Star.
London, England, 1826-04-12 00:00:00

MARY-LA-BONNE.

Yesterday, Messrs. Whittington and Langley, the overseers of
Mary-la-bonne parish, attended at this office, to ask the advice of
the Magistrates bow they should proceed in the following extraor-
dinary case: •
Mr. Langley stated, that Wm. Seymour, and a young woman,
who were present, attended at the workhouse, on Monday, Is tying
in their possession an infant, not very neatly did, but of most health-
ful appearance, which they requested might be taken into the work-
house, as it had been deserted by its mother. On questioning
Seymour he gave a very suspicious account of the manner itt which
he had got possession of the child; and conceiving it to be proltable
that he knew more of the mother than he felt disposed to colitvss,
they had brought him to this office, in order that he might he
sworn to his statement.

Mr. Grurtints consented to this proposal, and Seymour was
sworn. He stated that on Monday morning last, he was taking a
walk with his brother, and a friend, and on passing though
Duke•street, Manchester-square, they agreed to take some refresh-
ment, for which purpose they went into a public.fiouse in that
street ; they bad not been there long, berme a young woman.
of interesting appearance, with a child in her arms, entered the
place, and took her seat In the corner of the parlour; witness
was struck by her appearance, and observed to his brother, and
friend, that she was " exceedingly pretty," and ventured to ititro-
duce himself to her notice, by commencing a conversation with her,
in which she freely joined, and eventually he requested to know her
address, which she gave " Crown-street Soho," and he off:red to
see her home, which she accepted, and ;hey quitted the place rove-
tiler (leaving his brother and friend behind); they walked on as far
as Adam and Eve Court, in Oxford-street, when she requested
witneu to hold her child for a fry minutes, until she went into the
shop of Mr. Dobree, the pawnbroker, at the corner of the Court,
to pledge something, as she was in want of a few shillings ; he took
the child, and was desired by the mother to walk up and down
Adam and Eve Court, which he did for a short time, and then sat
on the step of a door, where he remained for upwards of an hour
and a half, but no mother came, and on going into Mr. Uobree's, be
looked into the various boxes, but could not see her. He made
every inquiry after her, but could trace no tidings whatever about
, her, when a woman passing by took possession of the chili, and ac-
companied witness with it to the workhouse, where they refused to
take it in, and which led to their appearance before the Magistrate.
• Mr. Whittington (to Sernour)—Then, as you to ,lc possession
of the child, you are bound to take care of it until you find tic
mother, there being no proof that this is its parish.
Seymour—But I won't. It would be very bald upon me to rake
care of a child I know nothing about, who was merely left with me
to take care of for a short time.

Mr. GAITFITHS-But you brought it all upon yourself in a most
strange way, and you must take care of it until the mother as found.
A poor woman here stepped forward, with the child hi her
arms, and was very much affected. She stated, that on passing by
Adam and Eve Court, she saw Seymour with the child, which few,
from a motive of humanity, kept until then. Sie knew nothing of
the mother, or any •of the parties. She was about to deliver the
unfortunateichild to Seymour, who refused to receive it,
" I cant support the child." The Overseers responded, " But
you must—we'll not receive it," and all were about to quit the
place, leaving it in the pn.ses►ion of the woman, who, in a bewil-
dered state, set the poor infant on the ground—who, lr ghtenesl at
the noisy argument, continued crying, and deserted by all, the
'parish officers and the other individuals having left the place, when
. . _

Mr. Gammas, who said he never heard of a more cxtraordimay
case of the kind, on seeing the child thus abandoned, said, that the
child could not be suffered to starve, and sent it with an officer to
the Workhouse, until the case could be explained to the Board, and
proper steps pursued to discover the unnatural mother.
Several publicans were yesterday prosecuted by Johnson, the in.
former, for serving during the hours of Divine Service, oniupday.
They were each convicted in the penalty of forty shillings and coots.