The Sun.
London, England, 1826-12-26 00:00:00

A CAUTION.

We noticed some weeks since, the commitment to
Bridewell of an adrOit Beotch lad, named George
M`Pherson, who had been remarkably successful in levying
Contributions on gentlemen from the North, by pretending
to be friendless, and to be in need of a few shillings to
complete his outfit for sea, and by showing off an ,unusual
share of morality and of ad attachment to the manners of
his Highland forefathers. Though taken straitway from
Fleet-street before the Justice at Guildhall, half-a-dozen
instances of his success were related by persons who hap-
pened, to be present, and among the host of his bendier
tors was the Alderman himself (Sir Peter Laurie), at
whose house he had appeared in an accurate 'Highland
Costume, and to whom he had declared, upon its being
hinted he would not find employ here in that garb, that he
would" dee before he wad tak to the, breeks." This
youth is now at large, and there is reason to suspect he
has resumed his old practices, as hai been noticed in
different dresses by the police, and was last seen, a few
days ago, in Cheapside, in the attire of a dashing Mid-
shipman.
Sir Peter Laurie being of opinion that he could not have
started in and pursued his career 'of imposition unaided,
directed that he should be sifted While in the prison as to
his connexions, and it was drawn from him, at different
times that he was born at Inverness, about 16 years ago
and that his father, a tailor, in Portray,in the Isle of Skye
dying four years since, Geordie was compelled to becOme
a shepherd boy, 'on the estate of Mr. M‘Donnell, in Skye.
Two years afterwards, through the death of his mother
and his master, he was thrown friendless upon the world,
and his uncle, a tailor, who lived in a notorious nest of pro-
fligacy, Essex-street, Whitechapel, wrote to him to come
to London. . Here he had been but a few days when his
uncle also died, leaving, however, nothing behind him to
assist our hero, but his wearing apparel and 20s.
With this little capital ho commenced Orange vender,
but he had not' followed this occupation:long, when a lad
of the name of Dixon, who was about his own age, and
who had been his constant companion since his sojourn in
London, inferined him he could put him in an easy way of
getting money without working. This tempting offer
Geordie accepted with gratitude, and declared himself en-
tirely under the direction of his friend, who produced a
Court Guide, and, opened his plan of dividing the metro-
pOlis into districts, and picking out the addresses of per-
sons within the division they chose to perambulate each
day, upon whom they would call, the one in the character
of a ship-wrecked and distressed sailor boy, in want of a
few shillings to refit him for service, the other as a friend-
less, pennyless Highland land, come to London to seek
employ, in danger of perishing for want, and anxious only
to get back to Scotland.
The scheme was tried, and succeeded beyond expecta-
tion, for they generally shared from 7s. to 20s. a-day, be-
sides gifts of clothes, &e. Geordie says, he has seen from
five to ten pounds at a time in the possession of his 'com-
panion, who secreted his money in a belt worn round his
body next the skin. M'Pherson sometimes himself pre-
tended to desire to go to sea, and the gentlemen who were
prepossessed with hib very respectful demeanour, and his
seeming youth, piety, and innocence, occasionally accompa-
nied their donations with arecommendation to the Marine So-
ciety, which recommendation he, of course, burnt at his
earliest convenience. One of these he received from the

Rev. Mr. Budd, the Chaplain to Bridewell, who had re-
peatedly before relieved him with money.' From, a Mr.
Campbell, Geordie obtained money seven or eight times,
and a friend of Mr. C.'s presented him with a sovereign.
--
Mr. Blades, of Ludgate-hill, and Mr. Simpson, the tea
dealer, in New Bridge-street, were anteing the number 'of
individuals upon whom be bad suceisiculty practised. The
gains of the clay were dissipatedat night in the flash bowies
Whiteehapel, and Dixon, he says, is such en adept in
his line that he has long been enabled to " keep his
blowing."

So far goes Geordie's confessions, but no doubt he his
observed the Poet's advice—

" Ay free, aff ban' your story tell,
When svi' a bosom crony ;
But still kelp something to yourael'
Vs scarcely tell to ony."

. _
Dixon. is not unknown to the City police. Ha was
once brought before Alderman Atkins as an impostor, at
the instance Of Mr. FelloWea„ jun. of Mderagate-street,
whom .he accosted in Chen side with a Motirrifril tale Of
having been cast away on the coast of Yorkshire, and left
destitute of a change of clothing and necessaries, when he
had actually. received' a liberal donation from him a few
weeks before, upon the faith of a story of having been
wrecked upon the coast of . Holland. - Dixon told the
Alderman he was a native of, and had just come from Nig-
wash in Canada; and,Was unknown in this country; but
the worthy Alderman insisted that he came from York-
shire, and assured him that his mother had put a burr in
his throat which all his artifice would never disguise. He
was at that time supposed to be a runaway apprentice from
some north country coasting vessel, and, after being de-
tained about a week, was discharged.