Police.
The Times, 1824-01-28T00:00:00

Ah-srno0.nousx.-Thekeeperof theworkhouse of St. Sepul- chre's parish yesterday attended, as we understood, to acquaint the LoRD.AIAyoR that he had received Alargaret Rice; the unfortu- nate girl whose case of attempted suicide andseduction by a Qua- ker was stated in our paper a few (ays since. The keeper begged to state to his Lordship, that the case as it appeared in the public papers was very muchn mitigated, and that the full circumstances of the case were of extreme aggravation. The Quaker who seduced the unfortunate girl was a man of about 35 years of age, and she was Ionly 18. He had pursued her for more than eighteen months be- fore he effected his purpose. During that time she lived in a very re- spectable situation, and was very much liked. Hepersuaded her to leave it, and go and live wvith his mother. When she accepted the situation, he made use of the opportunities that it gave him, and in about 8months after she gave way to the promise of marriage-which he rnade to her. He (the workhouse.keeper) had been to the mother of the Quaker, who still refused to have any thing.to do with her, and would only believe that her aotn was seduced. She showed no compassion whatever for the unfortunate girL. The former mistress gaveheran excellent character, and so well convinced was she of her inntlcence, trhat she offiered to take her back into her serviceafesh was delivered,.after she The LoBtD MIAYOR expressed his pleasure at this statement, and requested that every attention might be paid to the poor girL In consequence of the report of the statement, he had receved 31., which sum had been sent-by some cbaritable person, part to be given to the unfortunate girl, and p art to be bestowed as a reward to-the poor woman who prevented her coamnitting suicide, and with rare generosity received her. whep sbse was spurned for her misfortune by others of her sex.-The Quaker has not yet been found. James Benjamini, a mniddle-aged man, was chargedunder the Va- grant Act, with having been found begging in the streets. Thc prisoner was found begging and sweeping the streetin Cheap. side. - Vhen asked how it was that he came there to beg, be stated he was a shoemaker, and an inhabitaqt ef the parish of St. Luke, vwbsere hehad a wife and family,, and that he had for about nine wee*a been out of woik. Purqpgthat tjt,ia wife fetl sick, and a great deal of dstress -ame upon hini, vwhen he wvas drivers to apply tohis:parish officer forrelicf. Whenbheattended at the board, they made qttite a laugh at his statement of being in distress, and would nOt hear his story,but gavehint two shillines and senthimu away. This would not serve his sick family tbr more than a day, and be was obliged afterwards to apply to one of the overseers. This person gave him ashilling; and on complainant's representing that that sums was scarrely of any use to him, the overseer told him to go and sweep the Streets, and hc would than get enough of .money. Complainant asked where he was to go, arid how h~e sas to get a broom? The overseer told him to get a broomt for Sd; ont of the is. he had received, and thatif he went and swept itt Cheapside, before night he mijht get d. The prisoner said, the condition of hiS family and his home left him no choice but to do as he was directed. He vas sweeping the streets when ar officer apprehended him. Allen. the officer who apprehended the prisoner, said, he dicd si under the general order given to apprehend all vagrants who were fonnd heyging in the streets. He had been to the place where the prisoner lived, and found his statement to be true. The nei ghbours gate hir a good character as a hard-working industrious man. Tle overseet himself, before he gave any thing, went and saw the tis tress of! the family. The LonRD AMAYOR expressed great suftprise at the sta ement of this inode of getting rid of those who were unavoidably poor. It was extremelj disgraceful, but the present case perhaps accounted for thse boastedlownesi of the rates in that parish. A man, how- ever, who woald vvork and was willing to work, who had a sick fa- rnil,y, and was reduced totiLserv by a continued failure of his means of subsistence, must not be treated in this way, and sent to seek his existencefrom the hand of precarious charty. Ie had, by obeying the directions of the overseer, rendered himself liable to be se,tt to the