The Sun.
London, England, 1829-10-22 00:00:00

UNION-HALL.

Yesterday a Mrs. Drew was brought before the
sitting Magistrate, Mr. CHAMBERS, on a charge of
felony alleged against her by a female named Morris,
who was recently robbed of various articles of
clothing, and who, with the view of discovering the
thief, had consulted a " cunning woman " on the
subject, which led to the apprehension of the accused.
Mrs. Morris, who is a native of Wales, stated,
that during her absence from home a few days ago,
her apartments were robbed of clothes, and amongst
the various articles missing were a pair of her hus-
band's breeches. On the discovery, she afterwards
obtained information from a woman named Jackson,
that the prisoner was the thief, and accordingly she
had her apprehended.
Mr. CHAMBERS, who had an intimation of the
grounds upon which the accused was taken into
custody, commenced questioning the complainant
very closely on the subject. " Have you not," in-
quired the Magistrate, " consulted a fortune-teller
about the robbery ?"—Complainant, who was much
abashed, replied that a woman named Jackson, liv-
ing in Kent-street, had assured her that Mrs. Drew
was the thief.

Mr. CHAMBERS—Did she give you this informs•
tion for nothing ? Complainant—She wanted me
to give her some money first, but I declined doing
so until my property was found.

Mr. CHAMBERS—Now will you swear that you
did not cross her hand with silver before she told you
that Mrs. Drew was the thief?--The complainant,
who was ignorant or pretended to be so of the mean-
ing of the word•=, " cross her hand with silver," in-
quired what they meant.
Mr. CHAmnEns—Come then I shall speak them
more intelligibly. Diernt Mrs. Jackson ask you to
slip a shilling into her hand before she revealed the
secret to you ? Complainant—l gave her a drop
of drink, and I believe a sixpence, for her kindness
in letting me know who the thief was.
Mr. CHAMBERS—How came you to imagine that
this Mrs. Jackson knew more about the robbery
than you did yourself ? Complainant—She has the
reputation of being a person who has found out
many robberies, and the parties by whom they were
committed.
Mr. CHAMBERS—How does she acquire theknow-
ledge you speak of ? On pointing out the thief to
you, did she perform the old trick of the bible and
key, or consult the lines of your hands, the cards,
the tea-cup, or the planets ? Complainant—Your

worship, you have quite puzzled me; for I knOW 4.0
only two ways of finding out thie'ves, and thtit 01.
by the cards and by the planets ; the last,. !'11;
told, is by much the surest way.—(A laugh.)
Mr. o,lA:um:Rs—Then the only evidence :113
have against accused relative to the charge ie todeovt
what Mrs. Jackson told you ?
is all, and I still believe the account to be trap' .1
the prisoner was once a lodger of mine. htl
Mr. CHAMBERS inquired most anxiously wbe.t.„o
Mrs. Jackson was in the office, for he was of 001170,
that a month at the tread-mill would be of vat 61.
vice to her.
It was ascertained, however, that she hadl°
been seen since the time she consulted the Phu',
about the robbery in question.
Mr. CHAMBERS discharged the accused, and 11
pressed a determination to puni,h persons broS
before him who attempted to extort money 174
ignorant people by pretending to tell future 0611
or the parties by whom they were robbed.

MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF MRS. PHILLI

Yesterday Mr. Cox, a solicitor, residing in!:
Poultry, came before Mr. HALLS, at Bovr
accompanied by Mr. Kerr (one of the executor
,the will of the late Mrs. Phillips), and two PS
gentlemen; and Mr. Cox having announced hiteri,
as a solicitor, said that he appeared on behalf of
executors to the will of the lady whom he useL:
and whose death having taken place under cirlp
stances of great mystery, occasioned considettd
excitement in the neighbourhood in which she 7,
resided. The Magistrate would recollect thstLldi
subject had been brought before him and Sir Ric..jaa
Birnie about three weeks ago, when a formitow-
array, not only of witnesses but advocated:trio
geared. Mr. Kerr, one of the executors to the
of Mrs. Phillips, was now present, and he, in ca, te."
mon with the other executors, felt the deepest 0.,
rest in the case, and they were most anxious that.;
inquiry should take place as to the immediate ce:d
of the unfortunate lady's death, as they felt convieTo
that the inquiry which had taken place before ia
Coroner did not go to prove the direct cause ofitly'l
decease, or rather the agency by which the egj
was occasioned. Finding that the affair remsert,
so long a time without being again agitated, ltp,
withstanding that two modes of inquiry were jA
gested by the Bench, he (Mr. Cox) addreeno
letter, which he should take the liberty to reeatof
Mr. Ashurst, the solicitor, who appeared on he_d,
of the parish officers of Finchley, and Mr. Se'
the surgeon.
Mr. Cox here read a letter, of which the follovs
is a copy:—

" 24, Poultry, Oct. 15'0.
" Szn,—After what passed before the Magistratelid
Bow-street, on the 29th ult., the executors of the
Mrs. Phillips fully expected that the inquiry institute's,'
you, in the name of the parish-officers of FinchleYt ol
ere this have been commenced in one of the modes ro
out by Sir R. Birnie and Mr. Halls. As, howeserLf
does not appear that the parish-officers have renewed tbl
application either through Mr. Adolphus or otherwills
am directed by the executors to request you will accent
me whether it is the intention of the parish-officers arid
to bring the matter forward, either in the shape of a d.
charge against any person or persons, or by tenttiring.,:f
ftrmations of witnesses ready to be sworn to facts or
ctunstances having a tentttncy to prove by whom the of
!egeti addition to the medicine taken by the deceased
made or administered to her.
" I beg the favour of a reply as soon as you can ei°
niently furnish it.

