Broadside entitled 'Curious Case'

Transcription

CURIO US

CASE !

A Full and Particular Account of that Curious and
Laughable circumstance, that took place between
a journeyman Hatter and a sprightly young lass, on
Monday, the 4th July, 1825 ; with an Account of
the Lass's adventures in the Lad's Bed-Room, to-
gether with what took place on her detection, and
being brought before a Magistrate, and the advice
given by his Honour to the Docter in attendance
in order to produce oboration, so that what she
illegally took in the Bed-Room might then be re-
stored to its proper owner.

A woman of the town, named Ellen Newman, was on Tuesday
brought before Mr Chambers, the Magistrate, charged with
robing a journeyman hatter of eleven sovereigns, three of which
she managed to swallow previous to her apprehension.

Joseph Alder, the complainer, stated, that he resides in Mint-
Street, Southwark; that on the preceding night he went home be-
tween twelve and one o'clock, opened the street door, which re-
mains ajar throughout the night, left it in that situation, and enter-
ed his own bed-room, the door of which he left unbolted, contrary
to his usual custom, and retired to bed. In about an hour after-
wards he was aroused from his slumbers by feeling the cold hand
of somebody on his face ; he raised himself up in the bed, caught
fast hold of the intruder's hand, asking in God's name, who was
there ? A female voice answered, " It's me, my dear; I am come
to go to bed with you, for I have been locked out, and must walk
the streets, if you don't let me come in." From the gentle accents
of the supplicant, and being in total darkness, the hatter said, he
verily believed at the time that she was some poor servant girl, who
had been shut out, and, commiserating her situation, he permitted
her to take share of his bed. Having soon fallen asleep again, he
was disturbed a second time, but hearing some one creeping about
the room; he felt for his companion, and found she was gone,
upon which he hastilygot up, and, while poking about in the dark,
he heard his room-door open and some one rush out. He follow-
ed, undressed; the person whom he was in chase of reached the
street. and darted of at full speed, he was under the necessity of
following, naked as he was, and the rain pouring down,at the time.
Fortunately, however, he succeeded in coming up with the thief, in
the person of his female acquantance. In the course of her career
she had dropped several of his garments, and when secured, the
coat, waisooat, hat, stockings, and shoes of the hatter, were found
in her possession.

When she was taken to the watchouse, she refused to speak, or
give any account of herself; but on the hatter discovering that she
had also stolen 11 sovereigns out of a tea-caddy, her hands were
tied behind her, when she dropped eight of the sovereigns oat of
her mouth, and swallowed the other three, saying, " she had done
them after all." The Magistrate directed the docter of the gaol to
administer her a strong dose of physic for the benefit of her health
and also for the purpose of restoring the gold to its owner.

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