The Sun.
London, England, 1829-06-17 00:00:00

UNION-HALL.

Yesterday a genteel-dressed man, named William
Horsley, who formerly held a responsible situation
in the Custom-house, was brought before Mr.
CHAMBERS, charged with a description of felony
which has become extremely prevalent of late, and
by which several tradesmen and shopkeepers in the
metropolis have suffered considerable losses.
Mr. William Ives, a cheesemonger, residing at
Brixton, stated, that on the 22d ult. the prisoner
came to his shop, and having selected a ham and
cheese, the price of which amounted to 11. 9s. sid.
desired the articles to be sent to his residence,
Grove-cottage, • Tulse-hill, together with the dif-

ference in silver of two sovereigns, adding, that 09
delivery the order would be immediately settle].
Notwithstanding the prisoner's reepeCtable apps
ance, the cheesemonger instructed the shop-hoi,
who was sent with the articles, not to leave tbenit
at Grove-cottage withotit-the money, and cautiain
him to be most particdlar on the road,''if ther
soner or any other 'person should meet him, not' ell
part with the goods until the price of them was
into his hands first. The lad having received' hl
instructions, then proceeded towards Tulse=hill; OP:
on arriving near that place, he was met by the pri'
soner, who, affecting to be in a passion about tilt
delay in sending the goods, then took two sae'
reigns out, and throwing them into the boy's basket'.
snatched them up quickly, and transferring the°
again to his pocket, said, " Those sovereigns are‘
not for you ; give me the basket containing ile
.
things, and also the change you have brought, and
take this 5/. cheque back to your master, and desire
him to send the remainder of the money' in led,
butter, and cheese, at the same time putting a piere
of paper, purporting to be a cheque for the whole.
sum, drawn ON Sir William Curtis and Co. intothe
boy's hands. The lad hesitated at first to part with
the goods on those conditions but the prisoner
silenced his scruples, saying the cheque Was as good
as the Bank, and that as he was about having
dinner-party that day, despatch must be used i°
sending the remaining portion of his order. The,
boy was at length induced to give up the him W
cheese, together with the change, to the prisoner,
in return for which he got the paper purporting r°
be a cheque. It is needless to add that the
" cheque" was subsequently discovered to be of no
value, having no signature to it; and that no such
person as Mr. William Horseley resided at Grofr,
cottage, Tulse-hill, nor was known in that neigh'
bourhood. The prisoner eluded detection ever since,
the transaction occurred until yesterday, when °Le
complainant's boy happened to meet • him in North
Brixton, and gave him into custody.
The prisoner was fully committed.
Maria Swain, a girl of the town, decked out it
the most gay attire, and wearing a pink satin hat,
with three immense ostrich feathers, was placed et
the bar, charged with having made use of indecent
language on the preceding night in Vauxhall-go'
dens. It was ludicrous enough to see the defendant
dressed out in the tawdry manner described, sitting,
cheek by jowl with two sweeps and a motley groUP
of other offenders, male and fema* in the slip. "
The superintendent of the porter stated, that the
defendant's conduct in the garden was so extremely
improper, that he was compelled to lock her up,
but would have subsequently sent her about her
business, had she not still persevered in behaving in
a similar manner; he was therefore constrained to
bring her before a Magistrate.
Mr. CHAMBERS (to the defendant)—What
sure can you possibly have in making use of little'
cent language, and shocking the ears of respectable
females ?

The girl evinced not the least contrition for her
conduct, and the Magistrate had intimated his de'
termination of sending her to Brixton, when an el;
derly woman, all bedizened out in silks, satins, and
lace, with a huge hat and ribbons, pressed forward
through the crowd, for the purpose, it was intimated .
to the Magistrate, of saying something in behalf U.
the defendant. She was at once recognized as 01
"old bawd" who kept lodging-houses for young
girls, whom she dressed up and sent to the theatre'
and other places of public amusement, and in re'
turn she secured all the profits of their prostitution
to herself. She affected to be in great trouble about;
her lodger, but in reality all her uneasiness wee
from the ear of losing Maria Swain's, dress if 'the
unfortunate girl was sent to gaol. Themornent,gr•
Chambers was apprised of the infamous character of
the woman, and when he had ascertained an admir,
sion from her own lips that she was the mistress 0
a brothel, he refused to listen to her, and in coin')
mitting the defendant for a fortnight to.Brixton,
vised her not to deliver up the clothes she had ori to
the old bawd.