Page:The London Guide and Stranger's Safeguard.djvu/91

Rh at the preposterousness of the imputation, they repeat the blow with redoubled force, and you are lost, at least your money; for it is to obtain your money that the charge is made.

Others still lower walk up to gentlemen in the streets, and accuse them of robbery, or of unnatural crime, of having debauched his wife or sister, or getting a girl with child—especially if they know your name. Some years ago a woman accused a noble lord of having robbed her of a fifty pound note, and he was tried at the Old Bailey for it; but she was immediately convicted of perjury, and transported. Much later, one Ann Radford accused a person of murdering another man in her presence; but the latter appearing in court, staggered belief of her evidence: she too was convicted, iike the former, and about the time we are writing, may have reached her place of destination, Botany Bay. Both these women were postitutes [sic]; but the latter was a country occurrence.

A fellow in the regiment of foot guards, whose nickname, Nancy Cooper, designates his character, (as it was considered by the givers), accused a gentleman in the Strand of a beastly offence, said to have been perpetrated in St. James's Park. Struck dumb at the heinousness