The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-09-21 00:00:00

son cheerfully pursuing her avocations, and apparently in
perfect health, wishing him good morning when he took his
departure. On the return of the servants, however, to din-
ner at noon, a scene the most horrifying presented itself—
they discovered their mistress lying upon her face on the
floor, surrounded by a pool of blood. After they had in
some degree recovered from their alarm, they raised the body
and discovered her head nearly severed from the trunk, and
in a rigid state. The kitchen, on the floor of which the
deed of darkness was committed, appeared to be in confu-
sion, the drawers, &c., had beenbroken open and. ransacked,
the murderers leaving traces of their guilt on the various
articles of furniture which they had touched during their
pilfer. The police at Whitby having obtained all the infor-
mation in their power, commenced a pursuit after two sus-
picious characters (Irish reapers), who had been seen near
the house during the morning, and succeeded in capturing
them near the village of Lyth. They are still in custody,
awaiting the result of the coroner's inquest. The miscreants
decamped with £32 in gold. The deceased .was 61 years of
age.

SWINDLING,

,rn the Bristol Journal.)

Two highly finished adepts in this " line of business" have
been practising their profession during the last month or two
in this city, with a success which but too frequently attends
the talent and assurance usually displayed on these occa-
sions. A man and his wife took a lodging in Trinity-street,
styling themselves "Sir William and Lady Phillips." They
gave out that they were en route to take possession of an
estate in Glamorganshire, and upon the strength of these
two falsehoods they commenced and carried on their depre-
dations pretty extensively. Of course it was necessary that
such a personage as Lady Phillips should appear in habili-
ments suitable to her rank, and she visited the show-rooms
of a Inarchande des modes in the College-green, and made
choice of an elegant black satin gown, and by way of a be-

ginning carried- off a beautiful shawl, value four guineas.
From a grocery shop hard by was obtained a plentiful supply
of tea, sugar, wax candles, and sundry other articles. A
shop of the same description, upon St. Augustine's-hack,
executed a large order for similar goods. A publican in
Denmark-street was found to be possessed of such exquisite
schidam—downright genuine—real sort—and it was also of
the publican's own importation from Holland, so that the
flavour was chalks beyond any gin the Knight had ever
tasted ; and he, as the reader will see hereafter, had preten-
sions to be considered a judge. A baker supplied them with
biscuits and bread—others with butter—others with meat.
A shoe shop on St. Augustine's-back was also honoured by
an order for a pair of the best cordovan Wellingtons,- in the
last and newest fashion. A superb silk mercery and haber-
dashery establishment in the Green was an object of Sir
William and Lady Philips's attention—the display of temp-
tations through such an expanse of crown glass was altogether
irresistible, and a tolerable package found its way to Trinity-
house.

A bookseller in the Green, and another in Broad-street,
partook of the Knight's favourable consideration. He was
a bibliomanist too, and to him a Caxton or an Elziver were
alike a temptation beyond forbearance. Neither did he en-
tirely neglect the moderns, provided only that it was the best
edition and in splendid binding. In a word, various shops
of all descriptions partook of his favours.
It► one expedition to the city, after swallowing an ice cream
in Wine-street, a superb perigord pie arrested his attention,
and was ultimately dispatched across the Drawbridge. In
fact it looked, and no doubt was, so delicious a piece of pa-
tissiery, that it would have been a degradation to it to have
fallen a sacrifice between the mumbling grinders of a ple-
beian.

