The Express.
London, England, 1851-02-22 00:00:00

question.
Mr. William Barclay, surgeon-dentist, of Little Tower-
street, appeared as evidence for the defendant. Ile said
the defendant is a personal friend of mine, and lives in
George-lane, about 100 yards from the premises which were
on fire. I was with him upon the °erasion alluded to. Mr.
Gibbs, senior, his father, requested us to stay on the spot to
protect his premises. as he had property there. The crowd
was quiet. These officers hail been forcing the people back
and two or three young men jeered at the emnpluinant, who
appeared to be irritated. The defendant told the com-
plainant not to lose his temper, and the defendant then said,
*• I'll mark you," or words to that effect, and struck hint a
violent blow over the head with his truncheon. lam cer-
tain that the onkel' struck the defendant with all his force.
The complainant—That's quite false. If 1 had struck
him with all my force, he must have been severely injured.
Mr. Barclay—ln my opinion you struck him with your
whole force.
Mr. 11. Stevens Gibbs, father of the defendant, said—l
am a shipowner and insurance broker, and my address
is
No. 2, George-lane, Tower-street. My premises are in the
immediate neighbourhood of the fire, and I requested that
my son and Mr. Barclay would remain on the spot for the
protection of the property. I went home when I found
that the fire was declining, but I was surprised in a short
time with the intelligence that my son was injured by
a terrific blow from a policeman, and that he had been
dragged to the station-house through the water. I then
went and found him at the station-house. It was necessary
to bathe his temples with vinegar, and to make other sooth-
ing applications, so that the blow he received must have
been severe. A gentleman of the name of Simpson, who
was present at the time, said the outrage was the most
wanton he had ever seen.
The Lord Mayor—The case before me is one of conside-
rable difficulty. I well know what the police have to
encounter on emergencies of this kind: how bard
it is fur them to perform their duty amidst the terrible
bustle and confusion of a conflagration and, knowing that,
I am exceedingly unwilling to condemn the proceedings they
may consider necessary tube adopted for the preservation of
private property and the public peace. At the same time
I wish to impress upon them the necessity of being guided
by the principle of forbearance upon occasions of strong
excitement from whatever cause arising. I shall discharge
the defendant, and send the whole cast to the emmnissioner
to he investigated by him. Ido not say that the officer has
exceeded his duty; but I certainly consider that he is
I bound, for the sake of his own character, to convince the
commissioner that he has not done so. and I consider too
that it is due to the defendant that he should have the full
opportunity of showing that the officer had acted unjustifi-
ably.
Ihe ease will, it is presumed, immediately undergo
investigation before Mr B. W. Harvey, the commissioner
of the City police.
A PROPERSIONAL IdeNnicarrr.—Sarah Mahony, a well
known beggar, who has lately come from America, and
uses crutches in the day, but manages to do without them
when she is not observed by the police, was brought up,
charged with having endeavoured to impose upon the re-
lieving officer of the City of London Union. She called,
it was proved, at the house in Northumberland-alley, and
asked for relief, declaring that she had not a farthing in
the world ; but suspicion having been entertained of her
sincerity, the female searcher of the Union went to work
and found silver in the finger of one of her gloves, and
halfpence concealed about her person in various parts of her
dress. She was also proved to base a little before deceived
other officers of the union.
The defendant said she had brought the money from
America, where she had .eft the hotly of her husband, who
bad made her promise to convey it safe to Ireland, where
she expected to go one of these days.
'the Lord Mayor—l think the sooner you go the better,
and I shall send you to prison for fourteen days, and then
ship you for your native country.
Delendant—You can't do that your lordship, I am not
able to go. I can't walk except upon crutches.
The Lord Mayor—Oh, yes. I'll send you away after you
shall have left Bridewell. You can take your crutches
with you, but you won't want them to carry you.
Defendant —'l'hey told me in America that;as my husband
was is citizen of London, I had ny parish hen`, and I don't
want to go, and I are sure I won't go. (Laughter.)
The Lord Mayor—You shall go on board the moment
you are discharged.
The defendant was then moving down stairs, but his lord-
ship rolled her back and told her she had already forgotten
her crutches, upon which she took them up, but seemed no
longer to be in the least need of them.

DAILY WEATHER TABLE.
- -
SATURDAY, FEN. 22, 113.519
The State of the Weather at each of the following plows at
Nine o'clock yesterday morning. The stations are
arranged in order of latitude.

Name of MOO.

Coursed , Strength of
With. 1 Waal.

Stateot Weather.