before
alluded to. That it being a very cold night, he had
been invited down stairs by the servant.
Mr. CONANT-But not at four o'clock- in the
morning.
Mr. Dufours—No, Sir, between 10 and 11 at
night.
Mr. Griffiths—You were not there when Mrs.
Griffiths came down, previously to her going to bed,
to see that all was right,
Mr. Dufours—Miss Dukes and I were there then,
but we both retired into the coal-hole on Mrs.
Griffiths's approach !
Mr. CoNANT—lndeed ! Both of you must have
had a very cold birth of it.
Mr. Dufours replied that it •vas a love affair be-
tween Miss Dukes and himself.

Mr. CONANT said he should inquire into that be-
fore he (Dufours) was discharged, and desired Miss
Dukes might be sent for.
Mr. Griffiths accordingly went for Miss Dukes,
and shortly afterwards returned, saying that be had
seen the father of Mr. Dufours, and, understanding
that he was a very respectable young man, he was
not desirous of pressing the charge.
Mr. CONANT said that it would be, notwithstand-
ing, necessary to inform the young lady of the im-
propriety of her conduct, and desired that slit: should
be introduced.

Accordingly Miss Emma Maria Theresa Dukes
entered the Office with all the bashfulness imagin-
able. Her countenance was extremely fascinating,
and her person altogether prepossessing; she appa-
rently had not yet entered her 17th year.
Mr. CONANT, in mild, but very proper terms,
admonished the young lady on the impropriety o'
her conduct, and ordered her Lothario to be dis,
charged.