The Express.
London, England, 1852-08-26 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, AUGUST 26, 1852.

THB POLICE COURTS

MANSION•HOUSE.

llergared Mills end Mary Madden, Irish herpes' the
litter an inveterate stager, were bought before the Lord
Mayor iu the custody of Hanford, one oftho officers of the
Meailicity Society, charged under remit: ksble circumstances
with having solkated or rather demanded pecuniary relief.
The defendants, it appeared, had followed Mr. &Hy, of
Great Ornmind•street, who has been long known to the poor
all round the neighbourhood in which he resides for his
charities, from the door of his house into the City, where
he alighted from an omnibus opposite to the Mansion-house.
The moment the old gentleman descended into the street,
the defendants, who had travelled at the top of the
vehicle at the rate of three-pence each, dropped down
and began to shower their blessings upon him, and
as Mr. Sally's fune had followed him all the way
to the Union Fire Of a crowd of mendicants
surrounded him, in the hope of profitting by his
haasrdoua benevolence. The difficulty of moving aloeg
the street would not, in all probability, have at all
disturbed the serenity of his temper, but the officers found
it necessary to interfere, in order to keep the grant
thoroughfare clear at so busy an hour of the day, and the
most effectual plan they could adopt to remove such egre-
gious impediments was to grab the two women, who had
speculated upon the success of the journey, and to whom
Mr. Solly had given several shillings, in order no doubt to
induce them to go away.
Horsford said that Mrs. Madden was an aged and able
impostor, whose invention was wonderfully fertile, who
could in an instant describe a large imaginary family as de-
pendent upon her for support, and appropriate the whole
produce of her skill to her own luxury; that she had been
punished as an impostor, and that the penalty had merely
sharpened her genius without causing any improvement in
the moral sense, or any abatement in the praetke of impor-
tunate solicitation.

Mr. Bolly was then called as a witness. He mid—l have
been in the law, but am not now, and I occasionally come
into the City to go to the Union Fire-office. I mime yester-
day in an omnibus, and got out opposite to the Mansion-
house between 11 and 12 o'clock. Ido not know the older
woman, but 1 have seen the other, and gave her perhaps a
shilling or two now and then.
The Lord Mayor—How much did you give her when
you last saw her ?
Mr. Solly—Perhaps I gam her be.
The Lord Mayor—Did she solicit charity ?
Mr. Solly—Oh, dear no. She is a decent poor woman,
no beggar.
A policeman said it was quits unnecessary for the fut.
lowers of Mr. Solly to beg of him, as ho was always resdy
and willing.
Storey (the detective officer) said it was actually the
fact, theta dozen beggar women have gone into an omnibus
the moment Mr. Sony has entered it ; and it was a com-
mon practice with beggars clan kinds, to ride on the top
of his omnibus wherever he was going. (Great laughter.)
The defendant Madden—That mendicant officer tells
nothing but thundering lies. I never went near Mr. Solly,
nor asked hint for a farthing ; but I don't see why he
should not help thews that wants it. As for Horsford and
his dirty society, it's often they give us nothing.
The defendant Mills—Mr. Sony knows I never begged
of him in my life. lam no beggar.
Storey—The beggar-women follow Mr. Sony in Lom-
bard-street like a duck of sheep, and it is impossible to pre-
vent it.

The Lord Mayor—l have no doubt at all of the chari-
table disposition of Mr. Sally, and would not presume to
offer any cheek to his philanthropy; but I cannot, as a
magistrate, refrain from stating that mischief must arise
from such an indiscriminate di-tribution of alms, and from
such a practice of dispensing bounty as coils for the inter-
ference of the police. It is quite clear that siumben of ills-
poston are on the look out for the ovirflowings of so ge-
nerous a heart as the officers of the Mendicity Sxiety, to
whose exertions we owe ao much, testify, and any one who
looks into the newspepen must seo the necessity of stopping
the odious mode of raising money by tales of fictitious
distress.

ilfrilolly.thanked the Lord Mayor with a smile, but
quitted the Justice-room apparently in the humour to make
a further distribution of his bounty.
The women were discharged.
Jane Mooney, a county Cork woman, was brought before
Alderman Challis charged with having stolen *child, the
son of Catherine Margaret Toohy, and else a native of the
south of Ireland.

Mn. Toohy, who wee greatly agitated during the exa-
mination, said—l beheld the prisoner WI this day,
when I saw her in Heneage-lane with • child in her
arms begging. She was sitting on the step of • hall
door, and I had my daughter with me, • girl about
8 yeasts old, who identified the woman as the person who
had stolen her brother, and identified my baby at the same
. .