But this couple had another source of income quite inde-
pendent of their depredations upon tradespeople. The fa-
mily of " my lady" resided some years at a few miles only
from this city, and of course she was well acquainted with
several of its inhabitants and persons in its neighbourhood.
Of this she took advantage, and unshipping pro tempore her
title, wrote letters to several requesting relief. One the wri-
ter has seen, and it is evidently the production of an educa-
ted, clever gentlewoman. It reminded the lady to whom it
was sent of " auld lang syne," and gave a graphic delineation
of domestic destitution and privation—a perfect picture of
human privation in the last stage of misery, and would have
" drawn blood from a stone." She signed it with her real
name—Cracknell. Soon after the receipt of this, comes the
husband, who is well known at Weymouth. He wore green
spectacles ; had the manners, dress, and address of a gentle-
man ; was well spoken, and backed the letter of his rib very
modestly and adroitly. He prayed relief to save his amiable
wife and himself from absolute starvation. Touched with
this pitiable tale for an associate of her youth, the lady's im-
pression was to send her five pounds, but on examining her
purse, found that she had only one sovereign, and that was
given. The husband was all gratitude and retired. It oc-
curred, however, afterwards to the lady, that the applicant's
family ought to be made acquainted with the wretched state
in which she was, and not knowing their present residence,
sent her servant to obtain it in Trinity-street. By this time
about three hours bad elapsed, and the messenger was
stricken with dismay and astonishment to see the pennyless,
distressed, and starving Mr. Cracknell, with a black bottle
and glass before him in a state of the most beastly intoxica-
tion ! His wife was not there, and he was totally incapable
of a rational answer. The messenger then learnt from the
servant of the house that he consumed regularly a quart of
gin during the day, and at night drank until he could scarcely
stand. • The mortification and chagrin which this intelligence
gave to the benevolent lady, who had furnished him with the
means for the debauch, may be readily conceived.
Let us now leave plain Mr. Cracknell, and return to Sir
William. In a day or two the tradesmen's bills
.began to
pour in, and there was reason to fear that there was'." some-
thing rotten in the state of Denmark." The applications
were fought off with dexterity, but they were soon pouring
in thick and threefold from all quarters. A stable keeper
pressed for £12., and a fly owner for £3. ; but the " one
thing needful" was not to be had. Some, however, fared
better than others.

Miss , in the Green, becoming alarmed, instead of
sending home the satin mantua, thought it better to look
after the shawl. In fact she so effectually alarmed the par-
ties by the threat of going to the Station-house for an officer,
that they sent a messenger with a duplicate, took the shawl
out of pawn, and quietly gave it up.
' The son of St. Crispin too became wide awake : Crispin
went to speak to the knight—saw his Wellingtons upon the
floor—hooked a finger into the strap of each—called the
worthy Sir William a rascal and a swindler, and marched off
in triumph.
The reader will perhaps feel an interest in the fate of that
noble piece of pastry—the perigord. Know then that it had
a narrow escape, but it did escape ; for the boy who brought
it, finding a number of persons clamorous for money, wisely
guessed that his master would be served up with the same
sauce, and therefore refused to leave it. The scoundrel not
only bilked both his lodgings, but had the meanness to bor-
row about 20s. at different times from the servant girls.
One other exploit must be mentioned. Sir William
waited upon a first-rate artist for the purpose of having his
portrait dawn ;my lady was with him. The gentleman
made a rough sketch of him upon canvass, and he was to
call again in about three weeks, when he had taken possession
of his estates in Wales.

Now we all know that sitting for one's picture is somewhat
dry work, and therefore it is not wonderful that the knight
should be thirsty, and ask, very politely, for something to
drink. A jorum of cider and a glass were brought, and he
speedily saw the bottom of both. "Ah ! it was excellent,
good, sound, rough Devonshire ! he had never drank bet-
ter." Before his departure, however. he cast an eye of busi-
ness over his green goggles, and fell desperately in love with
a copy (by the artist's sonl of a largo full-sized painting of an
Italian abbot. with his mitre and crosier. "He was ex-
tremely fond of paintings—that vas exquisite—could it be
purchased ? he wished exceedingly to possess it." But by
this time the artist began to think there was something queer
about his customer, and got rid of him. He no doubt now
thinks himself let off easy at the expense of an hour's la-
bour and a jug of his " excellent rough Devonshire " !
The parties are fled, and it is thought that they will now
commence operations against the good people of Bath. If
therefore, the editors of the several newspapers there should
read this, perhaps they would " do the state some service
by putting the tradesmen and others on their guard against
these accomplished swindlers.