The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-10-10 00:00:00

TRIAL OF MILITARY PONTOONS.

An Evening Paper publishes the following account of
the trial of military pontoons, before his Grace the Duke
of Wellington aria a Select Committee of Officers, at
Chatham, on the 26tb September :
" The copper and wooden rafts started fairly together,
the Admiral's barge precedirg them, till they arrived at
that point of the river, on the right bank, where Rochester-
bridge first comes in sight, and where the tide- is stronger
than at any other point on the river ; here the struggle
began ; the wooden rafts had already gained considerably
on the Admiral's barge before arriving here ; and the
copper rafts were fast coming up. A swarm of boats, all
thrown back by the set of the tide, were so entangled with
the first wooden raft, that the copper ones came close up,
so much so as to be entangled with the second wooden raft ;
upon disengaging, however, from the boats, the first
wooden raft shot a-head, passed the difficult point, piffled
over the hawsers extended from the shore to the vessels in
the middle of the river (serious impediments in such a cur-
rent), gained on the Admiral's barge, and was hailed by
it. In a few seconds more the rafts passed the barge, the
twelve oars of the Admiral doing their utmost. The rafts
then crossed the bows of the barge, and pulled right for
the centre ouch, whew it was immediately joined by the
second wooden raft, which hail left the copper pontoons
behind, after being actually entangled with one of them
at the point before-mentioned, where the struggle com-
menced. The third anti fourth wooden rafts were equally
well up on the Strood side, and having all gone up to the
centre arch, and as close as the starlings would allow, the
whole of these rafts were on their return from the bridge,
and lying on their oars, when the first copper raft arrived in
the eddy of the starling nearest the Rochester side, where
it was made fast by rope, previously placed. The wooden
rafts had no preparations of this sort ; they were fairly
pushed into the main stream, where they were distinctly
seen on their return from the centre arch, before a single
competitor was near.
" The moment the first raft passed the Admiral's barge,
and crossed his bows, the barge pulled in for the landing
stairs on the Rochester side, where the Duke and suite
disembarked.

" 'fhe tin pontoons, which are to all appearance copied
from the cylindric wooden figures tried last year, (although
stated to be so light that four men can carry them ersily,
and that they will bear a much greater weight than either
of the others) did not pore themselves so capable of
moving, even with the same weight, for the copper and
timber rafts performed their parts in the push for Rochester
Bridge in the manner above stated, but the tin one did not
arrive until long after his Grace's departure, and never
came near the current of the bridge at all, until the fol-
lowing day, when they came to the bridge with the flood,
and remained till the tide began to fall. An attempt, we
believe, was made to track une of theatup against the tide,
when the struggle commenced with the other rafts, which
failed."

