The Express.
London, England, 1853-09-29 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURTS.

MANSION-HOUSE.

Edward Jones and Join James were charged before the
Lord Mayor with having uttered bad money. The defence
made by one of the prison( n caused some surprise.
Samuel Wood, a porter, who resoled in Chapel-street. Is-
lington, said, " I sometimes assist the waiter at the Vs bite
Swan public-house in Upper Thames-street, and amain that
house on Saturday night, 17th
-inst. at about 11 o'clock;
the prisoners came in together, and James called for a pint
of beer. I was then assisting the waiter and I took in the
pint of beer, and James paid me for it with a shilling,
which I took to the bar and got changed there. I then re•
turned and gave the chiege to JIMCP. Soon aPerwards the
same man called for half-11-quart, rn of gin. which I brought,
and at their desire put into the beer, and Jones banded me
a shilling to pay for it. I took the shilling to the bar as be-
fore, aid gave it to the barmaid, who said it was bad, and
handed it to the landlord, who agreed in e.pini .n with her '
and seat for a policeman, into whose hands the prisoners
were delivered.

Mr. &nutters, the owner of the White Swan, said—l
changed the first shilling which Wood brought to the bar
in payment of the pint of beer, and I put the shilling into
the till. Soon afterwards Wood came out again, asked for
half a quartern of gin, and gave the barmaid a shilling,
which she at once said was bad, and handed to me. She
then went to the till, and took out the shilling which I
had put in. There was no other shilling in the till, and she
saw that the only shilling there was a counterfeit.
The barmaid confirmed the evidence of the publican.
The policeman who took the prisoners into custody said
that he found in Jones's poshe,aion 41. 41d , and in James's
a halferown, a sixpence, and four pence in copper, all good
money.
The Lord 'Mayor asked whether any of the officers knew
either of the prisoners ? _

They were not recognised.
The Lord Mayor—Do the prisoners wish to say anything ?
Jones—l have nothing to say.
James—l have something to say, your lordship. I don't
believe in my own mind that either of the shillings we
gave was bad. I went into the public-house on the S►tor-
day night, and I called for 4 pint of beer, gave a shilling I a
payment, and had my change. Soon after this young man
said to me, " Would you like a drop of gin in the beer ? "
I said, " I don't mind," and so he called for the gin and
paid a shilling to the man who brought it in. They then
went out, called a policeman, and gave us into custody.
I am given to understand that there is a practice, both of
human and waiters, to keep counterfeit coin in their pos-
session, and when a stranger goes in and has ens thing to
drink, and pays for it, then they change the coin, and when
they are found cut by the master they say it is a stranger
in the bar or the tap-room that has given the bad money.
I em told that's the practice, ray lurch
The Lord Mayor said that he would send the case for the
de,•ivien of a jury, but he would accept rood bail for the
prisoner'. They were then semmitted for trial.

John Thoroughgood was charged before Alderman Salo-
mons with having beaten his wife, torn a large quantity
of hair from her bead, so as to leave the poor young crea-
ture half bald, and threatenei to destroy her altogether.
Louisa Thoroughgood, who appeared to be about 20 years
old, and had her baby in her arms, said—l am obliged to
come here for protection from my husband, who says he
means to kill me. We have been married three years, and'
I have been obliged to leave him three times, sod go into
service, on account of his cruel violence; but he never let
me rest till he got me back again. He gave me a black-eye
a week before my confinement, and when my baby was at
the breast he dragged the hair from my head. The com-
plainant here raised her bonnet, and exposed her heed, at
the appearance of which the alderman was evidently
shocked. Indeed, the contrast between the thick glossy
curls of one half, and the plucked bareom of the other
half of the skull, was such as to raise a strong feeling of
indignation against the brute at the bar.
Alderman Salomons—You say he has frequently beaten
you. Have you ever complained of him before ?
Complainant—Never, my lord, and I would not complain
of him now, but he solemnly swore that he would murder
me, and then I thought I could not delay any longer.
The defendant—l say the charge is false.
Alderman Salomons—What do you say about tearing
the hair from your wife's head ?
The defendant—The hair ? why she attacked me while I
was sitting in a chair, and her hair got entangled, and with
her own violence ehe pulled it out. Why, I have the marks
of her scratches. I merely defended myself.
Complainant—l did scratch his lace when be was drag-
gi•g my hair away hy the roots. I don't wish to hurt him,
Ood knows, and I aril say that there is not a better hus-
band when it is what I call right with him; but that is
now only from Sunday till Monday morning.
Alderman Salomon—What do you mean by what you
call right with him ? Does he get drunk ?
Complainant—l don't know how it is but he gets beside
himself. His employer is a wine merchant, and! believe
he is in the habit of taking more than he ought.
The defendant—The fact is she has been pecking at me
ever since this new law against cruel husbands has come
out, and she said she would
taste. _ . .

Alderman SAlornons—The object of the law is to punish
delinquency, and to make that punishment a lesson to
others. ft is not very likely that • young woman would
drag the hair out of her head because her husband wu
treating her in • brutal manner. This is a most serious
offence, and must be treated accordingly.
The defendant wu then sent to the House of Correction
to hard labour for the space of three months u an example
to other scalping drunkards.