The Sun.
London, England, 1829-08-20 00:00:00

THE FEMALE SWINDLER.

Mrs. Johnson, alias Watkins, alias Gibson, alias
Williams, has laboured in her avocation for several
Years past, and in most instances she has been re-
Inarkably successful in defrauding tradesmen of every
description, by her gay exterior and insinuating ad-
dress. She is invariably attended by another female,
Ih° personates the character of her servant, and
they frequently represent that they are strangers in
wn, and in daily expectation of the arrival of Mrs.
Johnson's husband, who is in an exceedingly infirm
state of health, and is coming to town to consult the
Most eminent medical practitioners, in whose immt-
diate neighbourhood they occasionally take up their
residence. In May last, this female diddler hired a
suit of apartments in Dover-street, Piccadilly, near
the house of Dr. Ayrton Paris, for which they
Undertook to pay ten guineas a week; and, on the
lady applying to Mr. Swales, who keeps a highly re-
spectable lodging-house in Clifford-street, Bond-
street, she represented that her husband was anxious
to reside, during his temporary sojourn in London,
hear Sir A. Cooper, in Conduit-street, as the worthy
Baronet was goingto perform an operation upon him.
me is "lost particular in dealing with the tradesmen
.hi° supply the master or mistress of the house, and
rrai.__
d ier Ily requests one of the servants to intro-
"nee her to them. In this manner she duped the
Majority of persons who executed her orders whilst
she remained in Clifford-street; and though her so-
journ there was extremely brief, she succeeded in
transmitting a considerable quantity of goods to the
dpot, or receiving-house in Fitzroy-market, con-
ealed in the pair of monstrous pockets which were
exhibited before the Magistrate; and other articles
delivered
conveyed away by a third party, to whom she
• 'livered them in Oxford-street, the gang consist-
'ng of half-a-dozen individuals, the majority of whom
befemales. Amongst the tradesmen who supplied
Qt Mr. Swales's, were Mr. Ratcliffe, wine-mer-
chant, of 164, Regent-street; Mr. Burton, a tallow-
uindler, in Regent-street; Mr. Joshua, a grocer,
SilVigo-street; Mr. Silverton, a fishmonger, in
Illver-street, St,. James's; Mr. Holmes, a butcher,
It? Silver-street; Mr. Higgins, a cheesemonger, in
I.e same place. Many of the incidents connected
1,-.}iithi.the frauds were of a highly ludicrous nature.
8!
fishmonger was waited upon by Wilson, the lady's
)i-disant servant, who ordered him to send five dozen
7.sters to Clifford-street on Saturday evening for her
ennstress's supper. The oysters not being forth-
ss the exact hour, Wilson returned to the
hti Monger's, and threatened him with the loss of
ter Mistress's custom for not having been more
ieuetual- She insisted on carrying home the oys-
foils herself, and ordered a fine salmon for dinner the
°Wing day, stating that the family were all in-
Nida •y, •
see , andlived chiefly upon fish. The salmon was
ei.(gdingly supplied, but soon after it was sent to
(4'lord-street Mr. Silvester learnt the real character
601,18 customers, and he hastened to recover the
A,l.‘'hich Wilson was preparing to cook for dinner
executed 4". Swales's kitchen. Mr. Holmes the butcher,
fPart Mrs. Johnson's order of a sirloin of beef,
lail, of which he recovered on the following day, it
v.'"g been roasted for their dinner on Sunday.
a_As the prisoners were committed to Tothill-fields
Iline their own acknowledgment of having no visible
e° 44 of obtaining a livelihood, they will remain in
,fineinent until the gaol delivery in Westminster,
~T 1
ehatue 6th of September, unless they should be dis-
- The
on bail before that period.
tne following description of the lady may, per-
bos,operate as a caution to
persons in trade :—She
,etv, ut the middle height, and slight-figure, appa-
i,
_IY above fifty years of age, and her countenance
expressive of impudence
and ill humour.

