The Express.
London, England, 1867-10-31 00:00:00

TEE POLICE COURTS.

GI7ILDHALL

A person who was summoned as "A man whose name
is unknown," but who told the magistrate that his name
was Thomas Atchuoa, and that he was a merchant carry-
ing on business on the first floor of No. 5, Gutter-lane,
appeared before Alderman Hale to answer a charge of
assault.

When the summons was called on, the defendant pro-
duced two summonses, both addressed to " A man whose
name is unknown," which he said hut been served on
himself.

J. Roe, the chief officer of the court, said he served the
two summonses on the defendant, one for himself and one
for his friend, and he asked him to give it to his friend.
The defendant said he had not seen his friend since, and
did not know who he was, or where he lived.
Mr. Martin, chief clerk, informed the worthy alderman
that this was a ease in which the defendant and two of his
friends stood in their own offices, and with pea-shooters
annoyed a number of girls, who were working for a
wholesale mantle maker opposite, to such an extent that
they could not open the windows to ventilate the place.
On Friday last one of the young women was struck in the
eye and severely hurt by one of the persons referred to.
Alderman Hale asked who the other two persona were.
After a great deal of prevarication the defendant said
their names were Tom Davis sad Palmer, but he did not
know where they lived. They wanted him to let them
sell his goods on commission, and one of them had sold
some for him, but he did not know where he lived. He
trusted him without having any references with him. The
two persons he referred to, having nothing to do, used to
go up to the third floor, which was unoccupied, and there
smoke and drink to "kill time." He only knew them
from coming there to ask him to let them sell his goods on
commission. He lived at Arphuid-grove, Hackney.
John Masters 'blatant to Mr. Spreckley, the employer
of the young girls referred to, corroborated Mr. Martin's
statement, and added that about a month ago the de-
fendant threw a nut at the window, and broke a pane of
glass. He promised to pay for repairing it, hut had never
done so. When be complained to the defendant about his
conduct be broke a pane of glass in the °thee, pasted paper
over it so that their faces could not be seen, and then
made a hole in the paper large enough to admit the end of
the pea-shooter, and through that they continued the
annoyance.
The defendant admitted having broken the window,
and offered to pay for it. He went up there to have his
luncheon, and after that he bad some walnuts. He ob-
served the young ladies cpporite look very longingly at
them, and then he threw a few across to them, and one of
them broke the window.

Louisa Denny, one of the young women employed, said
that on Friday she was struck in the eye by a pea out of a
pea-shooter, but she could not say who did ft, because
their faces were behind the paper which was pasted
against the window.
Alderman Hale said be should let the summons stand
over for the present, and issue warrants for the apprehen-
sion of the other two men whose names were represented
to be Davis and Palmer.

The owner of the house a 2, Great College-street, Cam-
den-town, was summoned before Mr. Barker, at the in-
stance of the sanitary committee of the parish of fit. Pan-
cras. for allowing the drains of the house to be in a de.
fective and offensive state, the privy to be without water
supply, and the whole to be in such a state as to be a nui-
sance and injurious to health.
Evidence was given as to the state of the place, and it
was mentioned that one person had recently died there of
typhoid fever, caused by the offensive smell in the house
wising from defective drains.
Mr. Barker made an order for the immediate euppres-
sion of the nuisance, as well as for the necessary works to
be done, and also directed that the defendant should pay
full costa.

William Bennett, aged 25, a labourer, who gave a false
address, was charged with stealing a brass tap and a piece
of lead pipe, the property of Messrs. Gilbert and Riving.
ton, at St. John's-place, ClerkenwelL
From the evidence of Police-constable Foster, 278 G, it
appeared that yesterday morning, between the hours of one
and two o'clock, he met the prisoner coming out of the court
and trying to conceal something under his coat. He asked
the pnioner what he had got about him, and he said no-
thing; but, not believing that story, he took him into
custody, and found the articles mentioned in the charge-
sheet in his possession. The pipe and tap, it was ascer-
tained, had been taken away from the building, and was
safe on the previous morning.
The prisoner said he did not steal the pipe ; a man gave
it to Inui to carry.
Mr. Luker then committed the prisoner to the Middlesex
sessions for trial.

THE METROPOLITAN TRAFFIC REOLLATION
ACT.

Last evening a meeting of the hackney carriage
proprietors of the metropolis was held at the Cambridge-
hall, Newman-street, Oxford-street, for the purpose of
adopting measures antagonistic to the Metropolitan Traffic
Regulation Act, " with its lamp tax, increased power, and
oppression." Mr. Gower occupied the chair. Mr. Wright,
the solicitor to the committee which watched the interests
of the trade during the progress of the bill in parliament,
addressed the meeting at considerable length. He said
that two highly objectionable clauses had been added to
the law relating to hackcey carriages, one being that in
future they should carry one light at least, and the other
requiring that • sixpenny fans should be paid where the
carriage was not on the stand. There was no doubt that
the bill was passed into law at the eleventh hour, when it
was hastily considered instead of being referred to a select
committee of the house. However, be was in • position to
state that there was a strong desire to legislate further on the
subject, end ho believed the present government would pro-
mote the introduetiou of • new bill. Mr. Crocker, the secre-
tary of the committee, gave an accountof the interview be-
tween members of that body and Sir R. Mayne. The Chief
Commlaaioner of Police had told them that the fare when
• cab was taken (rout the stand would be Is., and in other
cases the fare would remain as hitherto. He had also said
that he did not see how one lamp could be practically
used in the " four-wheelers," and that therefore two were
required- Sir Richard thought that the compulsory use of
• lamp was necessary for the public protectiou. He was dig-
satiated with the want of cleanliness in cabs, and with the
dress of the drivers, who, in his opinion, should wear the
dress of the Paris cab-drivers, namely, • black glazed hat
and a blue coat, with gilt or brass buttons. After
enumerating all Sir Richard Mayne 's replies, which were re.
°deed with laughter and disapprobation, the speaker
conclieleil by stigmatising the bill as • n.iserable abortion.
Mr. Hsrvey moved, and Mr. W. Cane seconded. the follow-
ing resolution, " That this meeting is of opinion that the
compulsory use of lamps is unnecessary, oppressive,
and expensive, and a tax which all proprietors must resist
by every legitimate mains in their power, and we strongly
object to be thus singled out and so stringently dealt with
without special necessity being shown from other of her
Majesty's subjects." The mover and seconder pointed out
that • cab-owner plying his trade with one horse and cab
was required to pay the government 19f. Ils. annually.
They therefore protested against the imposition of further
taxation. The proceedings shortly after terminated.