Police.
The Times, 1824-07-05T00:00:00

lUATA5TO2.'_iiouJSE.-Lieutena, t Hood Sullivan, of the navy, ap- plied on Saturday to the Lord Mayor to compel a scaman' who had escaped from the tender lying in the river to return to his duly. The Licutenant statedi that a person employed to obtain volunteers for HisMajesty's service, broulght the defendant on board, ang stated that he had agreed to go into tfie service, The defendanc there vo- luntariy underwent the usual examination, and had his name cn- tered b but immediately afterwards, upon being sent ashore, accoxi- panied bv thece or ibur men, for his clothes, he ran off. A cry, however,' was raised afterhim, and ite was secured. TheLORD MAYOR asked whether nothing had been done to in- veigle the defendant ? The Lieutenant said, he was convinced that the engagement was quite voluntary. The AMidshipman employeti to engage seamen for His Majesty's service stated, that he met the defendant and asked him whether he was desirous of going into the King's service; that the defendant re- p lied in the afirsarive, and did not appear in the slightest degree re- luctant; that upon gointr on board the tender he underwent exa- mination most readily, and consented to have his nanme entered. The Lotns sMAs ot.-Are von sure that he required no persua- sion ? Witness-Niot the slightest. The defendant declared most positively that he had been in- veigled; and that the lidshipman had persuaded him to go into the tenider, and that he consented to go only upon condition thathe should return immediately ; that he was obli.t -in cErip for exa- mination, and to give his name; and that in pen. tti ddone no- thing voluntarily. The Lonn IJAVot asked the Lieutenant whether it was not e-- traordinarvs that a man who went on board voluntarily should all atI once run aiway, and without having received any profit from entering into the service ? The Lieutenant assured hisL-irdship, that an who saw the condoct of the defegdant, observed that his engagement had been perfectly volutitary. The LoRD MAYOIT then swore the Lieu!enant aud Alidshipman as to the fact that no persuasiot had been used to induce the de- fendant to go into the service, after which his Lordship told the sea- man that he had no alternative but to Bend him back to perform his engiagement. The seamtan repeated his assurance that he never had any idea of entering the service, and that the whole business was a deception. The LORD .DAYORi ai8ked whether seamen were not allowed to " rcpent" after having entered, as soldiers it was well known were ? -The Lieutenant said that-in the navy there was no such thing as retracting.-Bccastse (said his Lordsliip) this man has evit,ently renented._-Thedefendant was sent on board !n custody of an officer. 'There is so great a want of seamen ibr His Majesty's service, to man the bombs against Algiers, that the Captaii of a inerchantman found it necessary to snake an affidavit at the Mlansion-house, in the course of the day, to prevent his mate being pressed into the service. BoW-sTREET.-On Saturday, ilr. Wriglht, of Prince's-street, i1anover-square, surgcon-aurist to His Majesty, applied to the Mla- gistrate for his advice and assistance under the fellowing curious circumstances :-In the year 1817. a young lady, named Hannah Thatcher, who was born deaf and dunmb, was placed in liis house bv her father in ordier that she might have the benefit of his profes- sional attenmiance constantly. He paid very minute attention to her ease, and iaving ascertained that her deafness proceeded from the convexity ef the menmbrane, &c., whticlh it was necessary to hear- ing should be concave. he succeeLled in remedying this malformation so effectua'ly that .'he obtained her hearing perfectly, and was now gradually acquiring the faculty of sneecb. Som.e tinle ago het father dIed,, and on his deathi-bed he signed a paper, expressive of Ihis gratituide to Mr. Wright, and appointing him her sole guar- dian; for though she had other relatives, they took no notice of' lier whatever until now; whben, during Mr. Wright's temporary anlsence, they came to his house in a hackney-coach. and carried her off bv force. The coach drew up to the door, and the coachman said a lady inside it wished to speak to Miss Thatcher for a nmoment; Mlrs. Wrigbt immediately went to the coach-door witl her young protegee to whom she asa very much attached, and the persons in- side having inveigled Miss Thatcher into the coach, under the lire- tence of speaking to her privately, the coach drove off at full speed. dragging Mrs. Wright a cotisiderahle distance, in consequence of* her havingP hold of the door at the time. This conduct Ar. Wright consideredl as highly illegal, and he therefore besought the magis- trateto assist hiin in recovering her. He also handed to the magis- trate an engrared porfrait of the young lady, and the paper signedI by her dying father, in whlich -Mtr. Vright was appointed her guardian; and le added, that he had never rec,ived a single sixpence, either for her cure or for her board, &c, during the sever, years she had now bect .n his house. The Alagistrate QMr. MINS'sULL) asked whetber MIr Wright knew the parties whlo had taken her awav ? He replied, that he understood it was an uncle, wha resided in Bristol, and he had reason to believe she was concealed at ani inn, in Water-lane, Fleet-street. His Worship observed, that it was a very singular case, but lie feared it did not come within his jurisdiction. If Mn1ij Wright was legally the guardian of the young lady, lie might apply to the judge% for a writ of kcets corputs; or, if he wished to take some immediate step, and had reason to believe she was got into improper hands, one of the officers might accompany him to the place where he supposed her to be concealed: " but," said his Worship, "1 can give no instructionsto act; anduhbacver he does, he must do at his own peril." Under these resirictions, Mtr. U'riaht did nnt think proper to avail himself of the assistance of an officer, but said he would go himselfand see what lie could make of it. When he retuirned, Sir R. BeitNrE was on the Bench; and M1r; Wright said, the parties had told him that they were authorized bySir R. BiR.iE to take the youngladyaway. Sir R. BlRNina replied, thax some persons had certainly a pplied to him for advice how to get the young lady out of Mr. rriglit's hands; and the only adlvice he gave them, was toapply tothe judges. le understood they were her neiirest relatives; and, if so, they were certainly entitled tthehe guardianship of her, unless Air. Vwright could show good reason to the contraryof which reason it was not the nrovince of a magistrate to judge. Mr. Wright said, he believed 'the person by whom she was taken away was her maternal uncle, and that lie had carried her to Bristol. He then apologized for the troiuble he had give t and retired. POLICR.