"I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
" THOS. B. CC/2c'
" That letter," continued Mr. Cox, " was
warded to Mr. Ashurst on the 15th instant, WI;
cehing no reply, I wrote again after the lapse
few days, and received the following answer •
"134, Newgate-greet, Oct. 2600,1
" Sia,—l am unable to reply to the inquiry coats' •
in your letter of the 15th inst.—Your's obediently,
W. H. ASHURST:te
Now, it certainly did appear to him (Mr. Cos)
Blithe
be wanting in respect both to Sir Richard 1019
and the Magistrate whom he addressed, not e
bring the matter in a proper train of inquiry et
the modes which they suggested might be adopt
Not only the friends and connexions of the decesv:,
lady, but public justice itself, ought to be satisfied',
to the real manner of her death, as it was clear e,.
all hands that it was not effected by her own agent!
He believed that the parish officers were as defile,
as ever to prosecute the inquiry, but still their
00
sire would not go to the requisite extent, bececo,
of the expense which might attend a prosecalio
Now in order to clear up the mystery in which
transaction was involved, and to set parties rig,
before the public, he put it to the Magistrate to 6sl;
whether it was not the duty of the parish office.r,
regardless of expense, to cause an inquiry to be 0'
stituted.
Mr. HALLS thought that if the parish officers ire
in possession of evidence sufficiently strong to nil if
a presumption of guilt, it would certainly be the,
duty to follow up the ptoceeding by makillgA,
charge; but in doing so, they would of course
nothing rashly, but be guided by their own discretiobly
Mr. Cox—l wish to ask this question—lf f,
parish officers, being on the spot where the transilt
Lion has occurred, think it right to make a chide'
and supposing they should be bound over to pt?ifig
cute, are the 'expenses of that prosecution (0
upon them, or upon the county ? ad
Mr. HALLS—That I should think would de.Pe.'
upon circumstances.
Mr. Cox—Exactly so. I wish to convince
s b
parish officers that they would not be saddled
all expenses.
- to`r'
Mr. HALLS had some vague idea that an °wit
view had lately taken place between Mr. Adolrof
and Sir R. Biroie upon this very case; but_he,,
not aware as to the nature of that interview. dust
Mr. Cox—ln justice to the parish officers, I%'
observe that they are extremely willing to pr°‘;,, en
but a bill of expellees with which they have "to
already furnished, has, I believe, induced the`" lit
bold back, on account of the expencei they Ple
be put to. The executors felt that when the oh
was brought to Bow-street, it would have met %Jo!
the fullest investigation. They would have•put not
matter in a train of inquiry themselves had it
been taken up by the parish-officers. kr. Philp;
the husband of the deceased, appeared at first VII•
ing that the inquiry should take place, and after
wards threw every obstacle in the way.
ll
pwebtAr
ieciniit. inquiry,
nt
by sheiairtthßietr. is
oßf
the ~rsld
myself. tilhottApvLerLsocb—eeeedAniiiiisultghcan
suggested
Mr. Cox—l think, after what has passed teas,
with respect to the defraying of the expences by t
county, the parish-officers will feel no further be
tation as to the course they ought to take. .A.
Mr. Cox and the other gentlemen then retire"_„.,.

BIRTHS.
On the 21st inst. in Upper Gower-street, the lady Of
M. Waters, Esq. of a daughter. ore,
On the 15th in-t. 31rs. J. Evans, of Arbour-sq
Commercial-road, of a daughter.
MARRIED. of
On the 21st inst. at Aldenham, A. Monro, ci;kro,
Bushey, Herts, to Lucy, sixth daughter of the late
Agnew, Esq. of Russell-square.
On the 20th inst. at Rochester, Frances Elizabeth
cond daughter of C. Thompson, Esq. to Arthur, you ;061
son of the late W. Wightman, Esq. of Old BromPte°'
of of the 49th Regiment.
e
On the 20th inst. at Hampstead, D. Torrance,
th
e lat

Rugby, Warwickshire, to Mary, only daughter of ti
J. Macintosh, Esq. of London.
DIED.

LO'(1"

On the 15th inst. at his brother-in-law's, Kentish-It
ow
George Dawe, Esq., R.A., Member of the linPell:bolo,"
Royal Academies of Ai ts, at St. Petersburgh, St°,t,ty, the
Florence, &e. First Painter to his Imperial Ikla.1";rill,
Emperor of all tlx Russian, &c. Sze; Mr. Dasce belt
, of ted
in England about six weeks ago in an in state -oius•
from a (lis!.ase of the lungs, which eventually term
his existence.

„u,iculq tit
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