The Express.
London, England, 1853-08-10 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURI'S.

BOW-STREET.
Mr. Shaw, of Duchess-street, Portland-place, appeared
to a summons charging him with having paid • cabman,
named Hall, sixpence less than his legal fare.
The fare paid was a shilling, and the distance was not
in dispute ; but the complainant claimed an additional six-
pence for waiting a quarter of an hour at the door of No. 9,
Hart-street. The defendant stated that the stoppage did
not exceed ten minutes, and called a livery servant to con-
firm his opinion, at the saw, time admitting that he did
not look at his watch, and only guessed at the time. The
complainant swore that ho looked at the clock in front of
St. George's Church, Bloomsbury, directly after he stopped,
and again when he started, as he had occasion to get off
his box and feed his horse during the interim. In answer
to this the defendant declared that the cabman had uttered
a falsehood, far it was impossible for him to have seen the
clock of St. George's within a hundred yards of the spot
where he alighted. Upon this point the summons was
adjourned for the ocular satisfaction of the magistrate.
Mr. Jardine now saidthat he had since had an opportunity
off testing the assertion of the cabman, for, happening to be
in Hart-street, he found that he could Fee the clock perfectly
well from No. 11, which was the next house but one ; and
it was quite reasonable to suppose that the complainant,
while engaged in attending upon his horse, should step a
little one on side to ascertain the time. He (Mr. Jardine)
WAS afraid that the new act would give rise to a great many
complaints of this kind for people who, like the defendant,
did not look at their watches, were apt to forget how quick
was the Hight of time, whereas the cabman was sure to take
means to inform himself of the fact. As the cabman in the
present instance swore that he took cognisance of the time,
while Mr. Shaw admitted that he only spoke from his belief
upon the subject, he (Mr. Jardine) must direct the defend.
ant to pay the extra 6d., as well as the costs.
Mr. Shaw said it was quite clear if gentlemen were to be
4reated in this way it would become quite unsafe to take a
cab at all. The servant, who was now with his carriage at
the door of the court, would swear, with him, that the cab-
man could not have seen the clock within more than 50
yards of the house, and he (Mr. Shaw) was certain that
the man n looked at it at all, but merely employed it
as • subterfuge to prop up his false statement. Was not
his (Mr. Shaw's) word as good as the cabman's ? and yet
he had been compelled to attend two or three times at a
filthy court, wasting his valuable time upon • paltry matter
of this kind. Of course he was willing to pay the man what
be was entitled to.

The defendant then paid the 6d., with 41., the costs of
two summonses (the first not having been attended to), and
6s. for the cabman's time (three attendances); the total
amount being 10s. 6d.

Thomas Thompson, alias Browning, alias Spoor, was
brought before Mr. Jardine for further examination,
on the charge of attempting to obtain money by false pre-
tences from Lord Palmerston. _

It will be remembered that the case was proved by Mr.
Ralph Grey, the private secretary of the noble lord, who
was himself a victim of a similar fraud, by the same pri-
soner, in 1847, when the latter was convicted at Bow-street
and committed for throe months.

The postmaster at Woodford, Mr. Liddell, now attended
to prove that the prisoner had constantly received letters
addressed to him in various names, and containing moccy
or post.office orders.
Mr. Jardine, availing himself of an official return of the
prisoner's last conviction, at the Thames Police Court, re•
solved on sending the prisoner, as an incorrigible rogue and
vagabond, to the Surrey Sessions, where he will be liable to
a greater term of imprisonment, with additional punish-
ment of being whipped, if ordered by the court.
The prisoner, who treated the matter with the most per-
fect sang froid, occasionally even assisting the clerk, while
taking down the depositions, was committed for trial ac-
cordingly.
Ti11712.1.1/11116.1,3TVOIr•

Thomas Rourke, a man covered with filth and rags, was
charged under the following circumstances.
He was observed on Monday afternoon on Millbank
taking off his shoes, after which he suddenly plunged int
the Thames. It was the opinion of a gentleman who had
watched his movements however that he did not intend to
commit suicide, but rather to exete sympathy, and by his
wretched appearance to collect alms, for finding himself
alone in the water, and that no noble hearted individual was
at band to rescue him, ho held fast hold of a post until a
boatman extricated him. He was remanded.
MARLBOROUGH-STREET.
_ .

Philip Joltnso; ,afTireriner,Wilo;;;;;; is supposed to
be assumed, was brought up on a warnnt, in custody of
one of the warrant officers attached to this court, charged
with violently assaulting Madame Phillippa, who latterly
had been living with the prisoner as his wife.
Mr. Levien, solicitor, of 8, Symond's-inn, attended for
the complainant, who was in a most fearful and debilitated
state, in consequence of the ill usage of the prisoner
towards her some time previously, when in an advanced
state of pregnancy, stated that the prisoner, after having
squandered several hundred pounds of which she was pos-
sessed, forced her to prostitute herself for his support; and,
in consequence of her unwillingness to do so, commenced a
series of brutal attacks upon her, one of which was new
the subject of complaint, and was perpetrated on Sun-
day last. The prisoner returned home about six o'clock on
that morning, accompanied by a Pole, and, after demanding
money from the complainant, the proceeds of her previous
night's prostitution, which she could not comply with in
consequence of her having been too ill to quit her bed,
commenced beating her most unmercifully, and turned her
into the street, shutting the door upon her, almost in a state
of nudity, where she remained until the servant let her in.
The defence the prisoner set up was, that the complain-
ant bad beat him in a most violent manner, and knocked
him down ; but upon Mr. Lesion requesting her to show her
arms to the magistrate, the magistrate at once dibbelieved
the defence.
. _ _

Mr. Levien informed the magistrate that some time ago
the prisoner bad been committed from that oourt, by Mr.
Hardwick himself, for having possessed himself o f a gentle
man's great coat, containing letters, during the time that
the gentleman was in bed with the complainant, and mak-
ing this an attempt to obtain 101. from the owner of the
coat, under the threat of writing to parties named in the
lettere in case of refusal.

Mr. Hardwick remarked that it wu a most brutal and
savage assault as proved against the prisoner, and that the
poor woman was entitled to as much kindness and consi-
deration as if she was prisoner's wife ; that she had sup-
ported him in his idleness and vagrancy under circumstances
the most lamentable and deplorable ; that no man with 4
spark of humanity would treat a dog so ; and that ha (Mr.
Hardwick) would take care that it should not occur again
for some time to come. Mr. Hardwick then sentenced the
prisoner to six months, with hard labour, in the House of
Correction.