tread-mill, and it was not to be permitted, whets efforts were making to dear the streets of leggars, that their numnber should be augmented in sucl a manner. His Lordship regretted that the pa- rish was not within his jurisdiction, and ordered the poor maai to be iunmediately disclarged. Ile was directed to go before the Allagis- trates of the tdistrict, antd summon the overseers for refusing to give proper relief. MArtLBo rio u.t'sT xtEEt,_A young man of genteel appearance, who gaye his natme lIc rt, MI'Dmnoel, was yesterday brought to this office upon a warrant, and chargged with a fraud unter the following, circumstances:- Alr. Sheppard, the proprietor of a tavern calied the " Caffie im- perial," No. 54, New 15ond-street, stated that the prisonvt hcs for a short time past been occasionallv in the habit of frequenting tse house, dining and taking other rifresliments, generally in company witli a party of friends, someoone of whom always paid the bil3-e but the prisoner, who called himself Colonel AIl'Donnel, never paid any- thing. On Friday evening lact, ut a late hlour, the Colonel came to t otise, and brought vith him a young man of very dashing ap- pearance, and introduced him tn h1r. Sheppard as Sir John lMur. rav, Bar;-a marn of large fortune, ho iOwould spend a great deal ofl money in the house, andmin fact, if lie (tle 1andlord) treated theri we]l, would patronize the establishment. The (Colonel then called for two bottles of claret, which they orr dlered to be mulled ; snd after drinking whicl, they, bespoke d:nner for a party of five on the next day, at the same time the Colonel borrowed Bs. at the bar, leaving bis great coat behind to be cleaned, whicls appeared to be all covered witb blood, and which the prisoner said he didl not like to wear in that state, lest it should be thought he was a "Thurtell. Hle accounted for those stains by saying that he had been thraslhing a fellowv that night. Mr. Sheppard did not much like tire idea of their going zway with- out paying for the two bottles of claret * burt the name of Sir John Alurray, and theorder for the dinner next day, gave him flattering hopes of the fiuture, and be said nothing aborit the claret. The next day caine, and with it came tIre hdinner-pa*y at the ap- pointed hour. The party consisted of tle Colonel. Sir Jolhn - Captain AXmiel, MJr. Prrro, a solicitor, whose office is at 87, Char; lotte-street, Fit7.roy.square, and his private house in Burton-street. lturton-cresceyr, and another gentleman whose name hr did riot k.nowv. ~'.he dinnef was of tihe best description, ant the claret arid champagne flew about in abundance, but whren tire bill amounted to 71. 2se d.,* and tre party aplieared to have hlod quite enoughi of wine, *Mr. Sheppard threw ortsousehirrts about the payment of the bill. At the bare mention of rhe bill, thie Colonel (the prisoner) flew into a rage, and asked Mlr. Sheppard if heknew whom lie was speaking to, and added, if he had any doubts about thle payment,he would instantly give him. a check for 151.; but the business ended bv Sir John Aflirray, Bart., after somue private whispering betvween him and the prisoner, retiring into a private room, and giving Mr. Sheppard his o'wn check upon a stamnp which lie sent out for, drawn upon Iiis banltersi as he said, Alessrs. Ladbroke and Co., C(ornhili, for 101.; and tlis being arranged, the Colonel called to have some more wine brouglitfor thebalarice of the cheek; and more wine the accordingly had and drank. On Monday morning the check wvas presented for paymedt at Messrs. Ijadbroke's liouse, by AMr. Sheppard, but lie received for answver, that rio such personi as Sir John was known there, of ever had any account in the house. UTpon this, Alr. Sheppard thought it time to inquire after his customers but could discover nothing of the Baronet, wlp had flown, and is no where to be found; but he sucDceeeded in lindir the Coalonel that morning, after some search. Mr.L CONAN{T, the presiding ie;gistrate, now asked the vrisoner what he h:ad to say to this chage Mlr. Pinero, his friend, and ofe oi the dinner-part%y said, that he attended as solicitor for M1r. M'Donnel, and handed in two bills of dinners, &c., which appeared to have been paih at Mlr. Shep. pard's, amounting to about 61. ; but it ditl not appear on the face of the bills who it wes that paid tioer, or in wbose namne they were made out; and althoug h