Star.
London, England, 1824-10-18 00:00:00

GUILDHALL.

PlNum Lodge. a green-grocer in Grub-ttreet, was charged with
carrying into Whitecto.s.st reel Prison two bladders of gin, conoin-
ing each a gallon, in the centre of a bag of coati.—The prisoner Was
fined 101.
Refute the prisoner had left the bar, an officer of the prison, who
had charge of the spirits, stated to the Alderman that it had been
taken from him Ly a person in the room.
The Alderman desired the person to stand forward, which he
instantly did. The Alderman:then asked by what authority he had
taken the spirits from the person who bad it in his possession ?
The person replied, that he was an Officer of Excise, and had re-
ceived information that two gallons of spirits were brought there
without a permit, and came to seise it, as it was his duty to do, and
which be bad accordingly done. The Alderman, who, as well as
the auditory, appealed rather surprised at this declaration, asked
him, was he come to that Court to obstruct the course of justice?
'the Officer replied, he was not, but to perform his duty by seizing
the spirits. I'he Act of Parliament was referred to, ivy which it
appeared that spirits so seized should be destroyed; the Alderman,
in consequence, directed it to be taken outside the door ; and
spilled. Something fell from the Excise Officer on this order bring
given, from which it was interred that be meant to seize the spirits
when it sbouid be brought outside the door. The Alderman, in
consequence. detained hint in the Justice-room till the spirits were
so disposed of, when the very vigilant Officer was allowed to depart.
BO w.sTREET.

Mrs. Honey. the Lady against whom a warrant was issuers. stet
Friday, at the suit of her husband and a Miss Thomas, on a 'barge.
lof having unlawfully pawned a gold watch, ate. the property, of
the latter Lady, was duly brought before the Magistrates on- Satyr-
'day, to answer that charge.
Miss Thomas was accompanied by her step-brother, the unhappy
husband of the Lady prisoner, who regarded them with looks that
strongly corroborated Mr. Hurley's previous description of her
temper; and her countenance gave full proof of her habits. She
approached the Magisterial table, surcharged with fury, and pre-
pared fur war; like one" who knew her rights—and knowing
dared maintain thPm." The fair prosecutris absolutely trembled
at her presence; and even Mr. Hurley, though se long accustomed
to the storm, looked as if he wished himself a thousand miles away.
Miss Thomas opened the business by übserviug, that she had .net
wish to proceed harshly against Mrs. 'holey ; and with his Wee.,
ship's permission, she would withdraw the Charge of unlawfad
pawning—leaeitig Mrs. Hurley in quiet possession of the property,
provided she could he secured from persimal violence.
This forbearance, however, was quite lost upon Mrs. Hurley,
who affirmed that she bad done nothing at all improper, or ticmg
she was not fully prepared to justify. She then opened a vcl
ky of abuse against her husband in terms the most grow and hides
licate ; and defended herself in taking away the watch, &c. as he
had neglected to.provide for her.
To this her husband replied, that her own misconduct had de-
:privet! him of the power of providing for her at present; " there
As mat a debtor's prison in London," said he, "in which I have not
bees confined through your irregularities!'
Mrs. Hurley retorted, by calling him "a poor wretch," fee.
and was going en with the vilest abuse, both sff him and the prose-
curd:, and their whole family, when she was stopped by the Magis-
trate. who called upon Miss Thomas to state what reason she bad
to apprehend personal violence? She replied, that Mrs. Hurley
made a continual practice of way-laying her whenever she went
from home; that she almost daily beset her house in h riotous
manner, raising a mob about the door, and representing her as a
person of disreputable character; and that she had repeatedly said,
" I will be the death of you, for I will crush you into atoms some,
or other !"
Several highly respectable witnesses, who have daughters in Miss
Thomas's seminary, at Pentonville, corroborated her statement,
and spoke of her moral character in terms of unqualified praise,'
and the Magistrate ordered that Mrs. Hurley should find bail to
keep the peace. rs
lIAR L BO ROUG 11-STREET.
Saturday, Warm Peter Ames, a simple-looking young man, was
charged with the following curious robbery :—lt appeared that the
prisoner went, on Thursday afternoon, into the house of Mr. Egar,
who keeps the Southampton Arms public.house, In Tottenham-
'court-road, and ordered dinner, &c. to be prepared for him, which
was accordingly done. The prisoner made a very hearty meal,
after which he drank a quart of podter ; bat instead of saving any-
thing about payment to the landlord, he deliberately wallied out of
the Louse, not only carrying with hini the unpaid-for dinner and
porter, but also the pewter-pot which was on the table ; and this
was done with so little disguise, that Eger was so astonished
at the prisoner's impudence, that he had got some distance from the
door before he pursued him, although be saw him going out. He was,
however, Mort overtaken, and given into the custody of a constable.
The prisoner seemed, front a weakness of intellect, almost un-
conscious of what was charged against him, and said nothing in
his defence.