• 11'01. COLLEGE.— We have heard that
th_ eontenaplation to establish a college in this city, for
tot„.„,_
'tiVe.,st rse of providing the sons of subscribers, in the
data; England, with the means of obtaining, at a mo-
tioir ePetise, a complete classical and scientific educa-
-414844 as can only be acquired at the Universities at a
f.,-IPen°4'.---Batii Chronicle.
ucester and its neighbourhood were an
444to,,l!isited by one of the heaviest storms of rain,
b eudn.ac-
-41E4 by thunder or lightning, ever remem
ader
an
ParrB of the town were completely inunclat 1.1
to
btiztiZted that the storm will prove seriously detrune!il
of farmers in this vicinity.—Bath Chronicle.
hitve AKEis remarkable that lakes which
Ittt 4° it'sue are salt. It is probable that all rivers c.01,-
pe,est.aio portion of salt from. the soils through which
and where there is no exit, it accumulates.
(ladtl'i ,ense, the sea may be considered as a great lake,
riots 11!eoultequently increase in saltness. It would be
know Whether the cause is adequate to the pro-
b of
ton'
saltness altogether.—. Westminster Review.
tritik;r•lALlEs•—•One of the oldest woods in
thel the New Forest; the oldest canal near Lon-
eW River.
144 p
i44°4 "October, as B INCE, Esq., of Pulford,
,„ 44 e i'se„ Mr. )3u of Doddleston, were engaged
Rb CygZ the neighbourhoods
of the latter place, they
setved two robins, whose feathers were milky
"Pe* .1:;"" red breasts—one of them bad some delicate
o
Corn.- ;I'
ran .t2le wings--:and both 'Of these were fighting in
-*d-breaosttiast the assaults of several of the commhite
This is the first time we ever heard of a w

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

TUNBRIDGE WELLS PACES.

WED N ESDAY, AUG.. 12.-The Manor Stakes of five sous,
each, with 45 ad,!vd. Two miles and a distance.
Mr. Harrison's Kean, 6 yrs I I
Lord Stradbroke's D;cky Dowlas, 3 yrs
Mr. Farrel's Chrysalis 5 yrs
Mr. Howard's Lady Jane, aged 4 dr
Mr. Smith's g. h. 5 yrs 5 dr
The Visitors' Plate of three sous. each, with 40 added.

Two miles and a distance.
)Ir. Willard's Jumping Jenny • 2 1 1
Mr. Harrison's Kean 1 2 2
Mr. Pegg's Young Harry
Mr. Maplesden's Eliza • • 35 dr
Mr. Brown's Emil- • • • • • -- 4 3dr
Mr. Blackman's Fimny 6 dr
TiltritsoAY, At7c. 13.—The Ladies' Plate of five sova

Heats, two miles and a distance.
Mr. Haines's Rembrandt, 6 yrs I 1
Mr. Smith's g. h. 5 yrs
Mr. Howard's Isabella, 4 yrs
Sir. Hawkins's br. h. yrs
The Half-bred Stakes of three soya. each, with 40 added:

Heats, two miles anti a distaiace.
Mr, Codringtnn's Fitz William, aged
Mr. Spencer'a First Flight, 4 yrs 1 2 2
Mr. Willard's Jumping Jenny, 5 yrs 2 3 3
Mr. Brown's Emily, aged 5 4 4
Mr. Blackman's Fanny, aged
Mr. Pegg's Young Harry, 6 yrs
Captain MTall's Baronet, aged

WORCESTER RACES.
TUFSDAr, Auc. 18.—Produce Stakes of 50 F ovs. each,.
h. ft. for 3-yr-olds. Mile and a quarter.
Lord Warwick's ch. c. by Centaur walked over
The Worcestershire Stakes of 20 sous. each, with 20

added, h. ft. Two miles. ._
Lord Deerliurst's Hesperus 1
Sir T. Stanley's Mayfly, 6 yrs
Mr. Griffith's Musquito, 4 yrs 3
Sweepstakes of 10 ROM each, with 10 added, for 11018 8

not thorough-bred. Heats, two miles.
Mr. Hick's The Tartar, aged I I
Mr. Umbers's David, 5 yrs 2 2