New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-08-03
THE CONFESSIONS or A VAGABoND.
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Ron TIE london Noes Julv 20
In the Reports OF Nagraney, presented 10 tar-
ran Of George Atkins Brine pcr6ap one OF the
traordnary ever published. Brine was educated as the
ChaYy-schOo OF Shorhorne, IN Dorsetshire ana suoe
ucntly apprentieed to butcher that town. lie soon,
howcver relnquished his trade, and adopted mendi,
that, whenever he wanted home he could 20 to his
Observation-Disclosures jail IL occurred to one OF the
don that il this man were st alive aud could be hunted
mp his life and experience would prove most valuable IN
eTaney. Alter much difficulty, It discovered that
seS in wal e "sh Onion a Of a. for the last twelve
month. According 10 information recelVeu, ne nas'
renty settled down. Ho says however, that he shall
take another srO" when the late master oi tine shei
borne Uuon who has just obtained another situation Is
settled He proposes apparently TO call in the cnaac
ter OF vagant, upon his old friend ana 70 say WIZ"
him. at the expense Of the district In which ne re-
sides Brine although he has been yagrant ior war;
OF 40 years has kept up constant eorrespohdeho MOST
his famyand his letters, though probably ~ f
written from his prison were generally dnteo ~
some grand place IN the town wnsre s HS Of the Srsto
cratic company he had been In at the races anu rs
fetters 10 his relatives are written admirable hand
with scarcely single fault in the spelling au com
position OF often quotation from some nnhac kneyea
author like Quarles SC he wanted to get 10 d tbs
seat of the County jail he would break windows on tne
road and thus DE conveyed so aI on ms eS mich viii
speak for itself He is now 50 years o. age p snppor@d
without exaggeratOn he said that ne nss i the work
for 80 of those years by the pubie-eltnef ]" '"0
house or the jal Jr1ysls7l
HoSoREp SIR; ApoIoeizing for not having replied 70
yaur courteous earlier. beg 10 answer oo VI NJ
r. r. desires to know what induced me to adopt such
mode Of yeheod seeCpd hIS e casns Yards he
visited and my opinion Of them; and fonrthy the lals
in which have incarcerated with the cause OF
these incarceTations Now reply to the first question:
left sherborne seek employment AT my trade Ubat OF
st more money cond he got without work than
with IT, What knowledge lacked was soon instlled
SeeoadIy: How have supported myself during my
wanderings Now mean to make clean breast OF IT
have worked (6ut very tel at my trade have been
eaeag JaSs have Seen pot have
vender OF pens, papers TazoIs peter Pndsr 81 spec
tracts; have been in the employ tor two years To-
getheT) Of mansaughterng quack doctorsfour different
more ashamed OF this than OF any otner OF
my foles for the majority OF them are not robbers
only but homicides) have sold cards at all the prnc
pal races In England also attended for many years
all The principal prize-fghts 1 have been "a shall
low cove e.. member of the land navy) also nigh
flyer" d. G., beggingletter impostor); "lurker one
who forty different trades and master OF none My
and to crown all have been preacher IRIS game
pays we'll in remote village streets on sunday evenings
lit for E my visibility is too easily tcked; and
when l was invited to 'hold forth" in small chapel
own roguery. This was at Rothbury Northumberland
Ss and ap @ yS1d Of ee and evTy
say this because ii Is true and because ain now heartily
Thirdly; Mr.. R. T. wants to know my opinion of the
casual wards have visited. Now have visited but
very few-I think could swear that never was in 20
different ones during the % years rambling-but
fully convinced that they all tend to foster yagancy
Norwich, and Hastings, do more harm than good; for
put OF every ten traPs there are nine mposors or pro
much hut IL is the truth II there was no re-
lief to be had there would be Migrants. The diff
Guilty lies in distinguishing between the honest working
and the rogue Now, the distributors OF Wattss
Charity IN Rochester seem to PRIDE themselves upon
their sagacity this point have been recipient
watts's less than eight times, so leave you to
NE, or otherwise. In Norwich at st. Andrews Hall. it
the lonee gave my ueket which had obtained
The he had been refused was because he not
been a trading liar he would have gotten his bread,
cheese, beer, and he'd, valued at eightpence:
Again, Mr. X. T. and his colleagues will never deal
shectuay with varancy unless they begin the right
Let them, the Legislature, suppress two thirds
These the great recepaces of vice in its repu
aspect II is there the supply of Migrants is manu-
featured aye, in the womb II Is there they dispose
of their goten gains for great numbers OF them are
TeguaI anu eIEa % G VI i.ei , MI
not lodge awOrkngman az an II tney KNOW ~ est ne
should divulge their secrets And all lodging houses
you Know OF ought 10 KNOW that tbe greater the Nah
the plausible is his tale and the assured in
his ends at least with people who are little acquainted
with these mysteries for rogues don't care TO deal with
rOgues-n TRUTH they will trust each other and
assure yon Sir the guby OF the British public Is so
great and their hearts finely susceptible TO what they
believe TO be tale of genuine Distress their geneT
Gus benevOence i ulbOunded. They don't like to be
imposed upon but as said before the rogue, liar and
impsstOr, Iracced lac is soon cOnvnces them that
he, at least does not belong TO the cadgng fraternity.
Well, here goes. have been in Jail than 100 diff
ferent times There are but two counties In England
IN Scotland and Wales In the great majority of
drunkenness has been the cause have never been
victed OF felony or larceny but have for obtaining
money under false pretenses, and several times for
hawking without license; many times for vagrancy,
smashing windows and other oeDses for the whole of
which richly deserve hanging To this, presume, Sir
you viii say Amen am, bcnOred Sir, your unworthy
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