Star.
London, England, 1823-10-02 00:00:00

WORSHIP-STREET.

Joseph Irwin, a native of Edinburgh, in appearance a working
man, about 40 years of age, stood charged with bigamy. The two
wives were in attendance. The first, a respectable-looking woman,
attended by a female friend, and supported on crutches, wept bitterly.
The Magistrate, Mr. Erna., humanely ordered her a seat inside
the bar. Ile then asked her if she and the prisoner were ever
married? She answered that they st,ere marricd on the 2d February,
1817, and that she w.ts then an inmate of Lambeth Workhouz.e.
Mrs. Anne Wart en deposed that she was present at the marriage
of the prisoner with his first wile.
The second wife then came forward and deposed, that she was
married to the prisoner on the 2d of December, 1819.
A Gentleman here observed to the Magistrate, that they were
in search Of a third wife in the neighbouthood of Covent-Garden.
market, and he did not apprehend but they would be able to make
out a fourth.

The prisoner being called upon his defence said, that after spend-
ing a great part of his life at sea, and just returning to this country,
be was totally ignorant that he was offending its laws.
Mrs. Warren and the second wife were then bound over to pro-
secute, and the prisoner was remanded.
LIABILITY OY CHILDREN TO BUFFOUT THOR PARlENTg.—Saturday
last application was made to ROBERT BrvILL, Esq. on the part of the
Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of the Parish of Walton,
in the County of Hertford, representing that Ann Squire, living at
Walton, had, for a long time, been receiving alms, and was then
supported out of the poor-rates of that parish; and that she was
old, lame, impotent, and unable to work ; hut that she had children
resident in Middlesex well able to support her at their own cost.
Mr. Bevitt directed summonses to be served on the children al-
luded to, requiring their appearance at this office yesterday, to an-
swer the complaint of the parish. Accordirgly they all, excepting
one, who, it seemed, was not at home, appeared before the same
Magistrate, and &must Mitts, Esq. yesterday.
After an examination into the circum,tances of the defendants,
Mr. Brettt said, the Magistrates would make an order of Is. a
week nn each son, which would be 4s. a week for the mother.
Mr. Thomas Squire observed, that he and Joseph might be able
to pay Is. a week, but he was sure the other two sons could nor.
Mr. Baena. then suggested, that the Magistrates could perhaps
equalize it, by ordering that Thomas and Joseph pay Is. 6d. each,
which would leave only 6d. a week for each of the others.
John and Philip both positively declared they would not pay six-
penee a week.
Mr. Mitts observed, that the law was binding upon children to
maintain their parents, and it was to be regretted that men should
resist the law on a point of obstinacy, for the ultimate consequence
was imprisonment ; and it was not the wish of the Magistrates to
send men of their appearance to prison, it they would accede to any
reasonable provision for their mother.
Mr. Brant. said, as they had refused every suggestion from the
Bench, they should make an order of Is. a week each, and by the
59th Geo. 111. and 43d of Eliz. if they did nut comply with the
order, they were liable to forfeit :Xs. per month, and in default of pay-
ment of the friffeiture, they would be committed to prison without
bail or mainprize, until the forfeiture be paid.
The sons still declared they would not pay the money ordered,
and that they would rather go to prison, and leave their families to
be supported by the parish.

UNION-HALL.
Yesterday the Office was crowded with persons interested in the
charge of fraud against Thomas Car Rackstretv, the profile and flower
painter, of Lambeth-road. A great number of the defendant's pu-
pils were amongst the crowd.
The following case, which was supported by a respectable solici-
tor, named Judge, who said that his brother and mother had been
defrauded of the sum of 401. by the defendant, notwithstanding which
a prosecution should not be instituted, was it not for the extensive
injury which they understood had been dealt by Rackstrow amongst
credulous persons who could not afford to be pecuniary sufferers.
Mr. Charles Judge, of Albemarle-street, having seen an adver-
tisement in The Tunes Newspaper, similar to that topied in our ac-
count of the first examination, waited upon Rackstrow, who, after
some conversation, declared himself pleased with his visitor's ap-
pearance, and disposed to treat with him in preference to three others
who were not so punctual. The secret of the art was then unfolded;
the same advantages which were promised to Mr. Seaman were pro-
mised to Mr. Judge; and the same assurances made as to the mono-
poly of the profile trade. The ',refits were described as enor-
mous, and the skill as that of a child. Rackstrow, the sole inventor
and accumulator of profits, bad himself taken upwards of 17,000
profiles, for every one of which he had charged ten shillings and
sixpence, including frames, to which he fastened the profiles in such
a manner, as to prevent their removal without destruction to
the painting, for the double purpose of insuring that sort of exhibi-
tion which was most flatted :.ig to the artist. and of preserving the
proofs of such excellence from the effects of absurd curiosity. The
total Ignorance of the art acknowledged by Mr. Judge, was consi-
dered by the master as an important advantage: and a pledge was
given by the latter, that the most perfect knowledge would take the
place of that ignorance in six or eight weeks. This was followed by
the information that the person whom Mr. Judge was to succeed was
one of high connections, and had secretly practised, lest his friends
should lower their opinion of him, and therefore the individual and
his connexions must remain a secret. The references given by Rack-
grow were limited to a man and his housekeeper, and were not at
all to the satisfaction of Mr. Judge or his mother, who undertook to
wait upon Rackstrow, accompanied by her eldest son. Rackstrow,
with a good deal of address, gave a history of his life, stated that
through the interest of Mr. Canning, to whom his wife was related,
he had, daring the late war, been appointed to the charge of the
medicines, &c. on board an hospital ship at Sheerness, and that at
the close of the war he was suddenly informed that Government
had no further occasion for his services. The art of painting was
then resorted to, but rather privately, as a profession, as Rackstrow
bad large expectations from his father, who was a man of fortune,
and might cut him off with a shilling if the degradation of his son
once reached his ears. The beauty of the plan, however, drew upon
him immense business, and, as it were, plunged him into public life,
notwithstanding his aversion to public notice, on account of his
father, who bated arthts so much as to refuse a letter of recom-
mendation to the celebrated Mr. West, when that artist wished to
enter as a pupil of the Royal Academy. Rackstrow, although he
profit e-painting

. _ .
pens, of between 201. and tiol. fora eat
She then gave him 201. and her note
-upon the understanding that her son I
nished with the cabinet, and that his
as payment of the note. The cabins
the note was due. Mrs. Judge was
pounds expense, her son found that h
cabinet was proved not to be worth n
' Mr. Awes said that this, although
though Rackstrow had told five thou,
did not come under the Act for the p

Several other eases were then state

Mr. Aim; said, that the charge of
justify him in sending the case before
defendant to bail to answer the charg
ties of SOL each, and his own for 100
Mr. Seaman was bound over to prc