Hello All - This was a "special" column and article, not under "Local Intelligence", but it might be an actual case. Or - it might not. Hope everyone will enjoy it, never-the-less. And please, have a very, very Happy New Year! Julia M. West Briton Transcriptions, 1836-1856 at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~wbritonad St. Austell Area History and Genealogy at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~staustell ................................................................................................................................................................... COUSIN "JACKEY" AT THE PLAY [absolutely as written!] . Samuel HUGHES was charged before the magistrates at the Police Court on Thursday last, with attempting to pick the pockets of a man named JOHN RUES. Mr. Henry ELWORTHY appeared for defendant. . Prosecutor (who is a robut looking man) made the following statement to the Bench; "Gentlemen, I's comed here in this here part of the kintry - I main up thar to Saltash - to spend the Christmas yer know, and I belong to Pengelley, in the parish of St. Teath, near Camelford, about thirty or vorty moiles daown. Well, one allays like to zee what he kin when he's out, of coose I coomed down to zee the play at the Theatre Royal. When I got to a big door, says I to this mun (prisoner), says I, 'where do these door laid too - pit or gall'ry?' 'Well,' says he,'to oither, but the pit is the most comfortabel, I should advisey to go there; and if yer plaze I'll go along in way 'ee.' I said, 'I dun knaw aboot that, 'cause I's got sum budy way me.' . I then went and got som horanges, and then the mun (prisoner) changed from my lift side to to'ther, where I put my hand in my pocket. I then went over to the door, which was opened. Then there was a jineral roosh, upon which I rooshed too, but jist as oi was in the middle, somebody afore me, and somebody behoind me, and somebody was soide, and the mun (alluding to prisoner) on to'ther - jist when I velt a fumlin and a touching, and this ere chap's hand gets into this here lift hand side pocket, but the fellow made a mistake, for I ony had a leetle bit a money in that pocket, and GBP 5 or GBP 6 in to'ther wan. The lift, yer knaw, was jist a leetle for spending. The right (here prosecutor pulled out the money bag amidst roars of laughter) was the stock. Well, thinks I, I feels 'ee ole feller, and then I sings out 'here's a mun get he's hand in moi pocket.' I then holds perty toight til a young lady - my companion, gent'men - called Susannah SCREACH, saw his hand in that perdikeyment, when I lugs im out and calls for a perlice-konsterfull. A man close by says, 'oh, I'll rin for un,' says he, and so he rins. . This ere chap was werry quiet then, but when he finds there was a konsterful a comin, he begins pertily to kick and spudder. Well, when he does that, I holds tolerably luggish, and vine and toight, and says I, I says, 'hold hard ole feller, you ain't gone 'eet.' No. 2 konsterbull of the second diveshun then come up, tuks un into charge, and tells me to come to the Steetion; will, oi goes way im to prez the hoffince agin him, but somehow I got a leetle o' the Theatre in ma noodle, and I want cheated out, o't, for I went in at half play." . The inimitable manner in which cousin Jackey delivered this oration, created throughout roars of laughter. His depositon was then taken, during which his cross-examintion by Mr. Elworthy created great amusement; the witness, at each ebullition of the kind, looking around upon the audience as if to recognize their applause. . Miss Screach, cousin Jackey's 'young voman,' who was dressed out 'cruel vine,' said she "seed the personer's han in her young mun's pocket, 'cause he shaw'dn to her." Miss Screach retired amidst much merriment, similar to that called forth by the peculiar eloquence of her affianced. . Palice-constable No. 2 gave evidence of the apprehension of th eprisoner on behalf of whom Mr. Elworthy denied the charge, observing that a very large crowd had assembled, and in the crowd Rues was nudged, and immediately thinking Hughes (who was kind enough to show him the way to the pit) was a pickpocket laid hold of him. The Bench considering the defence more ingenious than probable, sent him to prisoner for three months, and cousin Jackey departed, seemingly highly pleased with his first exploit, and the termination of it in a "perlice" court, and perhaps thinking how he should tell the tale to his admiring companions, of his having outwitted the sharper. Plymouth Mail.