Some of his friends, who are understood to be respectable, at-
tended, and represented to Sir Geoaoz•Paiusanr, the Magistrate,
that the unfortunate young man is so feeble in his mind as often
not to know what he does ; he has been under the care of several
Medical Gentlemen, who aU consider him as very few degrees re.
moved from an idiot. lie is, however, extremely unoffending and
harmless, and was never known to have committed any theft, or
done other mischief before.
Mr. Eger, the landlord, said, that he had on wish at all to take
any proceedings against the poor young Man ; indeed, the open
way in which he carried off the pot, cleariy 'hewed that he could
not be a regular thief, or in his right mind.
Sir Gsoace FARRAXT said, that under these circumstances the
young man should be discharged, and he was accordingly given up
to the care of his friends, who took him away with them.
A jolly-looking, substantial, farmer-like personage, came puffing
and blowing into the office, evidently in a state of great alarm, and
inquired of Plank, the chief officer, in an anxious manner, if he
was in time?

..... _ .
The officer asked him what he wished to be in time for?
The applicant replied, to answer a summons that bad been served
upon him from that office; and having only received the summons
the night before, and having a long ',icy to come from the country,
he was afraid he might be too late. He then handed the summons
to the officer, which ran thus :
" Middlesex to-wit.—Whereas it has been verified, upon the oath
of Elizabeth Wheeler, made before us, two of she Justices for the
said county of Middlesex, that you are the father of a male or fe-
male bastard child, with which the said Elisabeth Wheeler is now
pregnant, you are hereby required personally to appear, before us
on Saturday, the 16th instant, and bring with you sufficient secu-
rities to indemnify the parish of St. Giles spinet the cost of sup-
porting the said Elizabeth Wheeler, and ber said bastard child;
and hereof fail not, at your peril.
(Sped) "J. E. Cowart. and Gsoasat Animas, Justices.
' Witness, Join Plank, chief Aar."

Plank. upon seeing Me document, saw immediately that-ths
whole was a forgery, or at least that part of itsvhich applied to bird'
self; because, in the first plate, his Christian came is not John ; and,
secondly, summonses from the Office are never witnessed at all.
'however, he thought it his duty to lay the case before Mr. Cianant,
the Magistrate, whose Dune was signed to it.
Mr. COMA NT on seeing the summons, assured the affrighted far-
mer that he had never issued or signed the document produced, nor
was there any such Magistrate as the other name signed to it
.; and
it was clear that some good-natured friend had been hoaxittg him
(the farmer).
The latter said, with joy beaming in his countenance, that al-
though it had put him to a great deal of inconvenience to comesuch
a distance, and bring his bail with him,•yet that was nothing, when
compared with the fright he had got about this business. Suppose
such a thing came to his wife's ears, *hat should be do?
The Magistrate assured him, that where it was found necessasy
for parish officers to interfere la cases of this sort, they generally
brought people forward upon warrants, 4nd not summonses.
The applicant then withdrew, highly rejoiced at the escape he had
had ; for he seemed to dread a little the name of Elizabeth Wheeler.

H ATTON- GA R DEN.
II DIGGING Levees Worrzas.—dfras Sherlock, a yery respectably
dressed woman, between 60 and 70 years of age. Alas charged with
being what is termed a regular " Begging Letter Writer." Hte
prisoner called at the house of Mr. Brock, of 85, Doughty-street,
and presented a petition, with the names of several persons annexed.
The petitioner described herself as having formerly kept the King's
'Head Coffee-house, Old 'Change, which was totally burned down
in August, and she was consequently thrown on the world in a
Istate of destitution. The constant repetition of similar claims (ge-
nerally found on inquiry to be the grossest fabrications) induced Mr.
Brock to put her off for a day or two, in order to afford time for
inquiry at the Society's house, Red Lion-square, when it appeared
that the case of this very person had been considered four years ago,
the fire having taken place in August,lB39. The year was carefully
omitted in the several petitions, and the object of that omission was
evidently to induce a belief that the calamity was of a recent date.
Saturday morning the prisoner called for an answer, and Nit.. Brock
handed h.:r a sixpence folded up in a piece of paper, and having a
constable in attendance, be thought it his duty to give her in cus-
tody. A number of petitions were found in der possesdoo, ad-
dressed to distinguished individuals, and, it appeared, that If 3 this
system of deception, she crust have averaged an income of at least
X2OO per annum. The prisoner persisted ib her story, that her
husband and herself had kept the King's head, Old 'Change, and
that it was burnt down, when 7001. or 8001. worth of property was
destroyed. She woe then cast on the world with a son and daugh-
ter, wholly destitute of support, her husband having deserted her
soon after. She was then compelled to have the petitions written
during ber illness.
Mr. Brock said, he had no reason to believe that a fire had not
taken place as described.
Mr. Luau said. that as there was no direct proof of misrepre-
sentation in regard to a fire having occurred as stated, be should
hold the prisoner to hail en the present charge; and if the Society
could obtain better information that it did not take place, she might
be brought up again.