Star.
London, England, 1824-07-01 00:00:00

GUILDHALL

Two young men, named Druid and Weaver, ware charged with
disorderly conduct in I lolborn, between two and thter o'clock in the
morning. They had been found ringing and knocking violently for
admittance at the Inn, when they were taken into custody.
The Alderman havh:g some private intimation that Mr. Weaver had
lost his packet-book. and that he bad no knowledge of Druid, ques-
tioned the latter as to who and what he was? lie said he was a
Gentleman, and resided with Captain Duncan, at Kensington. Air.
Weaver said he was a draper at Abingdon, and accompanied a friend
of his, named Westwood, to the Royal Saloon, in Piccadilly; they
were there joined by Druid and a Captain Duncan, and he (Mr.
Weaver) being obliged to go home, left Westwood with Duncan, but
Druid accompanied hint in a hackney-coach to the Bell. The bustle
1 was there occasioned by his missing his watch, and threatening to
return to the Saloon, Druid gave it him. On arriving at the Compter,
he missed his pocket-book, containing flank cf England and country
notes to the amount of £lOO. Druid, in accounting for the pos-
session of the watch, said it was entrusted to his care by Weaver,
at the Saloon, as a surety fur his return on a temporary absence,
but denied any knowledge of the pocket-hank. Weaver said he
gave it to his friend on such an occasion, and received it back
front him.—'The Alderman directed Druid to ge searched, when
Weaver's pocket-book was found on him, but the notes had
disappeared. Druid also said that the:pocket-book had been entrusted
to hint by Weaver with the watch. Captain Duncan having entered
the office, the facts were stated, but he denied all knowledge of them.
lie was also directed to be searched, but no money was found on
him. When Weaver and Druid were taken to the watch-house, a
small paper parcel dropped front Weaver's hands, which one of the
watchmen swore he picked tip and gave to the Ctptain to take care
of; this parcel was still missing.
The Captain declared he had no recollection of it, and reminded
the Magistrate that he came to the Office voluntarily ; his name
was not Duncan, though he had given it at the watch-house, not
wishing to be known ; that he was engaged as a writer for the Eu-
ropean Magazine; that he was the author of The Hermit in London,
and other publications, reali,ing from 500/. to (AXIL per year, and
that it was not expected he would he guilty of an offence of this
kind ; and he was well known to Sheriff Whittaker : and the pro-
prietor of the European. Magazine, Isis employer, would testify to
his respectability.
In addition to the evidence against Druid, who had denied having
heard anything of the loss of the pocket-book, it was stated, that
while coming in a coach to the Office with Weaver, who was la-
menting his loss, Druid told him not to be uneasy about it, as they
knew the number of the coach which brought them front the Sa-
loon, and no doubt his pocket-book had been left in it.
The suspicion against hint was sufficiently strong to warrant his
detention, and as the Captain was in company with hint the whole
time, and the parcel missing had been seen in his possession, the Al-
derman felt it his duty to detain him also, and they were both se.
manded for another examination.
Scarcely had they been removed from the Office, when tidings
were heard of the lost parcel. A man of the name of Edw. Mar-
nock,who lives at the Poulterers' Aims, Honey-lane Market, came
in and stated, that he was passing in Holborn at the time of the
bustle, and saw the lusty Gentleman they called the Captain, throw
a parcel on to the coach-box—it rebounded front thence to the
ground; he (Mattock) picked it up, and left it at the public-house
at the corner of Bartlett's-buildings, till it should be inquired for.
He had heard nothing of the previous examinations, but knowing
that some persons had been taken to the Compter, he bad come to
the Office to let them know what had become of the parcel. As the
testinwny of this witness would be important as respected the Cap-
tain, he was directed to attend at the next examination, and to
bring the parcel with him.