From the Morning Post, 2 October 1823:

“One piece of calico was discovered in his hat, which being full merely stood balanced on his head; the other pieces were skilfully swathed around his body, hanging round behind his knees, they were fastened round his waist with a twine, and just concealed from observation by the skirts of a fashionable frock coat. He said little in the presence of the Magistrates, but appeared to be fully conscious of the situation he stood in; he shuddered, and looked much embarrassed.”

On Merchants Quay Dublin, directly opposite the Four Courts, a smooth talking Raffles by the name of Devereux ingratiates himself into the business premises of a wealthy draper, Mr Orr, only to be subsequently apprehended in a cunning theft of calico.

The story made the London papers – full clipping (via British Newspaper Archives) below.

A later account of his trial tells us that Mr Devereux was subsequently sentenced to transportation:

The surnames Orr and Devereux are indigenous to the Church Street area and, up to the mid 20th century, a succession of Orrs served as tipstaffs and mace-bearers in the Courts.

Image of Merchants Quay by Brocas, via Adams.