Alderman Challis (to the proseentrix)—Are you sure that
the child in the arms of the prisoner is your child ?
Mrs. Toohy—l am. On the 18th of last February, I lost
my little boy, siho was then three maths old, in Devon
shire-equare. My daughter had the child with her when
this woman came up to her and penntaded her to go to
make purchases of tea sad sugar in the neighbourhood, and
to leave the baby which she promised to bring booze to me
in her ears.

The demihter of Mrs. Tooby said—l took out my little
broths, es the 16th of February in Devonshire-square.
The primer emu up to me, dressed in a plaid shawl, like
what she hes on sow, but cleaner, and she Nisi ass to go
sad boy halt am owe et tee, a quartet of a pm& danger,
and a half pseud of batter, all of which I was he UM to say
mother's hoses, when she would meet me with the baby.
I never saw her since till my nether and I met her begging
with my little brother in her arms.
Mn. 'rooky—My daughter pointed out the woman to
me, and I knew my child at once. The prisoner hid put a
hairier upon him, no doubt to prevent any one from sus-
pecting that it wu the stolen boy.
In answer to a question, the daughter of the prosecutris
mid—The child in the woman's arms wu the linage of my
little brother. I believe be is the boy that waa stolen
from ma.

The prisoner said the child wee her owe, and had been
born in Bendon-road, and baptised in Cereyatreet Chapel,
in the city of Cork. She had come over with her baby
about five months ago, and she could prove that it belonged
to ber, and to no other woman in the world.
Aldermen Challis said he wee certainly placed in a very
great difficulty, from which, however, he trusted the vigi-
lant inquiries of the police would in a short time relieve
him. There were circumstances in the case which would
fully justify him in remanding it.
The eau was accordingly remanded.

BOW-STREET.
Wm. Clout and Wnt. Dosodiref, labourers, were charged
with stealing a quantity of stationery and printed papers
from the War-olfice ; and Mr. Wm. C. Russel!, e
monger, of 24, York-street, Westminster, and Mr. John
Lea, of 22, Palace-street, Pimlico, a retired tradesman,
were charged as receivers of the stolen property.
It was proved that on Monday last the primmer John
Ladd, who is an elderly man, waited upon Mr. T. Charles,
fishmonger, of 9, Arabella-road, Pimlico, and requested
ban to purchase about half a hundred weight of waste
paper, • sample of which ho produced. Mr. agreed
to give threepence per pound for it, and the neat day the
paper was brought to his shop by Ladd, weighed and paid
for, the amount being its. 9d. On looking, subsequently,
at the quantity purchased, Mr. Charles found it to include
a ambler of printed blank forms, for entering accounts of
lessee reesived at the military prisons, with separate head-
ings ha "Jackets." " trousers," /Lc. and he also observed
that tzsre dated Juan, Ili& This areemsteace
to call at the ales of thelpmerearat eta-
tiner, sad leave a few of the maples dia ble in
Mee there might have been mete a ef the
Mesh at the public oases. He stated be bed
never had any similar business treametiees with r. Laid
previously, he had known hiss for many years as a re-
spectable tradesman in the parish, and as a person ensue
=kinetics in the neighbourhood since his retirement from
Mr. Henry inquired if the witness had ever known Mr.
Ladd as a dealer in waste paper ?
Mr. Charles—Certainly not; but if the paper bad been of
the ordinary kind I should not have entertained any sus-
mem the subject.
dregarit Prichard, of the divide's who had traced
.Itmt lead of the paper in question, deposed that be
Laid at lace private residence, and cm telling
hhiiii 110-77--elierge wawa him, he mid, " I shall be able to
genre my immease." Lis IMa madaeted witms to the
ship ei the elm rimer (Mr. liereell) in York-street,
WeseminamEr wheat be mid, MWe have come about
this pram These is ee.sambiag wmag in it, sad lem in
seetaly." Bum/ sad, It is a men eztraordinary thim,"
and at the some time Mewed ukase a quantity of Mader
paper in hie shag, whisk be said he had purchased from
time to time a Me vielmen argiered at the Hone-
guards. He mid he mold exonerate Mr. Ladd sad him-
self hem ey iiieredit in the reatter by at once taking
witness le she men who had sold kin the papappeer. They all
proemial te the police station, and Ylmwards witness and
DEr. Hem" emempanieds=liseet Robinson, a gentle-
man ensgielei a dr ent at the War-
elks, mat te the ilemeguesde te 111272:r&0ut and Dowd-
were employed there ss labourers. Mr. Bussell
eat Cleat as one of the parties who sold him the
waste paper, and Cleat at once admitted the fact. Dowd-
ing, however, who was found subsequently, mid that ha
knew nothing about it.

