The Express.
London, England, 1858-03-16 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURTS.

MANSION-HOUSE.

Seery MastedreU, City police, 404, was summoned for an
alleged violation of duty.
Mr. F. D. Wrangham, warehouseman, of Wood-street
said—On the 6th inst. I was in front of the Post-office St.
Msrtin'a-le-Grand, about 20 minutes to four, and required to
have my boots cleaned. I looked to the left hand of the
steps and taw two boys in red cleaning boots. On the other
aide one boy in red was also similarly occupied, and in the road
(not on the pavement) was a boy, not in red, who had a box
in his hand, and who asked me if I called him, and he came
over to the steps of the Post-office. He put his box down
on the flags and had cleaned one boot and blacked the other,
when, without notice, defendant came up and kicked the box
from under toy foot with violence, and 1 believe it went into
the road. I remonstrated with the def. intent, but he refused
to allow the boy to complete the cleaning of my second boot.
Mr. Sharp, of Wood-street, corroborated this statement;
as did also,
William Connell, the boy referred to (not in a red coat).
but he at the Mlle time admitted that the policeman had
given him notice to go away, sad that the defendant had on
previous occasions cautioned him to go away from the items.
Mr. Wontner (for defendant) contended that the policeman
had judiciously performed his duty, in keeping away from
the privilege sanctioned boy who was not by the police.
T Lord Mayor said the defendant had only performed hie
duty. The poet-office authorities humanely permitted the
poor children of industrious parental to stand and work on
the steps, under the control of the police. By such permis-
sion many poor children were kept in honest and profitable
employment ; and it was in the power of any helpless boy
whose conduct was god to obtain the privilege, whish
was •reatublic benefit; but at the same time it was necee.
nary, especially in such a place, that those who enroyed it
should under the control of the police, as otherwise great
public inconvenience might be the result. The magistrates
and the police had full powers to place the boys under cer-
tain restrictions, and as the defendant had only properly
discharged his duty by enforcing those regulations in the
present instance the summons must be dismissed.
The complainant was not previously aware that any regu-
lations of the kind existed.

"-W.; lard Mayor .T.iiiiiOught to be generally known that
t►ey did exist, and that they were intended, by guarding
the public against the improper practices of those who used
shostlacking u a mere pretence for robbery, to give encou-
ragement to poor boys who were honestly and industriously

The ass wu then dismissed.
WORSHIP-STREET.

Bewjainin Smith, a dissipated looking young man, was
charged with wilful damage at the house of his father' a
gentleman connected with • large banking establishment in '
the City.
The prosecutor, whose evidence was given with much
reluctance, stated that his son who bad received •
liberal education, bad been in a position of life similar to his
own, but for a long time past had indulged in profligate
habits that had resulted in the loss of hie situation. Re
had married a young lady of respectability, by whom he bed
two children, and in consequence of • complaint from her
of his reckless and intemperate habits and personal vioMaee
winsome interfered for her protection. About that period de-
fendant was gives Into melody for an assault span
her, and was sentenced by the sitting magistrate at
this court to six months' imprisonment, which TM after-
wards commuted, at the urgent solicited= of hie wife, to
one-third of the term, when he returned hams, and iTIMII•
dimly mewed his conduct. lie ultimately left
her, having previously disposed el AU uhf available pecpstlzr

he could lay his hands upon including even the door.u,et
and kitchen utensils. Re finally left her on Christmas-eve
last, and nothing more was heard of him until Sunday eves.
ing, when he presented himself at the house of witness, and
having been refused admission, broke two panes of glass in
the window and was given into custody.
The defe:ndant, who was much excited, admitted that he
had forgotten himself on one or two occasions, but entered
Into a visit nt tirade of abuse against his father for having re-
fused him admission, although he had been in a state of dean-
tution wandering about the streets for the last fortnight, and
that be had thetefore been compelled under strung provoee.
lion to commit the offence for which he was given into cus-
tody, as he had even offered himself as a labourer to the

Mr. D Eyncourt said it was a most painful case, but as it
was perfectly manifest that the prisoner had brought himself
to his present ignominious position by hi, own misconduct,
he must be convicted of the charge of wilful damage,
amounting to 6a., or in default suffer twenty-one days' on.
Pririune . - • •

After his removal, the wife of the prisoner, a very lady-
like young person, appealed to the magistrate for protection
under the Matrimonial Causes Act, but
Mr. D'Eyneourt said he had no power to grant the pro.
tection sought for ; she had better apply to the judge of the
Divorce Court at Westminster, who would be able to afford
her ample security for her future property.

Chas. W. Billings, a seaman, was charged with causing the
death of a boy named James Hingate, on board the ship
Cheviot, on the high seas.
It a from the evidenoe of the master of the Cheviot,
the and two of the crew, that the deceased end the
prisoner had been on good terms until the 22nd of January,
when the boy annoyed the prisoner by throwing small
pieces of guano at him. One of them bit him on the nose, and
in a moment of irritation he jumped down Into the hatchway
where the boy was standing, and struck him twice with
fist behind the ear. The boy staggered and fell, and on
the mate picking him up he appeared to be lifeless.
The boy never spoke afterwards, and died almost imme.
distely. The prisoner expressed the greatest sorrow for the
act he had committed, and could do no work at all for four days
afterwards, and he had been ever since in a low and de-
sponding state. All the crew participated in the prisoner's
sorrow—they were very fond of the boy.
Mr. Yardley said that be believed the sorrow of the pri-
soner to be sincere. Under all the circumstances he should
remand the prisoner on bail until Wedaeaday.