The Express.
London, England, 1867-01-30 00:00:00

THE POLICE coußTa

BOW-STREET.

John Bird Ron4.otimin, artist, And ;Valiant .Stebt..l9,
labourer, were charged with creating a disturbance in
Cecil-street, Strand, and forcibly entering the house 1`0.5,
in that street, and wilfully damaging certain furniture the
property of William Ackrell, a police-sergeant of the F

Aekrell stated that he bad been placed in posseudon of
the house in question by Mr. Nicholson, agent to the Mar-
quis of Salisbury, the owner of the property. On Monday
the prisoner Rowbotham, who claims to be entitled to
possession of the premises, came to the door, accom-
panied by a number of men, one of whom was the pei.
soner Stebbing. Witness was at the upper park of
the house, when he heard a loud knocking at
the door. He went down to open it, but found he
could not do so, in consequence of the pressure of
two chisels which had been thrust between the door
and the jamb in order to prize it open. Ile called to the
persons outside not to force the door, as he would open it.
They desisted, and he opened the door. The prisoner and
some others, including the two who were armed with the
chisels, pushed in, Rowbotham seizing himby the collar,
and holding him while they went by. One man had an
axe, with which he forced the window open, and got in
that way. They then proceeded to destroy the furniture,
which was his (Ackrell's) property, incited by Itowbotham
and another man not in custody, both of whom exclaimed,
"Smash his furniture, I will be responsible." A wild
some of riot followed, attracting a crowd of about 100
people.
Partly in crow-examination by Rowbotham and partly
in answer to Mr. Vaughan, Ackrell stated that the key
of the house was brought to him at the station-house
by the prisoner Rowbotham in October. Rowbotham
asked him to take possession of the house, but he de-
clined to do so till he made inquiries as to the ownership.
He inquired at Mr. Nicholson's office, and was informed
that that gentleman claimed possession. A few days ago
Mr. Nicholson asked him to take possession. He did so,
and moved his goods in.
Mr. Vaughan asked if it was usual for the police to take
possession of houses in this way.
Ackrell said it was, but they always made inquiries first
ns to the right to possession on the part of the persons em-
ploying them.
At the request of Rowbotham the prisoners were re-
manded to give time for the attendance of his solicitor,
who, he said, would establish his title.

Charles fi'indlturst, a publican, • all also remanded,
charged with taking part in the disturbance.
They were admitted to bail in two euretim each of 501.,
and their own recognisances of 1001.

WORSHIP-STREET.

Eliusbeth ,11'Donali,561,vra;;Intried with stealing a
gold and diamond ring, value 481., and Arthur X'Donald,
her husband, was subsequently charged with being con-
cerned in that stealing.
A young woman, who represented herself an the wife of a
tradesman in Watson-place, Kingsland-road, stated that
the prisoners lodged in her house, that on the 25th inst.,
after returning from a walk with Mn. M'Donald, she went
into that person's room, when she placed her purse on a
table. Hearing a knock at the door she left to open it,
and on re-entering missed the mane. Mrs. M'Donald was
still there, but denied all knowledge of the article. Her
husband came in at the same instant. To him she said
something in a low tone, and subsequently he went down-
stairs. It instantly occurred to her mind that Mrs.
14'Donalil had taken the puree and given it to her husband,
well knowing what it contained.
Mr. Elliaon here asked—And what did it contain?
Prosecutrix—A gold diamond ring, worth 481.
Mr. Ellison—What is your husband?
l'rosecutrix—A general dealer. I had not long taken the
ring from my finger.
Mr. Ellison—A general dealer. And are you in the habit
of walking about with a ring of that value?
Prosecu trix —Yes.

(Several other rings of value, apparently little lea,
might have been seen by the magistrate on the hands of
witness).
Mr. Ellison—H►ve you seen the ring since?
Prosecutrix —I h►ve not. The loss so upset me that the
doctor came. I afterwards found the purse without the
ring in the kitchen lying on the door. I had not been
downstairs.

The male prisoner here cross-examined—Were you ever
convicted?
Prosecutrix—Me ? No.
M'Donald—l can prove that you have been, and more
than once. Were you ever in prison ?
Prosecutrix—Me ? No.
WDonald—Are you married to Gayton ?
Proascutrix—Certainly.
Dl'Donald—Ah, but you ain't.
A medical gentleman came forward and stated that he
found Mrs. Gaylen in a fearful state from excitement.
The male prisoner was having words with his wife about
some money that he had dropped and could not find, as be
asserted, but which was considered a ruse. He wanted to
leave the house. He (witness) objected. Mrs. Layton
afterwards found the purse, but did not look in if. The
male prisoner was then allowed to leave. Shortly after-
wards prosecutrix opened the purse, and discovered her
loan. She boldly accused the female prisoner of having
stolen it and given it to her husband.
The male prisoner denied his guilt, and it is in bis
favour that he asked the doctor to search him before he
left the house, which, however, was declined, it not being
any part of that gentleman's practice ; but it is not in his
favour that Herbert Reeves, warder of the Coldbath-fields
Prison, identified him as having been about a dozen times
there for petty offences.
Both prisoner stand remanded.

