The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-03-27 00:00:00

Mr. Kirkland said he had a nephew who was an army
agent, and through him he received his half-pay. He ap-
plied
to his nephew on Monday for money; it was refused;
they quarrelled: and he (Mr. D. Kirkland) threatened to
disclose some circumstances relative to the family origin.
Mr. Ilatts askei the gentleman who came with the ap-
plicant if the latter was at all deranged?
The gentleman replied, that he was extremely nervous
and debilitated, in consequence of long service in the East
Indies, but he was not at all insane,
Mr. limits said he would issue a warrant at all events,
and give the brother an opportunity of being heard. The
system acted upon in cases like that which had given rise
to the present application, appeared to him to hal e reached
an extraordinary pitch, and to require correction. A man
had nothing to do but to declare that his brother or any
other near relation was mad, and he might go and put a
strait jacket upon him, convey him to a private mad-house,
and'keep him immured for life, separated from his family
and friends, and shut out from all the world.
The warrant was issued, and yesterday morning Mr.
Kirkland, of Baker-street, accompanied by his nephew,
attended at the office, and the matter was heard in the

private room.
Mr. D. Kirkland baring related his charge, it was
stated in answer to it, that his conduct was extremely
violent, and that he had been ()Arvin a mad-house alrea-
dy. He called upon his nephew on Monday; desiring to
'phave his quarterly half-pay given to him. It was not
quite dm', but his nephew offered to pay him if lie would
allow some money which he had previously advanced to
be deducted. This the complainant refused,, becarrie
very violent, thrust his fist into his nephew's face, and
threatened, among many other things, to expose his
family affairs if he did not comply with his demand.
Several persons were in the office at the time, and under
the apprehensions excited by his extreme violence, he
gave him 201. to get rid of him. All that they (the de-
fendant and nephew) wished was, that the complainant
would go to Scotland and live with his mother in quiet.
Mr. MiNsitut.t. (the sitting Magistrate of yesterday)
said, the case had assumed a very-different complexion
to what it bore at first. The complainant had been
guilty of absolute extortion, and his conduct was such,
that hr, and not the defendant, must find sureties to keep
the peace.
The complainant denied that lie bad been half so vio-
lent as was described. Ile certainly was in a passion.
Mr. Minsuett, recommended hull to accede to the
wishes of his brother, and retire to Scotland and reside
with his mother.
The complainant said he shmild not do so. He should
reside where it best suited his inclination.
The warrant, as against Mr. Kirkland, of Baker-
street, was discharged ; awl Mr. David Kirkland, was
held to bail, himself in 1001. and one surety in 501. His
landlady became his bail.
MARLBOROUGH-STREET.—Yesterday the inquiry was
resumed respecting the hackney-coachman charged by
the servant of Sir It. Fergnsson with abusive language
and extortion. Smith, the coach-master, who attendetL
repeated his declaration that on the night in question
he had no chariot out, of the number 104, and respecting
the plates believed to have been stolen, of which he bad
no doubt advantage was taken to commit depredations
on the public. Since the last examination, he had read
a report from Mary-la-bonne police office of the detec-
tioti of a man attempting to alter the numbers on his
coach, whom, from inquiries lie made, he suspected to be
the same who had imposed upon Gen. Fergusscth. The
man, it appeared, whose name was Thomas Mathews,
had altered his number from 1,144 to 1,141, and for this
offence was sent to prison fur a month. The Magistrate,
having asked General Fergusson's servant if he could
identify the man, and the servant replying that he could,
111 r. Smith and the servant went to the prison, and on
returning, the si rvant identified the man (['booms
Mathews) as the man who had practised the imposition
upon the General. The Magistrate having no power to
remove the prisoner until his sentence had expired,
remanded the case until then, giving orders that a de-
tainer should be lodged against him. Many complaints
have been made of the depredations of this man, it is
supposed, from the description, and there are expected
I many charges against hint.
I.I;!i'CROUS ADVENTURE IN THE KING'S BENCH
PRISON.—At Union Hall, yesterday, considerable merri-
ment was excited by the examination of an Irish youth,
earned Thomas Toomay, valet to a gentleman, a prison-
er in the King's Bench, who was brought from the Sur-
rey watch-house, attired in the dress oia female, in which
garb he practised the folloiving adventure:
MAGISTRATZ.—What have you to say for yourself for
being dressed out as you are ?
Tuomas.—l'll tell your Honour, if you plaice. Meself
is valet to my Master, and a good crater he is to meself
Last night, your Honour, my master's mistress wanted
just to act in the chair all night ; but the gentleman, I
mane the gaoler, would not give her parniission. So my
master made me pull off my clothes, and my master's
mistress pulled off- hers ; then my master dressed me up
like a
.ffireale, and mistress dressed herself in mine.
Well, then, be made me lay hold of his arm, and when
he got me to the gate, lie said, " Good night," and cal-
led me „Mary," and mese(f, forgetting the intragne,
was the manes of mese(/' being lockers, up in the watch-
house.
The Magistrate told him he bad been the victim or
his master's folly; which was very disgraceful, and after'
admonishing him not to permit himself to be made such
a dupe, for the future, discharged him, but ordered hint:
to strip off the female dress, and desired that it might be
kept till the owner should apply for it.
On poor Thomas being dissected, every person present
was convulsed with laughter; his breasts comprised a
large potato cut in half—his head was decorated with a
false front—he had on a blue cloth pelisse, beaver hat
and feather, and a seal-skin muff.

Fiaa.—About five o'clock yesterday morning a tremen-
dous tire broke out In the house of Mr. Jones, chemist, in
Union-street, Borough. Mr. Jones was out till a late hour,
and viten he went to bed all was perfectly safe, but in about
an hour afterwards the boy who slept in the lower part of
the house was awoke by the smoke, he went up into th 3 shop
and saw it in a blaze ; he returned for his clothes and gave
the alarm to his matter and mistress who slept on the first
floor. He then rue to get out at the street door, which he
no sooner opened than the flames burst forth with such fury
that he was compelled to drop his bundle and rushed into the
street naked, The watchman instantly sprung his rattle,
but before assistance arrived the flames communicated with
the stair case and floor above the shop. •Mr. and Mr's. Jones
appeared at the window in a most distressing situation; and
were heard calling to the watchman to procure a ladder,
which he said he could not do, as he did not know where to
get it, but the neighbours promptly cease to their assistance,
gad got theta out safe. By this time the house was in one
column of lire, and every attempt to save any part of the
property proved fruittess. Several engineS arrived, cud
haying premed It plentiful supply of Mater, they prevented
the fire from extending any further titan the house in which
it first commenced, and which wits the whole of the property
was destroyed.
Bacon Pigs are still gradually advancing ; Os. to ItSs.
per cwt. may be considered now the general rate for lots,
and 3d. to tfd. higher is reported to have been paid in a few
instances within the last two days, Scalded Park is elsd
rising, prime heavy Pigs baying brought 265. to Otis. 61.;
the lighter deseription from Os. upwards. Pigs' beads
gad pork offal are also on the advance.
At Rosa fair, on Thursday, tbere was a middling s
ply of good cattle ; bat such was the number an eager-
ness of the buyers, that they were quickly sold, at g
considerable advance of price. Tie sheep fair was very
thialy stocked; and on this acc sent the ,prices expe-
riesced a material rise. There were more good buries
of di ask laid, than have bin seen for some years,
• garb Ip.egesi •df lirtsmck. hore ioureiled pricus and
bmi the naMbiii bin greater, they lical ail have faint!
purebentri.