Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-07-30
LONDON POLICE.

Mansion House-A tall abe-boded Irishman,
named Thomas Moore, was brought before the
Lord Mayor, with a child in his arms, under the
following curious circumstances
The defendant used, some time ago, to sweep
a crossing in the borough, and contrived to get
as much by that occupation in winter as ena-
bled him to support a wife and two or three
children. He however, in lazy or drunken
fit, sold the crossing for sixpence, and had re-
course to the more inglorious profession OF beg
ging, which he practised in the extreme Of its
quirks and maneuvres and by which it is sup
posed he could manage to put good joint up
on his table on the day of rest. The figure he
cut in the street proved he was an admirable
Judge of effect A child, about four years old,
with naked feet, followed him, holding the tail
of his coat, while he walked along with baby
in his arms. The elder child had in her hand
an old leaky saucepan with milk in it, which
the defendant now and then put to the mouth
of the infant This parental Office he took care
to perform whenever he saw ladies approach,
and when he perceived the bait was taken, he
never failed to say that the poor mother was on
a sick bed, or rather a sick truss Of straw in
Kent street Borough, where she was just kilt
for want OF victuas, and had not drop in the
world to give the "baby" Such mastery
grouping could not but attract spectators, be-
fore whom the defendant exhibited his skill in
the art; but there happened to be hard heart
ed person among the number, who removed the
little interesting family to the COmpter and
from thence to the Mansion House.
MIR. Hober said that he was in the habit of
seeing many fellows in the streets carrying We
nv young children in their arms, and appealing
to any respectable females who passed by. He
knew of no class of beggars better deserving
punishment than such sturdy rascals. " How
long is it, my good sir" said Mr.. Hobler to the
mendicant since you turned Bull nurse?"-
| Great laughter."]
A policeman said that the defendant carried
the child about he believed, since few days
after its birth So unaccustomed was the poor
infant to the breast, that when put into wo-
mans arms, it never turned towards that part
to which "natur" guided every other body's
MOUTH Laughter.
The defendant said that he carried about the
| children" to give them little fresh air: and
that his wife was too i'll to attend to them.
Here man, who said his name was William
Morgan, stepped forward and said that he was
the person who had purchased the street-cross-
ing from the defendant. :" He didn't act like n
man to me-" said Morgan; for the day when
tuck up his business, he opened new consarn
twenty yards at the t'other side o. me-
Laughter.
The Lord Mayor: What! He swept the street
across in another part2
Morgan: That's jist it, my Lord but | would
MT cared about it. if he didn't bullnurse al the
same time. He used to carry that ere baby in
one hand, while he sweeped up the mud with
t'other, and the soft-hearted women used to say,
"Oh, Mary, see if you ha'nt got halfpenny to
. give that ere poor man wot looks arter his ba-
by so tender."-[ Laughter
Mr.. Hobler said that the system of hiring
children had been very prevalent Of late. 1t
was considered a sure source of profit, partcu-
larly amongst the able bodied paupers, who, ra-
Their than 60 up ladder or down into sewer
to earn their bread honestly, would crawl over
the town all day bullnursing.
Morgan-Aye, please your Lordshp, the
gemman's right Pm besJ if wouldn't rather
sweep st. Giles, in the uackcrmost streets nor
meet with one OF these bnuGurses | wouldn't
cared if he sweeped toe street within yard
o. my consarn, providing he left the child at
home; but Pm bowed if the people wouldn't a
walked twenty miles TO 60 through his shop.
(Great laughter
The Lord Mayor said that he certainly should
try whether he could not check the bunurse
system by sending every one he caught to Bride
well.
Mergan-But please you my lord, what con-
siders worst of all is this here. Ven he soud
me the sweeping he gets up afore me in the
morning, and he smears it all over with mud
and when gets up had to sweep it all away,
and while was a sweeping he was doing We
ny pretty stroke Of work, and no mistake, for
the people was passing over and over, and Pm
best if you'd think they'd ever stop where he
was bullnursiDg.
Mr.. Hobler-What, did he carry this child
there?
Morgan-Did he not! Aye, and if there's a
bit Of dirt in the street he sweeps it up in cor
ner and puts his bare feet into it for to make the
people pity him. Now can't do no such thing.
tried it once, but Pm blest if it didn't hit me in
the bowels.-[ Laughter
The Lord Mayor directed that the wife Of the
defendant should be brought up, and remanded
the defendant.