The Sun.
London, England, 1827-09-19 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

• BOW-STREET.—Yesterday, a woman, decent in her
appearance, although evidently in reduced circumstances,
whose name it appears is Catherine•Malion, applied to Sir
RICHARD BIRNIE, complaining that Sir Gregor Nl' Gre-
gor, with whose name the public _are so familiar, had
detained her box, 'containing a variety of articles and
2501. in money.
The poor woman made a long and, rather unconnected
Statement, from which, however, we are enabled to supply
the following afflicting and somewhat romantic narrative.
It appears that her husband was a colour-sergeant in
the sth Regiment of Foot, and had seen a good deal of ser-
vice in the Peninsular war. He left the army soon after
the general peace, and having amassed some little property,
he commenced business as a publican, in the city of Lime-
rick, of which place lie was a native, the applicant herself
having been born in Dublin. Business went on extremely
well with them, until, unfortunately, her husband was
seized with a desire of joining the South American pa-
triots, and the fame of General McGregor having spread
far and wide, in an evil hour he was induced to dispose of
a thriving business and enrol himself with many of his
townsmen, in a regiment which was then raising in Lime-
rick, under the immediate command of a Colonel Eyre,
who was said to be the accredited agent of the Prince of
Poyais. The inducements held out to those who joined
the patriotic cause were most flattering. Commissions
were sold for comparatively trifling sums, and the agent of
M'Gregor guaranteed to the purchasers, that on reaching
St. Domingo, the General would ratify their commissions,
and forward them at once to the main army, where fortune
and glory were sure to await them. On the faith of these
promises, her husband embarked his all, converting every
thing to money, and taking with him herself and their two
children. The regiment having soon completed its num-
ber, they set sail for the land of promise ; and having
reached St. Domingo, found General Sir Gregor M'Gre-
gor there waiting to receive them with three more ships,
containing men also. Having delayed some time for a sup-
ply of ammunition and provisions, the expedition, which
was entirely under the• command of M'Gregor, set sail for
the South American coast, in order to attack a fortified
town, then in the hands of the Royalists, and the capture
of which was an object of great desire to the General.
(The applicant forgot, she said, the name of this place.)
The troops were landed, and the town was soon
besieged. Several smart skirmishes took place, and the
fire kept up by the Royalists caused considerable havoc
amongst the besiegers. General M'Gregor planned
each attack, but, according to the applicant's state.
ment, he was particularly careful of his own person,
and took the precaution, whenever the fire from
the batteries commenced, to row as fast as possible to the
ships in a light canoe, which he kept for that purpose, lest
a stray shot Should deprive the army of its precious head. 1
The men were indignant at such conduct, and even,"
said the applicant, "the women who remained for safety
on shipboard, cried shame upon the General, and declared
they would duck him." The town was attacked three
times, and on each occasion the General took refuge in the
ships. At last it was carried by storm, and a general
pillage commenced, in which Sir Gregor was particularly
active, reserving to himself a considerable portion of the
spoils, and placing sentinels over those places where the
richest property was hid, in order to reserve it for
himself. This, and his subsequent conduct, raised a
considerable prejudice against him. Ou that night the
town was recaptured, and those who could fly were
forced to do so at a moment's notice, and at the peril of
their lives. The applicant's husband was killed, and she
herself escaped, she said, concealed in a box which was put
on board a galley, attached to which was a small boat, in
which were her two children. Having sailed a short die-
tance from the coast, she left her hiding place just in time
to rescue one of her children from a watery grave, the little
boat in which they both were having nearly upset owing to
the roughness of the sea. Before she left the town, being
unable to save any thing except her own life and those
of her children, she left her box, containing, as she be-
fore stated, a good deal of property and money to the
amount of 2501.—she could swear to that sum,—in the
hands of General M'Gregor, who promised faithfully to
preserve it for her. She was then conveyed to a place
which she called Barra C.antara Vittoria, where she suf-
fered the greatest possible distress, being literally without
a friend or a shelter for herself and children. She was far
advanced in pregnancy. at the time, and soon after gave
birth to a child in the open fields, and without a single
comfort. Pier destitute condition at length excited the
compassion of some humane persons who resided at the
place which she named ; and through their kind exertions,
after burying the infant to which she had given birth,
it having died six weeks after, she was provided with
a passage in a ship bound to Jamaica, at which place
she arrived in safety with her two children, and a
part of her unfortunate companions, who, with herself,
had survived the ill-fated expedition in which so many
had perished. The applicant then stated, that she re-
turned to Ireland, and lived for some time in Dublin,
where, through the kindness of Colonel Thornton and sonic
other gentlemen whom she named, her two boys were ad-
mitted, into the Hibernian School, where they now were.
Having thus provided for her children, she came to Eng-
land, and resided for some time in Gloucester. She was
now living, she said, at a Mrs. Mann's, near the Blue
Anchor, in Greenwich, nearly opposite the Hospital, where
she endeavours to earn a subsistence by needle-work. She
produced a variety of ,letters and certificates' of cha-
racter, all which bore marks of being authentic.
She had been, she said, to the South American
Consul, but without success ; and she had endea-
voured, but in vain, to discover the residence of
General M'Gregor, in order to have her property restored
to hei; and hearing that he had lately been to this office,
she came for the purpose of stating her case to the Ma-
gistrates, in order to obtain their advice and assistam:v.—
She could swear to the 'money which the box contained,
besides which, she said, she lent the General two guineas,
which he never returned.