Crosoesamined by Ladd—l admit having previously
called et your house, and asked if you had any waste paper
to dispose of. You said you were cleared out, having sold
your last lot to Mr. Charles, the fishmonger, but that you
could get me some by the neat afternoon. I said I should
like to see • sample of it, but you stated that you had none
left. I did not toll you that I was a cheesentonger, or a
dealer in eggs.
Both the poisoners (Ladd and Bussell) complained that
the witness was " shaping " the case, leaving out much that
was favourable to them.

Mr. Henry—lt u not material in what capacity the wit-
ness introduced himself originally for the purpose of in-
quiry.
Mr. Scott Robinson, superintending clerk in the sta-
tionery department of the War-office, identified from the
bulk of papers produced a number of printed forms, pen-
sioners' monthly receipts, store iecounts, ac., which he he-
listed to have been stolen from the office. Most of thrift
were new, and in use ; othen were old forms, such as r, -
toted to the militia, and useless ; but even these were never
given away as perquisites, or allowed to be sold as waste
paper, hut returned to the office of the government sta
tinter to he " pulped." Among the parcels produced there
were old copies of the Mutiny Act, with the marble coven
torn off ; also copies of the regulations for the management
of army hospitals, which were still useful, old circulars,
letters !to Wham had known Cleat and Dowding ri

having been employed by the Board eit Works for come
months past in removing p apers, &e., from the departmetrs
during the late alterations.
Dowding said—Clout and I hare been working in the
government store-rand for eight months. One of the rms.
eengers at the War-oftloe, named Gill, asked me one
morning to go and du a little business for him, and lie en-
gaged me to sell s rtio waste p.por for him. Ile said tin•
he had chin got 20 a pound for it, and no duabt I could
get the same, as they were all clean. I said it was nut
much in my way, but Clout and I sold the paper for him,
and paid him the money. He gave me sixpence for my
trouble. lie wanted me to cell some almanac frames also,
but I said I did not know anybody in the business. I sold
papers to Mr. Strange, corner of Queen•aqoare, end many
others besides Mr. iluasell ; fur the messenger said they
were his property, and of course I did not know anything
to the contrary.
Clout mid—lt is true what Dowding has said, but we
have also sold some of it on our own account. We sold a
quantity fur Gill, the messenger; but afterward., when we
saw loads of the paper lying about and spoiling, we thought
it was no use, and that we had as much right to sell it as
Gill had. Gill said it was all waste paper, and I thought
it was so.

Buren said—Mr. Ladd has been anisting me lately, and
having more of this paper than I wanted I gave him a
quantity to dispose of if he liked. I supposed it had been
given to the workmen as waste, and I gave them the full
value for it as I conceived. Directly 1 heard of these in-
quiries I gave all the information I could upon the subject.
Neither Mn. Ladd nor myself had the slightest suspicion
that it had been obtained dishonestly. I have repeatedly
purchased parliamentary papers before, and know it to be
common in the trade.

Mr. Henry—l'arliamentary papers are very different. I
will ask Mr. Charles if it is usual to purchase papers of
this sort 1

Mr. Charles—lf any ono took the pains to examine them
it would be seen that they wore not of the kind commonly
sold as waste paper, and for th►t reason I made inquiries
myself.
Mr. henry said there must be further inquiry made.
Clout and Dowding were liable to be indicted as having
stolen this property, and the messenger wu also liable it
what they had stated wu correct. The ease must be re-
manded for a week.

Ladd and Batson were allowed bail, but, as the case did
not terminate till fire, the court roes before the sureties
could be procured.

