Ann Briers, who entrapped Mr. Woolley of Bristol into a
marriage with Mary Ann Morgan, as Miss Louisa Poole King, a young lady of fortune, has been visited in her confinematt by the wife of a London tradesman who has long been acquainted with her family ; and according to a report in the paper, she has given an account of the origin of the conspiracy— "It came into her head, in consequence of Mr. Woolley first mentioning to her the name of Miss Louisa Poole King. Some weeks ago, Mr. Woolley told her that he met Miss King in the street in Bristol, that he bowed to her in passing, and that she returned the salute with apparent pleasure : and he went on to say, that he was very much captivated with her, that he should use every means in his power to awaken a sympathetic feeling in her breast, and that he expected he should ultimately succeed in forming a matrimonial alliance with so accomplished and wealthy a young lady. It was subsequent to the above conversation the notion of practising ajoke upon her brother-in-law came into her head ; and to effect her purpose, she wrote a letter to him in the name of Louisa Poole King, in order to create a belief in his mind that that young lady was enamoured of him, and that she was ready and willing to bestow upon the object of her affections her hand and heart. After she had written the first letter to her brother-in-law, she found that it answered the desired purpose, and that he was absolutely enraptured at its receipt; and from that moment a correspondence was concocted, which ultimately led to the matrimonial affair. At first she intended to have a 'bit of fun' with her brother-in-law ; but finding that she had gone too far with the joke, she was afraid to divulge the real secret to him, and therefore carried it on until she effected the marriage between the parties."
The Bristol Mirror, however, hints at a different motive ; saying" We understand that by the will of the late 3Irs. Woolley, her sister, Noss Briers, is entitled to a certain sum of money on the demise or marriage of Mr. Woolley. If this be true, it may afford some reason for the extraordinary conduct of Miss Briers." It is said that Mr. Woolley is so unfitted for business that he has dissolved partnership, and is about to leave Bristol.
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