Page:The London Guide and Stranger's Safeguard.djvu/240

224 than the cost of the raw material? He was still more astonished on calling two or three days afterwards in order to renew the negotiation, to find among the bargains, some three pieces of his own making, part of the identical five above mentioned.

Mr. Lazarus of Brick lane, Whitechapel, was the vender of the cheap commodity, and he bought them of some of his own tribe, who had robbed the warehouse at which Mr. Hunter sold them. The losers showed good reasons to the receiver why he should pay down the whole amount of the goods stolen. Lazarus being happy thus to compromise the felony in lieu of his character, which then stood very high in all money transactions and purchases, and will do so to the moment of this publication.

N.B. Never compromise felony with a receiver, or before an officer (the thief himself would be a safer man); for a penalty of fifty pounds attaches itself to the mistaken lenity by act of parliament, therefore, dear reader, beware how you fall into it.

Watches, being a ticklish article, are never held by the theives a moment longer than they can help it; they are therefore sent off to the Fence at once, who in this case is generally a watchmaker. He sets at work instantly in transmogrifying it,