Sir RICHARD BIRNIE.—What, the great Cacique borrow
two guineas? . . _

Applicant.—l assure you it is a fact, Sir.

Sir RICHARD BIRNIE regretted that it was not in his
power to interfere.. He advised the poor woman to wait
upon Mr. Mocatta, and represent her case to him. From
beginning to end, it was a cruel and heartless piece of
business.

The applicant having been furnished with Mr. Mocatta's
address, withdrew, having thanked the Magiitrate for the
advice he had given her.
A man, named Reuben Josephs, of Monmouth-street,
corner of Stacey-street, a Jew dealer, was brought in
custody of White and Forrester, two city officers, on a
private information received by them, charging him with
having received, knowing it to be stolen, a quantity of
bombasins, silks, &e., robbed from the warehouse of Mr.
Wilkinson, a wholesale draper, residing at 129, Wood-
street, between the night of Saturday the 25th, and Mon-
(lay the 27th of August. The property in question was
not found at the prisoner's residence, but a great quantity
of cloth, supposed to be stolen from the warehouse of
Mathew, Waller, and Co., of Cateaton-street, and a vast
variety of valuable plate and jewellery, were secured by the
officers Amongst the latter were two valuable gold
watches, one of them made by Grant, and the other by
Smith. Several diamond pins, a silver tea-pot, cream-jug,
sugar-basin, and a great number of silver-spoons, with
different initials, were 'also found at the prisoner's resi-
dence, together with a tray of rings, seals, &c., all of them
supposed to have been stolen.
The property lies at the office for inspection, and the
prisoner will undergo a re-examination this day.
MARYLEBONE-OFFICE.—A case was brought be-
fore the Magisfratet, from the workhouse, which excited
deep commiseration.
Catherine Whittaker, a very young woman, was examined
as to the state of her mind, agreeably to the Act 59 Geo.
111., cap. 177, for the purpose of being removed to a lunatic
asylum. She lived seven years in the service of a family,
who left her a month or six weeks ago alone to take care
of a house in Portman-place, Paddington, while they were
in the country. The neighbours one day observed that
the shutters remained close, and thinking some accident had
happened to the girl, they broke open the door, and found
her bereft of reason ; but how the change was produced
cannot be ascertained. Her disorder is of the melancholy
kind, and the following short conversation took place :
Mr. GRIFFITH (with great mildness)—Tell me, are you
not well ? Girl—" Well in health," laying a peculiar
stress upon the last word.

Mr. GRIFFITH—What, then, is the matter with you ?
Girl—l am afraid I have sold myself to the devil.
Mr. GRIFFITH—Has any body put that into your head ?
Girl—l am afraid I have done many things that are wrong,
but I will endeavour to do better.
Mr. GRIFFITH—Where did you go to chapel ?—Girl.
To Bentinck-chapel, and afterwards to Paddington-chapel.
Mr. GR1FF1TH......-The4 you heard Mr. Basil Wood. I
am sure he never talked of these things. I have no doubt
your soul is very safe : you must not entertain such a
thought, and I have no doubt, where you are going they
will make you better.
WORSHIP-STREET.—Yesterday two youths, named
James Lexley and Thomas Browne, were brought before
Mr. TwYFoRn, for final examination, under the following
circumstances :—.Last Saturday, about 12 o'clock, the pre-
mises of Mr. Johu Cuudale, Ralston, bad been entered by

the prisoners, and a valuable parrot, which was amusing
itself outside the cage, was seized by the prisoner Lexley,
and run away with. The moment the bird was so roughly
seized, it gave such a scream as alarmed the servants, who
instantly hurried •to its assistance; and, seeing the pri-
soners running away with the bird, one of the female do-
mestics, who was much attached to the animal, and whose
voice was perfectly familiar to it, vociferously exclaimed,
.c Stop thief—Stop thief !" to which the parrot instantly
responded, " Stop thief—Stop thief!" and so continued
until they were met by a constable, named James Sears,
who took the party into custody, and who received a severe
bite on the finger from the parrot, for his civility and in-
terference. The bird, (whioh was a beautiful one of the
African kind), with its cage, was placed on the table before
the Magistrate, when Mr. Cundale proved the proprietor-
ship of it, and rated the value as only 30s. although he
would not take 10 guineas for it. He also said it could
speak as clearly and as distinctly as any person in the
haveOffi tcee narrative
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William Jones an officer at Hackney, said he had had
possession of the bird since last Saturday, and that it could
talk as plain as any of his children.
The Magistrate fined both prisoners 5/. each, in addi-
tion to the value proved, or four months to the House of
Correction. The money not being forthcoming, they were
committed.