The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-01-26 00:00:00

CITY POLICR.

Yesterday a meeting of the Aldermen and Common Council
inhabitants of Fleet-street was held at St. Iletee'a Church, for the
purpose of examining the charges remained in a report of scone
proceedings which took place at the Monk* House. respecting
the present state of Fleet street, and the conduct of the Ward
Representatives and Officers.
Mr. Brown, the City Nlar.lial, and the officers of the ward and
police, were in attendance tr, examined.
Mr. Alderman Wm Tll3l tS, after some prefatory observations.
Invited any inhabitant who anything to stair on the subject to
stand forward.

Mr. Brown stated, in answer to several questions, that he had had
only one complaint lately !ram at, Inhabttant of Fleet-strett, who
had been robbed at nine o clack in the morning of a qbantity of
watches from his window. There had also been coMplaitita from
passengers whose pockets had been picked.. Some of the city
officers had represented to him that they C011:3 not readily obtain the
assistance of the local officers, who paid nn attention to, sad
lent no assistance in, the removal of certain nuisencea and ob.
struetions,

Mr. Alderman Warrirst,o; wished to know from Mr. Etrowts
whether he had made any reprermt: r•A to the Aldermen, or
Common Council, that the. were howrel open night and day for
the rcceptlon of thieves and the worst characters, and yet that they
were not interfered with ?

Mr. Brown said, imnplainta had certainly been made to him.
respecting certain houses the Dolphin for one, the Crbten and
Sugar Loaf for another, and the flnrse-•hoe and Star for another.
which did keep open at very ]ate and improper bourn. He had net
complained to the Aldermen or Common Council, but to the Lord
Mayor. What was done to the parties after the comp:ail-A was
made he could not state, but in one or two instances he had fresh
complaints after his firstreprgentstion. There were one or tWo
houses. the Rainbow and the Cott, for instance, which kept open
at late hours, but which wen; frequented br a very different wet of
company. They were mostly "emirs, he believed, of respects-
Natty. It was a difficult thing to say at what hour houses ought
tooling np, but he thought that io general they shotiJd be 6110 Op
at 12 o'clock at night. In Fleet-otrret there were many which.
kept open one or two hours after that time. and often more.
Mr. Alderman WA IT H MAN asked him whether, moldering
the localities, the number of printing-offices, newspaper offices, and
others, where mechanics were requirrd to work late at night in
that neighbourhood, the great thoroughfare from the theatres, and
all the circumstances, he thought the publi:-hothes were worn
regulated in that ward than any other.
Mr. Brown said that in the instances he mentioned he certainly
thought the houses were kept open until too late an hour. We
knew of no public-house in the neighbourhood as a regular house
for the reception of thieves. One house in Fleet-market had
been complained of for harbouring boys, but be believed some-
thing had taken place with respect w It.
Mr. Williamson mentioned Gurney's Tap, which was attached
to Peele's Coffee-house, which was open at all hours. Complaints
had been made that thieves and tha worst of characters were
harboured there until four o'clock in the morning.
Mr. Southgate read a minute of the Common Council, (root
which it appeared they had resolved to make a representation
against this house on the licensing day; but that sithstquently.
on a petition having been presented by Mr. Gurney. and it Mirky
been shown that the nukance had abated, they resolved to mote.
mend the continuance of the license.

Lightfoot, the beadle, stated that the subsequent condutt of the
house had been very good. With respect to the statement about
the thieves parading the streets, there was no foundation for it.
There were a number of printers and printers' lads constantly pass-
ing to and front the printing offices, and these were continually
taken for thieves (laughter) and very naturally ; he took them et
be thieves himself before he made inquiries. He agreed In cons.
dering that the charges against the officers of the district, of whi►h
he was one, were totally unfounded.
.3!r. Harcourt, who had himself been a constable in his own
right, was of a similar opinion, but thought there was ground of
complaint against some of the minor public-houses.
Mr. Clarke said the statements made before the Lord Mayor. as
to the extent of depredations, were without foundation. and were
calculated to expose every shopkeeper in the neighbourhood, by
deterring persons from coming near them ; but a great deal of
what had been said respecting the public houses he believed to be
true. He had himself seen not only prostitutes, but men about
them, who looked very much like thieves.
Two or three officers, whose duty it was to attend that district,
declared that it was not worse regulated than any other.
Mr. Merchant thought the public.houses were kept open too late,
and later than in any other place, and the Inspector of the day
patrol said there was a coffee-shop at the corner of Fleet-market,
in which twenty or thirty thieves might he found at any hour; but
on the whole the; thought the condition of the place was improved,
and that there was no ground for accusing persona of want of
vigilance.
An inhabitant said, if the meeting had been convened for the
evening instead of the middle of the day, when people were kept
away by their business, there would have beer many complaints
made.
sir. Alderman II'wITtSSAN maid he thought it right to mention
the condition of the Ward, as he remembered it almost 30 years
ago. At that time he remembered Mrs. Waithman was robbed of
six guineas at his own door. He was himself followed and attacked
by a gang, one of whom nearly felled him with a bludgeon on his
attempting to interfere with him. The Wheelers, sad other well-
known thieves, paraded the streets openly. Officers had been in
his house watching the motions of the thieves for days. He re-
membered, on one occasion, having pointed out a gang to a Magi-
srrate, when, haviug observed him, they came round himself and
h's friend, and abused him. The Wheelers, and other hardened and
experienced thieves, were now removed, and it was obvious the
state of the streets had greatly improved. There was not one.half
of the depredations committed, although the population had greatly
increased.
A Revolution to the effect that the allegations contained in the
Mansion-house were unfounded, was then carried unanimously.