The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-08-28 00:00:00

MISTERS IN SHREWSBURY

On August 9th, the Sunday before Shrewsbury Fair,
(which took place on this day fortnight), the person who has
been so much and so suspiciously mixed up in this lament-
able affair came to the Unicorn Inn, in this town. This was
about four in the afternoon. He had no luggage, but brought
with him a small brown paper parcel, tied round with red
tape, which has since been ascertained to contain only a few
papers and a light summer jacket, minus a few of its princi-
pal buttons and rather the worse for the wear.
Having entered the Unicorn, he very speedily inquired of
of the waiter whether Mr. Ludlow used that house? She
said that he did. Misters then asked if he was in the habit
of attending Shrewsbury fairs ? On being told that he was,
Misters said " I know him very well and shall see him
here."

Mr. Ludlow arrived at the Unicorn on the next day, Mon-
day. Misters asked if he slept in a double-bedded room, and
was informed by the chambermaid that he did. In point of
fact, he did not, but a friend had tea with him on that even-
ing, and it was supposed that friend would occupy the second
bed. _ .

--After Mr. Ludlow, his friend, and another gentleman had
tea, on the Monday evening, Misters (who had been in the
room with them) asked if he could have tea. Mr. Ludlow
and the others left the room, and Misters then made particu-
lar inquiries from the waiter as to the number of the bed-
room occupied by Mr. Ludlow, but was not informed.
On Tuesday night, Mr. Goodwin, of the Unicorn, (suspi-
cious from the appearance of Misters and his want of luggage,
that he was running up a bill he had no means of paying,)
took occasion to ask Mr. Ludlow it he knew him, and that
gentleman denied all knowledge of him.
On Wednesday, Misters dined at the farmers' ordinary at
the Unicorn. In order to ascertain if he had any money, Mr.
Goodwin desired the waiter to collect the cash after dinner.
Misters told her to " put it down in the bill and fetch in a
pint of sherry." She said it was customary to pay cash at
the ordinary. Ile said he had no small change, and asked her
if she had change for a £5 note, and on her answering in the
affirmative, left the room, and enquired for his brown paper
parcel. He enquired at the bar what Shrewsbury bank did
business with the London and Westminster bank, and said
that he had a .f.:50 bill which he wanted to get cashed. It
turned out, however, that he had only a £lO acceptance, and
when Mr. Goodwin's nephew accompanied him to various
banks, none of them would cash it. On his return from his
unsuccessful mission, he was accused by the landlord of hav-
ing come to his house without means of payment, and again
he went out, accompanied as before, in quest of some Bir-
mingham person who knew him. He went to the Bell in
the Abbey Forcgate, but did not there meet with an acquaint-
ance. At the Angel he was more fortunate, for there he saw
some one who knew his brother, (a very respectable man) who
keeps the George and Crown, John-street, Birmingham. To
this brother Misters wrote, during the few minutes he was at
the Angel, stating that he was " hard up," and entreating
him to remit £5. He then returned to the Unicorn, where
Mr. Goodwin sent him back to the room in which he had
dined, and where the company were by this time pretty well
acquainted with the purseless condition of this new Jeremy
Diddler. It may readily be supposed, under such circum-
stances, and without any thing 'to drink, Misters' situation
during the three or four hours he continued in that company
was not very pleasant.
In the evening, Mr. Goodwin threatened to deprive him
of his coat, stock, and breast-pin, but, at the instance of
Mrs. Goodwin, permitted him to retain them, and bade him
leave the house. Here again he was indebted to womanly
kindness, for at the solicitation of Mrs. G. he was allowed
to remain that night. The next morning (Thursday) Mr.
Goodwin charitably gave him breakfast, and Mrs. Goodwin
let him have dinner. He loitered about the Unicorn yard
until four o'clock, when he quietly went away, leaving his
summer jacket behind him. His destination, as far as could
be ascertained from what he said, was Leominster, and he
said that at Ludlow he should put up at the Feathers Inn,
with the landlord of whom he professed to be very intimate.
He was respectably dressed in Shrewsbury, but had no
change of linen. He wore a black stock, the ends of which
covered his shirt in front.