WORSHIP-STREET.
William Liss, a young man of dissipated appearance,
was charged before Mr. D'Eyncourt with having violently
assaulted and serioudy injured his father, an infirm and
elderly man, carrying on business as a coal merchant in
Olobe-road, Mile.end.
The complainant, who was painfully affected while
giving his evidence, stated that the prisoner resided in his
house, but that, in consequence of his violent temper and
depraved habits, he wee a complete terror to the family, and
bad only been recently released from prison, to which lie
had been committed for a brutal assault upon his mother.
On the preceding afternoon the prisoner, after conducting
himself with outrageous violence, absented himself from
home, but returned back in the evening in a state of partial
intoxication, and, advancing towards the table where wit-
ness and his wile were sitting at supper, caught up a joint
of meat in his hands, and began ravenously devouring it.
On being expostulated with by his mother upon such un-
seemly behaviour, he knocked her out of her dish' by stet.
rible blow in the face, and on witness hastening to her
assistance ho was also knocked down by the prisoner,
who renewed the attack as he lay upon the floor,
and dealt him several severe kicks on the lower part of his
person, from the effects of which he was scarcely able to
stand, and had been ever since in a state of extreme suf-
fering. The prisoner then attempted to escape from the
house, hut was intercepted by some of the neighbours,
whose attentieu had been attracted by the uproar, and who
gave him into custody.
The complainant exhibited the shirt he had worn at the
time, which was torn and stained with blood in several
places ; and he stated, in answer to questions from the ma•
gistrate, that his wife was still suffering so severely from
the vioience of the prisoner, that she was confined to her
bed, and was wholly unable to come forward in support of
the charge.
On being called upon for his answer to the charge, the
prisoner sullenly answered that be did not wish to say any
Mr. D'Eyncourt strongly animadverted upon the brutal
and unnatural conduct of the prisoner, and ordered him to
pay a penalty of 51. or to be committed, in default, for two
months to the House of Correction.
WESTMINSTER.
Wi/lions Lsussby, described as a smith, was charged with
being drunk and committing tho following brutal assault
upon Mary Wright.
The complainant, a respectable looking girl, about 19
years of age, residing at Kintes-head.terrace, Westminster,
stated that on the previous evening she went with a jug to
fetch her supper beer at a public house neer her own resi-
dence, and while being served the defendant asked her to
treat him to a can of beer ; she of course declined, upon
which he struck her a violent blow across the face. She
ran out of the house to escape his brutality, when be fol.
lowed, struck her throe other severe blow, knocked her
down, and then kicked her iu the most brutal manner.
Mr. Broderip inquired whether she knew anything of the
accused ?

Prosecutria replied that she had seen him once or twice
in the neighbourhood she believed, but in every other re-
spect he was a perfect stranger to her.
Defendant alleged in his defence that the complainant
had slapped his face, which she positively denied.
Mr. Broderip inquired whether she wished to prosecute
the defendant at the sessions, or would prefer his dealing
with the matter summarily ?
Complainant preferred the latter.
Mr. Broderip said that the assault was of a most unmanly
and unprovoked character, and convicted the defendant in
the full penalty of .51., or two months' imprisonment in
default.

THAMES.
Nat Aim Nichokst, a constable of the H division, No. 36,
was charged with improper excess in the execution of his
duty.
Angel Harris, a lad in the employ of a person named
Solomon', of 43, Ratcliffe Highway, said that on Wednes-
day lest a young man, a sailor, purchased numerous articles
from him, amounting to 16s. when, having tendered the
change of a sovereign, the sailor refused to ratify the bar-
gain, and wanted his money back, which was refused. The
sailor then brought is a constable, the man at the bar, who
shoved witness down, and took from hint 20 shillings and
2 halfpence, and threw the coppers on the Boor.
For the defence, Peter Hollywood, of the ship Myrtle, of
Salcombe, said that the complainant forced him into the
shop, and asked him to buy something. He replied that he
had furnished himself with what he wanted already, when
the chap tauntingly observed, " Then you have no money."
To disprove this assertion„ witness showed six sovereigns,
one of which the lad Harris snatched from his hand, and
running out, as he said for change, returned and proffered
him five shillings and an old jacket, which he refused, on
which the constable's interference was called for.
Burns, 82, proved that the boy, when threatened, placed
the money at once into the hands of the other constable,
Nicholas.

Mr. Yardley could not help °burying, from the manner
in which the boy gave his evidence, that his story had
been a made up one, and he would also say that the con-
stable had exercised a creditable discretion. His (the ma-
gistrate's) experience had proved to him that these out-
fitters, u they called themselves, were too fond of snatching
at eutorners ; and had the boy been brought before him
for that offence, he would have probably been sent for trial.
Solomon/ (impudently)—Why should not my boy then
be taken into custody ?
Mr. Yardley—His friends ahould be well pleased that
he was not.

Solomon, then attempted to press hie ♦iew of the ease,
when

Mr. Yardley said—l have heard all that can be said on
the subject, and shall not argue the case with you, air. I
can only say that the constable has acted most discreetly,
and the case is dismissed.

Solomon' still persevered, and said that he had only
made the charge for the sake of general protection from the
police, who frequently interfered with him in his business.
If a person bought articles in tho City of London, they
would nut get money returned to them.
Mr.Yardley—l'very much doubt if any reapectabletrades-
man in the Cityof London would give occasion for such •
charge as this. I have only to say this, that yoar practice
does not appear to be the moat respectable.