THE CHARGE AGAINST A PARISH SURGEON.

At a meeting of the Board of Guardian, of
Bethnal-green yesterday, Mr. Collins in the chair, Dr. J.
E. hlassingbani attended, pursuant to a resolution of the
board, passed on Friday last, to the effect that he should
be required either to agree to send a properly qualified
assistant to all future cases which he might be unable to
attend to personally, or else to send in his resignation. The
chairman, addressing Dr. Massingham, said that the
object of the board was to have • right understanding with
respect to a statement of his (the doctor's) when be was
before the board relative to the case of Mrs. Ferry,
namely, that he could if he thought fit send his apprentice
to attend cases. That expression of opinion had much in-
fluenced the board, and it was hoped that he had now
ascertained that he possessed no power to do anything of
the kind, and that he would retract what he had
said. Dr. Massingham said that he learnt by the
letter of the Poor-law Board that he was wrong in
his opinion, and he therefore withdrew what he said.
The chairman said be was very glad to find that Dr.
Mai/Ingham had retracted his error, but he would im-
press upon him that the board would never sanction his
sending his son to attend the patients. In ease of illness,
and when he could not attend personally, he must send
a properly-qualified medical man as his substitute. The
board hoped he would attend to this regulation, and would
give his best attention to the poor entrusted to his care.
Dr. Massingham, who said he bad no remark to make, said
that he was in error with regard to the point, but did not
know it till he received the communication from the Poor-
law Board. Dr. Massingham then withdrew. Mr. Engle-
burtt moved that Dr. Lane, who had been discharging the
duties of Dr. Massingham's district during the lenses
suspension, should receive • week's notice that his
services were no longer required, and that at the end of
that period Dr. Massingham should resume his duties.
This motion was carried, as was also a vote of thanks to
Dr. Lane for the ready manner iu which he had under-
taken the duties of the district. Subsequently • deputa-
tion from a meeting held the previous evening, and con-
sisting of Mr. Furness, the foreman of the jury in the ease
of Mrs. Ferry, and some twelve other ratepayers, waited
on the bosrd, to urge them to press upon the Poor-law
Board the expediency of reconsidering their decision in the
case, and prevent the reinstatement of Dr. Ma/Bingham.
They referred to various parts of the evidence in support
of their opinion that Dr. Massingham was unfit to bold
his office, and they stated that other cases of neglect on
his part could be adduced. The chairman informed the
deputation that Dr. Massingham had been already rein-
stated. The board of guardians had done all they could in
the matter. The Poor-law Board had since gone care-
fully over it, and the guardians could not now reopen it.
The complaint he might say was the first that bad been
made against Dr. Masetogham to the board since he held
his office. Mr. Hall said that the general feeling was that
the guardians had acted very properly in the matter, but
that they had not been properly supported by the Poor.
law Board. It appeared the meeting had been held too
Lae, and he had now oily to thank the guardians on the
part of the meeting for what they had done in the matter.
The deputation then withdrew.

ADMISSION OF SOLICITORS.—The Master of the
Rolls has appointed Thursday for the admission of solici-
tors. To-day, all documents necessary for such admission
must be lodged.
THE WAGES DISPUTE IN THE IRON TRADE.—The
strike among the ironworkers, which up to Saturday
night seemed imminent in the Wednesbury and West
Bromwich district, has happily been averted, and • satis-
factory and amicable settlement of the wages dispute has
been arrived at. At • meeting of the Wednesbury
puddlers on Monday, it wee determined to allow work
to be resumed at the reduced scale at the fol-
lowing places, viz., the Patent Shaft Works
(with Messes. Lloyd, Foster and Co.'s), Messn. Repairs
Imperial Works, and Messrs. Lloyd's, King's
-hill. The
puddler, at Mr. Marshall's, Monway Works, had previ-
ously come to an independent arrangement with their ern-
, ployers. Yesterday (Tuesday) a general meeting of the
puddler* of the West Bromwich and Wednesbury district
was held at the Camp-street Schoolroom at the latter
place, and it was then unanimously decided, after • long
discussion, to allow the men at twenty-one other works in
the district, which were not affected by Monday's resolu-
tion, to commence work at the drop. Work will there-
fore be resumed (except at one of Messrs. Bagnall's works,
where a breakage has occurred) throughout the district
either to-day or to-morrow.
THE SUPPLY OF WATER TO THE METROPOLIS,
&c.—The Royal Commissioners appointed to inquire into
the supply of water to the metropolis, ho., have appointed
Mr. Arthur Lennox, secretary.