Mtr. iAl'Dosnel now positively asserted that he hadl paid them, Ilr. Sheppard as positively asserted that the C,olonel never painl any bill at tire Iotsr, )but he aldmitted that these bills were paid souse time ago by sonmc other of the party. T'e waiter of the house was exannined or, tris poit, but he could not recollect ssho pait the bills, rind said that whoever paid them, Mr. M-Dorinel was present when they were contracted. The nrisoner here asked the waiter if lie (AiLr. M'Donnel) ever called himself Colonel at the lIousce ? The waiter said lie never heard hins do so, but others inquired for him by that title. Air. Sheppardl persisted that he introduced himiself to him as Colonel .l'Donnelt and always answvered to inquiries in that rank. The prisoner nows said that lie woaid sta to the Magistrate how tire case really stood. The fact, he said, was, that he and several friends have been for some months in the frequent habit of dining, &t., at the " Cafte Imperial," where they spent a great deal of money. Ile has given several dinner lprties there, and alwavs paid the bills himself to Mr. Shepparn ; and on the occasion to which the present conmplaint refers, lie *vonild have paid. the amuobnt of the charge, ii It. Sheppard hax not gone privately and got hls hellek from ;Mr. Alurrav, wrthout hIis (thie prisoner's) knowledge. It was untrue, ihe said, ti3at he had ever represented himself eo he Colonel MK'Doanel, or his friend as Sir John Minirray. All he ever said on tire sbject Mwas, that he himself *.vac tie son of Colonel 'Donnel, that his friend was the son of Sir John Alurray, Deputy Commissary-Qeneral, at present on service at GPibraltar, and he had even told Kr. Sheppard that he was wrong to take a check from Mlr. Murray, as he %as not of age, althlougl when he came to be 25 years old, he worthu havea property of 25,0001. He had also told Mr. Sheppard where Lady Murray, Ils mother, now resided, at Lambeth.terrace, ayho, no doubt, would have paid hins bad he applied to her. Mfr. CONANT asked the prisoner in what service his fatlier was Colonlel ? The prisoner sail in the Inverness M1filitia, but it was several years ago; but he supposed once a colonel, always a colonel. His father was now a very old man, and resides somewhere beyond Chelsea, but exactly where he cannot tell, as his father and mother do not at present live together: tire latter is residing at Boonlogne, in France, and she allows hirn (tlhe prisoner) an annual surn for his support. He is novy lodging at No. 54, Portmar -plaee, Edg- ware-road; and had lived at the Hungerford Coffeebhonse, in thc Strand. Air. CONANT inquired whio the Captain AiMel sas' that belonged to the dinner party e This gentleman, who was hirnsself present, came forward anti said that he was not a captain buti a cornet, on the half pay of the staff corps of eavalrv, MnIr. Sheppard said, that he had noi the stiiallest dioubt btit the whole party had conspired to defraujd hin, and it was false in the prisoner to deny that he introduced hiiniself as Colonel IU'Donnel, and the personi who wrote the check as Sir John Murray, Bart. After consulting withSir GEORGE FAReANT, IIrXCONANT Said, that considering the whole case, he could not doubt but the prisoner knew of the false check having been given, and partook of the fraud by ordering more wine for the balance, and on the credit of the check. Hesshould therefore require the prisoner to enter into good securities to answer the charge of fraud at the sessions. AMr. Pinero, tihe solicitor, being a housekeeper, offered IhiniBelf as bail, but lie was objected to by illr. Sheppard, and rejected as one of the party concerned in the dinner, out of which the present com- plaint arose. The Prisoner was then ordered to be detained; but before the office closed- ir. Pinero brought forward two persons who, al- though they Sew nothing whatever of the prisoner, were willing to ba l him at the request of.r. Pinero. One was Air. Ctowther, a coschmaker, in Charles-street, Illiddlesex Hospital, and the oilier a tailor, named Wll'kins. The prisoner, ashe was about to be discharged, said, tbut all he feared or cared for ins the whole transaction was, lest the affair should appear in the papers. Air. CONANT said, that most likely his fears would be realized and it could not be denied that the newspapers did a material setvice to tle public by the publcation of such cases. OLIwE.