The Times 1831 - 1840 20 Jul 1836 John Conyngham's Fraud

20 Jul 1836 John Conyngham's Fraud

POLICE.                                      ------------- MANSION-HOUSE. - Yesterday a young man from Carlisle, named John CONYNGHAM, who looked like a bullock-driver, was brought to the justice-room, before Sir C. MARSHALL, charged with having, in the character of a literary man, defrauded a London merchant. From the complainant's statement it appeared that the defendant called upon him about 18 months ago, and solicited him for a subscription for a book which was about to be published, comtaining interesting anecdotes of the eminent men of Cumberland. The defendant at the same time had in his possession a note from Mr. BLAMIRE, the member for Carlisle, bearing testimony to a publication already issued by the defendant, and the complainant, upon the strength of that recommendation, consented to subscribe to the forthcoming work, and handed to the prisoner half-a-crown, for which he was to receive a copy. The complainant, however, found that the publication of a work was all humbug, and that his name had been made use of in the list of subscriptions for the purpose of defrauding other mercantile men, many of whom followed his example, and thus the defendant had been daily enlarging his sphere of subscriptions, by which he contrived to live without troubling himself about the literary part of the labour at all. Sir C. MARSHALL. - I suppose the defendant addressed you as a native? Complainant. - Yes; he found out that I was from Carlisle, and he has imposed on several others by similar representations. Sir C. MARSHALL. - Well, defendant, when are you going to publish these anecdotes? Defendant. - It ought to be out now, but it an't. I expect it, howsomever. Sir C. MARSHALL. - Do you mean to say that you will immediately satisfy the subscribers? Defendant. - No, I don't mean to say no such a thing. (A laugh.) Sir C. MARSHALL. - A very pretty fellow you are to get up a literary work. Defendant. - I was doing it, but I was prevented by circumstances. The printer at Carlisle has disappointed me. Complainant. - I know that he has been living and debauching upon the profits of the imaginary book these 18 months, and I wish to have him sent away from London. Sir C. MARSHALL (to the defendant). - So you have been humbugging the London flats, have you? Defendant. - I was recommended among them from one to the other. (Laughter.) This gentleman recommended me to some, and was of great use to me. Sir C. MARSHALL. - It is rather surprising, that so illiterate a person could induce any one to suppose that he was qualified to write anecdotes of eminent men. Mr. HOBLER. - Anybody will do to collect the materials, which are put into form by persons of a very different description. It is like some of our Parliamentary speaking. A member, after stammering and hesitating on a subject he does not understand, finds next morning, upon looking at the papers, that he has the gift of the gab as well as the best of them. (A laugh.) The complainant said, that he never gave the subscription, as many of the kind were often given, from charity. There was a dozen other gentlemen wishing to see the defendant upon the subject, and all of them had subscribed - to enable the author, as it would appear, to get drunk. Defendant. - If you will let me be off, I'll never come to London again, I promise you, and I'll send you your books when they are ready. Sir C. MARSHALL. - What are you, my friend? Defendant. - I was intended for the priesthood, but I a'nt a priest. I was brought up at a college near Durham, but I did'nt go far in learning. Mr. HOBLER. - Perhaps you'd favour us with a little Greek, as you seem to have forgotten your English? Defendant. - I don't speak no Greek at all, nor Latin neither, and I did'nt go out of the rudiments of my own lingo. The complainant wished that some punishment should be inflicted on the impostor. Sir C. MARSHALL said, that if gentlemen would believe such statements from such persons, he could not pretend to cure them of their credulity, and if the sole motive was charity, the giver had no right to make any complaint. He refused to inflict any punishment, but hoped that a little more caution would be exercised in giving subscriptions. Some time ago he heard that a female in the neighbourhood of Russell-square was in the habit of raising money by soliciting with her pen, and upon making strict inquiry he ascertained beyond a doubt that she wrote letters, upon the authority of the Court Guide, from 4 in the morning till 10, when she breakfasted, and prepared to take her rounds, after which she returned to take an excellent dinner and wine, and made further arrangements about her correspondence in the course of the evening.

 

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