HAMMERSMITH.
Albert Dorking, police constable, No. 28.5, T division,
appeared before Mir. fleadon to answer an adjourned sum-
mons, charging him with having seriously aasaulted John
Quin, a labourer, by striking him over the left elbow with
his staff without any just provocation.
From the evidence of the witnesses in support of the
charge it appeared that on Sunday night, the Bth inst., the
complainant and a number of his friends had been spending
the evening at the Marquis of Granby publie-house in
Kensington, and on their return home about 12 o'clock
they stopped at the Gloucester Arms, in the Victoria-road,
where they partook of some beer outside the house. They
then walked together a abort distance, and Quin wu about
to bid his friends (the Sweeneys) good night, when Mn.
Sweeney said that she had dropped her shawl, and that
some person had picked it up, and hail ran into the
Gloucester Arms. They returned, and met the defendant,
who was on date. The complainant acquainted him with
what had occurred, and the constable knocked at the door
of the public-house, which had by this time closed. He re-
ceived no answer alter knocking several times, and he pro-
mised the female that he would inquire about it in the
morning. Quin was about walking away for a n. eraser,
purpose when the defendant called him back, and said he
and his companion (a young man named Gorman) were the
thieves. The complainant said the defendant looked more
like a thief than a horse, and at the same time celled him
a fool. The defendant then pushed the complainant, and
before he could recover himself the constable drew his
staff; and struck him a violent blow upon the arm.
For the defence it was urged that the defendant heard •
great disturbence in the street, and upoi going up found
Quin knocking violently at the door of the public-house.
Ile requested him to desist, which he refused, and, upon
telling him that he should take him into custody fur creating
a disturbance, he put himself in a fighting attitude and at.
tempted to strike the constable. The defendant cautioned
him, and the complainant then took off hie coat and offered
to fight. The defendant told him that if he struck him ho
should staid in his own defence. The complainant then
struck at him and also attempted to kick him. The con-
stable drew his staff and held it up to ward off the blows,
but he did not strike him with it. The complainant then
made several attempts to butt at the constable, and his corn-
' planks, Gorman, persuaded him to desist. He refused, and

on one occasion Gorman caugtit hold of him, :'ut he forced
himself from hid arms sod attempted to strike VIIP constable.
Another constable c.ime to the a-instance of the defindant,
and the complainant was taken into cust.idy. They pro-
c.o.d.' a short distance abs is the Akers /ward screams of
Laurier, and Gum an offering to take the complainant
home they releres d him, and went to tlio sp rt *Len, they
had heard the scrams, and found the is itifrss Sweeney
and his wile quarrelling. It was also stated that the com-
plainant and his friends appeared to be intoxicated.
Mr. Meadon said it was quite clear that the complainant
had received a blow upon the urns with the staff, as it was
quite impossible that he could run against it and receive
the injury. The matter had molved itself into two ques-
tions—first, what right had the constable to draw his staff,
when he only hail one man to grapple with, it being stated
in the defence that his companion attempted to take him
away ? and, secondly, whet right hat the defendiust to re-
lease the complainant after he bad taken him into custody,
and more particularly after the staff had been used I
Mr. Martia said he was aware that the instructions of
the Police Commissioners were that the staff should only
be used where necessary fur sell-defence. Ile contended
that the fact of the complainant taking ulf his coat, putting
himself in a fighting attitude, and attempting to kick hint,
was a sufficient can-e for him to draw his staff in self-de-
fence. The defendant had borne a g..od character in the
force, and it was nut likely ha would use his staff without
any provocation. With respect to the defendant releasing
the complainant from custody, there was no doubt an error
of judgment on his part.
Mr. 13eadon observed that the constable had no business
to let the man go after the staff bud been used, and it was
impossible that he could get out of that serape with the

Mr. Martin said the defendant handed in at the station
the next morning a report of what had occurred.
Mr. Beadon inquired If such& report appeared in the police
books ?

Inspector Huill said there did not, and added that if a
report had bun handed in in the morning, it would nn
doubt have appeared in the book.
The defeadant said ho gave the report to the sergeant on
duty, and he had not said anything about it not In ing en-
tered as he wished to screen the sergeant.
Mr. Beadon distend Inspector Ilavill to make some in-
quiries about the matter, and said if the defendant's state•
ment was true, the sergeant ought to be severely repri-
manded. In the present cue he should not think of im-
posing any penalty upon the defendant after the discre-
pancies that appeared in the evidence, but ho would state
that the constable had been guilty ol great indiscretion in
releasing the complainant after he had taken him into cus-
tody when ha had used his staff. lie dismissed the sum-
mons.