The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-10-12 00:00:00

PAWAV-IMUKSKS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE STATESMAN.

•
SlR—Permit me, as a constant reader of your In-
dependent Journal, to occupy a small portion of your
columns in endeavouring to defend that worthy and re-
spectable class of individuals called Pawn-brokers.—
My ptirsuits in life ba;ing compelled me to mix mach
in their society, I have had better opportunity of form-
ing a more correct estimate of their character than
vour correspondents, Sam Spout and Co. ;—and, be-
lieve me, Mr. BMW, there is no body of men more
traduced and 0:Ili:al than the luckless subjects of
their lucubrations. We hear a great deal of illegal
interest—plunder—rapacity--extortion, and so forth ;
and could I believe one article in this dingy catalogue
appertained to the character of a P. B. I would in-
stantly cut their conuexion.
Sam Spout and Co. have entertained your readers
with cases to support their accusations, and have tra-
velled as far as Shepherd's Bush, to lug in an old in-
former, who, they say, lives in splendid retirement on
their bounty; and from what 1 have heard on the sub-
ject, I think the Five Guineas well employed in keep-
ing this hoary headed old rogue from active employ-
ment. Men in business, we all know, do not like to be
taken away from the counter to dance attendance at a
Public °dice, and from the nature of Pawn-broking,
were be not so paid. the attention of the Magistrates
would be wholly occupied in the hearing of informa-
tions to the great hindrance of the regular business of
the 'ace, and the unpleasantness of public exposure.
But a word as to the roguery of Pawn-brokers—take
the following case, and I am sure you will feel cur -
vinced that all that Sam Spout and Co. have said on
the subject is " False as hell."
A young man of respectable appearance offered two
pieces of woollen cloth to pledge ; the questions put
to him not being answered to the satisfaction of Ike
Pawn-broker, he detained the goods, and desired the
young man to send the person for whom he said
he had brought them. He left the shop for that
purpose, and never returned. After the elapse of a few
weeks they were advertised by the P. B. for the purpose
of finding the lawful owner ; but, unfortunately,
having, mistake, cut off the fag cads, on which
were placed the private malts, all possibility of re-
cognition was completely destroyed, and thus became
the Fraperty of the P. B. Your correspondents, Sam
Spout and Co., I have no doubt, will call this a vil-
lainous transaction; but mistakes will happen, and I
appeal to the sense of your readers, whether it were
possible such an act could be done by design. An-
other case, though under somewhat different cirruns-
stances, has been related to me, by one on whose vera-
city I can place implicit reliance. A Pawa-broker at
the east end of the town, had taken in pledge a number
of guineas, front an old maid, who bad received them
as keepsakes, from grandfathers, grandmothers, great
Sze., and i4eantioas/y laid them near to some of
their yellow brethren, whose active intercourse with
the world had deprived of part of their substance ;
they were packed up Gy mioak,, in lieu of those that
had scarcely ever seen the light. The old lady, a
few months after, came to redeem them, and soon din.
covered the srpposed attempt to cheat. With great
volubility of tongue, she exclaimed against the
roguery of the P. 8., in substituting for her hear!,
;ilium, the light ones now produced. The mistake
was rectified, all dishonest intention disclaimed, and
thus the matter terminated. If your correspondents
could have got hold of these cases, what a handle
would they have made. These mere accidents would
have been swelled into crimes, and made the sukiect of
a long tirade against these honest gentlemen. But I
fear I have already trespassed too far on your patience,
and shall conclude, by subscribing myself
Your lineable servant,

Dowgate-hill.

DICK DUPLICATE.

CCRIOCS BREACH OF Puosttsc OF MARRIAGE.--- On
Wednesday afternoon, an occurrence of rather a s'n-
Kolar nature took place in Lambeth Marsh. A young
couple, who bad been attached to each other for sonic
time, were to have been on that day married at Christ-
church ; and matters bad gone so far that the girl bad
left her place, purchased a wedding-ring, and her
friends hail prepared a feast for the occasion. The
bridegroom paid a visit to bis affianced wife early in
the morning, and under some pretence obtained the
wctlilitig ring for a moment, and then managed to leave
the house unperceived. This created no alarm, bat he
did not return. At length it became too late to have
the ceremony celebrated that day, and great apprehen-
sions were entertained for the young man's safety, whilst
the young woman was ready to sink with grief and dis.
appointment. At length it was suggested to go in quest
of him, and after a laborious search, be was found by
the object of his affections (or rather ridicule) and her
brother, at a public-house close by, playing at skittles
with his brother and a number of other men. A scene
of mutual recrimination then took place, and the poor
girl went into hysterics, whilst her faithless lover made
aprecipitate retreat to avoid the vengeance of her bro-
thepr. Bovvever, his relative who remained behind, took
up the cudgels in his defence, and the two men instantly
proceeded to the little field near the Coburg Theatre
(right hand side of the new road), where after an obsti-
nate contest, victory Was proclaimed for the fsir sex.—
It was afterwards discerned that the worthless fellow
bad pawned the ring, and spent the money which he got
for it.
Cosx-ExcnsNos, Om 12.—The supply of Wheat
this week, although more than adequate to the demand,
is considerably less than it has been for the three pre-
ceding weeks, yet the quantity remaining on hand is so
large that the market is greatly depressed by it, and
only the finest samples of old and new find buyers at
Monday's prices ; all other sorts are unsaleable. On
account of its very rough condition from wet weather
1-the Millers cannot use it. We had a very large arrival
of Barley on Wednesday, and having only a few buyers
the finest runs from Suffolk could not be dispoted of,
except at a reduction of 6d. per quarter from Mesday's
prices, and what was sold this morning was at the ease
abatement.—Beans are 2s. per quarter, and Oats. it. per
quarter lower.—ln other articles no &hernias.
BaRraIIFIELD MAIIIEST, OCT. 12.—The sexily of an
descriptions of cattle at market this morning was good,
and prime beast obtained last market days prices, but
that of inferior quality were nominal.
\
(To sink the offal ; per Stone of Sibs.)
500 t.... Is. Od. to 4s. 4d. earn.. AT VARIER?
alataNr.. na. 6d. to M. Od. Beads
Veal .... Is. Od. to bs. 9d. Calves 2tiu
Pork.... Is. Od. to 55.04. Sheep and Lambs 6,02U
Lamb .... Os. Od. to Os. Od. Pip
RAT-MARKET..--N
O alteration in the price of Hay.—
Straw and Clover as per our last.
Hay .... *1.105. to 41. s. 1 Straw ..U, so. to IL 16s.
Closer ..41.105. to fil- lia- 1