The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 211: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

188 REYNOLDS’ WORKS Jack Smedley ascended the witness-box, and having been sworn, he at once addressed the magistrate with a hasty and excited volubility. ‘Please your worship, that man is Barney the Burker, and I can prove it. My name is John Smedley, and I claim the benefit of the promise held out in this hand-bill. I was the means of handing over the Burker to the constables, and I have now come to give myself into custody.” The announcement of Jack Smedley’s name produced a considerable sensation in the court, for every one recognized it as that of the master of the house in Lambeth the hideous revelations of which had created so great an excitement throughout the metropolis. ‘Don’t believe a word, your worship, that is told you agin me,” said the Burker, in a sort of half-dogged, half-sub- missive tone. ‘‘I’m a poor, honest Jew which gets his livin’ in a respectable manner, and I can bring fifty witnesses to prove it. As for that there constable, I never said nothink of the sort about not being able to take off my beard with- out hot water. It’s a nat’ral beard, your worship, and as fast on to my chin as your worship’s whiskers is to your cheeks. And as for Jack Smedley, everybody knows he is a white-livered, sneakin’ scoundrel — ”’ “It is rather singular,’ interjected the magistrate, ‘that if you are a respectable Jew you should have any such particular knowledge of the man Smedley. But we will soon ascertain whether your beard is false or not —”’ ‘Now that I look close, I can see plain enough it is a false one, your worship,” said the constable on the Burker’s right hand, ‘‘ and the mustachios too.”’ “I can identify him, your worship,” exclaimed another voice from amidst the crowd, and old Jonathan Carnabie now stepped into the witness-box. His evidence was to the effect that he was sexton of the parish church of Woodbridge in Westmoreland, that he had engaged the Burker as an assistant, not knowing who he was at the time, that the fellow had intended to rob and murder him but that his criminal design had been frustrated by the sudden arrival of assistance. Jonathan further stated that he had been hocussed and robbed by the Burker in London, and he excited some merriment in the court by describing how he had purchased pastilles CORNICLIIOOKS (E©) m