The Press.
London, England, 1854-09-16 00:00:00

Sad anla Volitt.

INSULTING OFFICERS OF THE 46TH.—On Monday,
at the Town-hall, Windsor, a lad named Thomas
Simms was charged with insulting Major Maxwell
and Adjutant M'Alester, of the 48th Regiment. The
magistrates' chamber was crowded, as also were the
ante•room, the staircase, and the passages leading
to the hall. Mr. Voules defended :

Major Maxwell deposed as follows: Yesterday afternoon l was
in the High-street with Mr. M'Alester. I heard the words,
" Ton don't recollect, do you?" Mr. M'Alester turned round
immediately; so did I. I saw a civilian run off at once, down
the street. Mr. M'Alester called to an orderly who was behind
us to catch him. This was done; he was brought back, and
handed over to the police. I may as well state that my object
is not to have the lad punished ; but I and other officers have
been so frequently insulted in this way of late by lads that I
thought this was a good opportunity of showing that such in-
sults could not be offered with impunity.
Mr. ''ours said he was very much obliged to Major Maxwell,
inasmuch as it rendered any defence of his client unnecessary.
The offence charged was no offence in law; but he must say
that whatever might have occurred in another place was nothing
now, and gentlemen in the position of the complainants ought
not to be annoyed.
The Mayor said it was perfectly clear that tbe charge,
as stated by Major Maxwell, constituted no offence
in law. The words used by the defendant might or
might not apply to recent transactions, and the
defendant must be discharged. He would add, how-
ever, that the magistrates would be most happy to
put a stop to any annoyance which might be offered
to the officers or soldiers in garrison ; and be had
already given strict orders to the police that if any
disturbance arose to take the parties into custody.
ANNE PARKER, a married woman, was charged at
the Marylebone Police Court on Tuesday with en-
deavouring to destroy her two children in the Regent's
Canal. She was accompanied by her offspring, who
stood on either side of her. It was evident, from
their manner, that they had been well brought up,
while they exhibited the most sincere affection for
their unfortunate parent, which was plainly recipro-
cated by her. She stated that she came from Plais-
tow, in Essex; that her husband had repeatedly
deserted and ill-used her; and that she had made
the attempt through trouble of mind. It was her
intention to have destroyed herself as soon as she
had finished with the children. Mr. Long, observing
that he would send her to a place where he hoped
the advice of the chaplain would bring her to a sense
of her guilt, committed her for trial. The prisoner,
on parting from her children, kissed them affection-
ately. She remarked to them that they would soon
be separated, when they would never see her any
more. She urged them to say their prayers, and
told them to inform their father what had been her
instructions to them.

A MENDICANT FRIAR OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.
An occurrence almost, it' not quite, unprecedented
took place on Monday, in the apprehension of a cler-
gyman of the Anglican Church for begging and va-
grancy. The name of the clerical mendicant is the
Rev. Henry Herring, formerly curate of North Pick-
enham, Norfolk. The charge was made before the
Norwich magistrates. Sowter, one of the Norwich
police, stated that on Sunday morning, as the con-
gregation were leaving the cathedral, he saw the pri-
soner standing in front of the great west door with
the following placard suspended in front of him:—
"The Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should
live of the Gospel." The Church of England withholds from
me the justice of that tribunal which the civil law grants to the
common murderer! Such is the spirit of that Church which,
professedly, invites the prodigal to repentance. I have spent
1,8001. in her service, and have been driven to pass three nights
in the streets of Norwich, and six nights in the lock-up (a hole
where there is only straw laid upon the stone Boor), solely for
the want of better and proper accommodation. The mayor and
magistrates have encouraged me to apply to every one that has
a heart to feel for the miseries of a fellow•creature. I earnestly
solicit the sympathy and charity of an enlightened public to
enable me to live day by day, and to defend myself from the ty-
ranny and persecution of the Bishop of Norwich.
" Norwich-street, Sept. 3. " HENRY HERRINO."
In reply to questions, the prisoner said he had been
. recommended by the mayor to appll to the bishop,
and his lordship having refused to aid him, he had
exposed the placard for the purpose of attracting the

THE PRESS.

sympathy of the public. Mr. English, chief con-
stable of the Norwich police, said he had obtained
the prisoner a situation as usher to a school in York-
shire, and his friends would have fitted him out with
clothes, but he refused to avail himself of the oppor-
tunity. The prisoner, in reply, said the salary (121.
a year) was so small that he should not have been
able to live during the vacations. Mr. Palmer, one
of the sitting magistrates, said his conduct was most
disgraceful, and they must protect the bishop from
the annoyances to which he sought to subject him.
The prisoner had been guilty of an act of vagrancy,
and if he repeated the offence he ought to be sent to
the treadmill. Mr. Sultzer said he had also attempted
to bring scandal on the bishop and the Church with-
out any reason ; and, after some further discussion,
the prisoner was asked whether he was willing to
give an assurance that be would not repeat the of
fence. The reverend gentleman showed some reluc-
tance to give up his new profession, but ultimately
promised, and was discharged.
MORMONISM.—At. the Middlesex Sessions, Andrew
Hepburn was prosecuted on Wednesday for dis-
turbing wilfully and maliciously a congregation of
these religionists:—

It appears that, on the 15th of August, the defendant, a lec-
turer, entered the Mormonist cbaiuber while a Mr. Marsden was
preaching, and in a loud voice said, " What is the text ?' He
was requested to be quiet by Mr. Harrison, an elder, but he
would not, and again called out," What is the passage—what is
the Scripture?" When the police interposed and were about to
remove him, several persons interfered in his behalf. Mr. Mars-
den asked the deacon to call the police, as he could not proceed
with the discourse. The defendant had been annoying the Mor-
mons in this way for some months.

The trial brought out a long explanation of the Mor-
mon faith, in which it was stated that plurality of
wives—allowed by the sect in America—was for-
bidden in England. The defendant was found
Guilty, and ordered for the future to let the Mormons
alone, under a personal recognisance of 1001., with
two sureties of 201. each.

THE BURIAL SOCIETIES are again before the tri-
bunals. A poor woman applied at the Thames
Police-office, on Thursday, for relief against flagrant
injustice:—

The applicant said her mother, who had been a member of the
burial society for twenty years, died on Wednesday morning. As
her sole representative and next of kin she was entitled to the
sum of 91., and, upon making application to the secretary for
the money, he said he could only give her I/. and make a coffin
for her deceased mother. The reason assigned was the losses
of the society in the time of cholera and diarrhoea. It appears
there are two societies of the same name—" The Friend in
Need''—and each refers to the other all liabiliiies.

Mr. INotisa said that he had ascertained from his experience
as a magistrate that it was much easier to pay money to such
societies as this " Friend-in• Need " burial institution than to
get it back. Many persons had complained at that court that
they could obtain no money at all from the secretaries of the
two societies named after the death of their relatives who bad
been members, and were referred from one branch to the other
and back again. He would advise the applicant to take whatever
she could get, and not belong to any such Institution until she
made strict inquiries and ascertained whether it was solvent and
the secretary an honest man. The rules of the society contained
an arbitration clause.