The Express.
London, England, 1866-08-25 00:00:00

! 'TSB

POLICE 4.70M2Vt

MANSION-HOUSE.
A young gentlemen named John &ebb was summoned
before Sir B. Carden, at the Induce of the Alexandra
Saloon Steam Packet Company, for baying unlawfully re-
fused to deliver up his ticket, or to pay his fare on board
one of their vessels upon a journey from Gravesend to

London.
Mr. Wickens, the solicitor to the company, attended in
rapport of the complaint, which involved • question of con-
siderable importance to the public.
It appeared from the evidence of Edward Crendy, a
ticket collector in the service of the company, that on
the day named in the summons, upon the arrival
of the Alexandra at London-bridge he demanded the
defendant's ticket, when he told him that he had lost
it. lie then demanded the fare, but the defendant refused
to pay it, upon which he gave him in charge, and he WU
taken to the Seething-lane police-station, but the defen-
nant gave his address, and the inspector on duty retuned
to entertain the charge, and the present summons was then
taken out against the defendant.
Sir it. Carden expressed his opinion that whatever the
merits of the came might be, the oompany had no right to
give the defendant in charge, and he thought the in-
spector had done quite right in dismissing it. All the
company had a right to do was to get the address of the
party and summons him.
Mr. Wickens urged that under the company's act of
parliament they were justified in giving • person into
custody if he refused to produce his ticket' or to pay his
fare. It was impossible to know whether • correct
address was given, and the oompanT were defrauded to an
enormous amount by persons travelling in their boats with-
out paying their fares.
The defendant, in answer to the complaint, declared
that he had paid his fare, and he culled • young gentleman
who accompanied him on the journey, and he swore paid-
tively that be himself paid the ticket collector with two
sixpences, the fare being • shilling, and that Mr. Crabb
gave him a florin, and the ticket collector cave him the
two sixpences in change. The defendant said that he did
not miss his ticket until just as the boat arrived at Lon-
don-bridge ; bathe, of course, objected to pay the fare a
second time.
Sir R. Carden inquired of Mr. Wickens whether, after
the statement made by the defendant and the evidence
given by his witness, he should persist in pressing the

ems.
Mr. 'Wickens said he should submit, that even supposing
the case to be as stated on the part of the defendant, of
which he had no means of judging, the defendant was still
guilty of an offence under the company's act by not pro-
ducing his ticket or paying the fare.
Sir R. Carden observed that it surely ought to be taken
into oonsideration whether there was an intention to de-
fraud. If the defendant had really paid his fare, of which
fact he did not think there could be much doubt after the
positive evidence he had brought forward, be thought be
should hardly be justified in indicting a punishment upon
him merely because he was unable to comply with the
strict letter of the act of parliament.
Mr. Wickens said that be felt compelled to press for an
adjudication under the act of parliament, and he observed
that even supposing the ticket had really been lost it
might have been used by some other passenger, and the
company would still be defrauded.
Sir R. Carden then said that in his opinion the company
had not established the charge against the defendant, and
he should therefore dismiss the summons.

SOIJTHWARK.
Williams Johnson, a tall, rnffianly-looking fellow, was
brought before Mr. Woolrych, charged with maliciously
wounding Robert Sheldrake. 51 11, by striking him a
violent blow on the head with a brick while in the execn-
tiot of his duty.
The complainant,whose head was bandaged u p, said that
about 1 o'clok that morning he was on duty in Mint-street,
Borough, when he saw a riot outside one of the lodging-
houses, and heard screams of " Murder." He proceeded to
the spot, and with some difficulty dispersed the mob ; but the
prlsoner,who appeared to be &ringleader, refused to go away,
and madeuseof threatening anddisgustinglanguace towards
him. Witness was turning away from him, thinking he
would go away, when he picked up a brick lying near the
kerb and struck him a violent blow on the side of the head,
nearly stunning him for a moment, and then he ran away.
Witness and another constable, hi 55, who came up at the
time, pursued him, and after considerable difficulty suc-
ceeded in conveying him to the station-house. On the way
to the station-house the prisoner said he did not mean the
brickbat for him, but for another constable.
The prisoner said he had been exasperated very much br
55 M, who was always threatening to give him penal servi-
tude, and otherwise annoying him, and be certainly did
threaten to serve him out one of these days.
Mr. Woolrych observed that the cowardly practice of
throwing missiles at the police had very much increased
lately in this district, therefore something must be done to
put a stop to it. He should commit the prisoner for trial.

CHARGE OP LIBEL ON ONE OP THE NURSES
AT THE MIDDLESEX HOSPITAL