A serious accident has occurred to Sir Rose Price, Bart.
who has been for some time on a shooting excursion in
Norfolk. By the bursting of his gun his right hand has
been shattered to pieces, and when the last accounts were
received serious apprehensions were entertained for his life.
A few days ago Sir Robert Peel, while riding in his park
at Drayton, fell from his horse, or rather his horse fell
with him. We feel unfeigned gratification in adding that
the worthy Baronet sustained no serious injury. The
horse, a spirited animal, reared and fell backwards with
Sir Robert. By an accident precisely similar a professional
gentleman of Tamworth, only a few months ago, lost his
life.—Lichfield Mercury.
The greatest curiosity was excited at the Custom-house
for several days by the arrival of a beautifully-modelled
anatomical female figure, in wax, from Paris. It is of the
size of life, copied from the famous statue of the Venus de
Medicis, at Florence. The body is made to open, and dis-
plays the entire internal structure of the human frame,
with a precision suitable for a surgical lecture. The pro-
prietor (M. Esnaut) reaped a golden harvest, by being
permitted to exhibit it at the Custom-house. Sir Astley
Cooper was stated to have been one of the visiters.
The following relation of an extraordinary case of lon-
gevity occurs in an Italian Newspaper :—Andrea Mance-
nelli was born at Naples on the 30th of November, 1716,
and began life as a coachman ; but, surrendering himself to
dissipation and debauchery of all kinds, his health was as-
sailed by a variety of disorders. At twenty-eight he took
up the trade of arms, but, persevering in his bad conduct,
he was driven with disgrace from his regiment. Condemned
twice to die, with several other individuals, whose num-
bers suggested a species of decimation according to the mi-
litary law then in full force, be had the good fortune to
escape the fatal lot. In spite of all these troubles, and
his still unceasing dissipations, this man lived to the
age of 109 years, and died on the Wilt of August in
the hospital of Syracuse.
NIOUDE NE•R ROCNDaLe•—The Leeds Mercury states
on the authority of a correspondent at Rochdale that " a
person of the name of Diggle, a near neighbour, is in cus-
tody, upon strong presumptive evidence that be was ac-
cessary, if not a principal, in the horrid deed. He was
apprehended at Royton, a village, near Rochdale, in
which place be had offered some clothes for sale. In the
pocket was found a pair of spectacles, with deceased's name
engraved thereon; this was told to the constable, who took
him into custody. 'lire spectacles and clothes are retained,"
The following is the account of this horrid transaction as
given by another correspondent :—" A brother of the de-
ceased bad been spending the evening with them (as was
his usual practice, living very near) all being pious
' characters. Before lie left, they joined in prayer to
Almighty God, and committed each other into his hands.
In the morning lie passed the door, and perceived some
blood : he opened it, and to his astonishment found them
lifeless corpses, and much mangled. From their situation
it is presumed the murder must have been committed im•
mediately on his departure, they not having got to bed.
It is thought the perpetrators of this horrid deed ex-
pected* large booty by finding a considerable sum of money
in the house. In this, however, they were disappointed."
On Monday last a man named Willard undertook, for a
trifling wager, to think a gallon of beer in five minutes,
at the Black Horse public-house, Climping, being then in
a state of intoxication. When in the act of drinking the
sixth pint, he fell on the floor insensible, and in that state
was carried to his lodgings, where he died in a few hours.
—Brighton licsald.
An inquest was held on Friday evening at the Red Lion,
Poppin s•court, Fleet-street, upon the body of Mary Wal-
ters, the servant of a Mr. Brown, who in a fit of remorse at
having robbed her master, although she was forgiven, ab-
sconded, and took poison. She was found in Fleet-street
labouring under its effects, and died on the following
morning. Verdict—" Temporary Insanity."
COACH ACCIDENT.—About half-past five o'clock last
night, the Duke of Norfolk coach, front Sheffield to this
town, was overturned, on this side of the canal bridge, at
the half way between Ashton and Manchester, owing, as
we are informed, to the breaking of one of the axktrees.
There were several passengers, both inside and out; and
three of the latter, namely, two men and one woman,
received very severe fractures and other injuries ; but we
believe none of them are likely to be attended with fatal
consequences. anchester Guardian.
RoBBE ItY EXTRA CHM N•ItY.-011 Tuesday evening lash,
as Mr. Joseph Nadin," the late deputy constable of this
town, was assisting the beadles to turn three or four
drunken men out of a public-house in Deansgate, some
daring marauder gratified at once his hatred of thief-
takers and his-love of plunder, by picking the worthy ex-
deputy's pocket of a purse containing two .5/: notes and ten
sovereigns.—Manchester paper.
On Sunday last three persons, in the garb of gentlemen,
made their appearance in an open carriage and four at the
Tiger Inn, Beverley, where, after regaling themselves and
some of the bystanders with liquor, they resumed their
seats in the carriage, and, by way of a parting salute, fired
a couple of pistol shots through the sign of the inn. At
this time there were hundreds of people in the street. We
learn that previously to their arrival at Beverley, they had
been shooting signs at Hull and Dritfield, besides breaking
the windows of a dissenting chapel, and of some private
houses at the latter place. At Minton, however, they were
taken into custody, and carried before a Magistrate, who,
we understand, fined them 301....:Leeds Mercury.

POLICI.
• MANSION-HOUSE.
On Saturday Ambnute Oliver, it person of highly reqieetable
connexions, and • clerk in the Su* File Assurance Offices MIS
brought befure the Lord Mayor, chewed with having appropriated
to his own use upwards of 3,00 W. tisw property of the Directors of
that Establishment. The depredations were carried on for up,
wards of three years, as the proprietor have afleady ascertain& ;
but as the prisoner has been in their employment upwards of
thirteen years, there is great (Madly in teaching the full extent
of the plunder.
Oliver, although he has been so long a clerk in the eats.
blishment, and had a wife and three children, was allowed no
more than 1301. per annum •, and yet be contrived, we are told, to
keep a lady, and an establishment for her,, and to dash away in
' great style. Indeed, the figure he cut, and the expensive plea-
sures in which he indulged, excited the suspicions of strangers, one
of whom wrote an anonymous letter to the managers of the office,
advising that an immediate investigation should take place into
the minutia of the department which the prisoner tilled, as his ex-
, peruses far exceeded his mear.s, upon the lowest possible calculation.
fhe managers entertained not the slightest suspicion of Oliver,
whose conduct was always marked by a strong apparent interest
in the welfare of the concern, and who had given security for 800 L
upon being appointed to the situation. They, however, proceeded
to examine the accounts, and found certain variances, which could
only be accounted for by a systematic aurae of robbery. The pal.
sotto was immediately apprehended, and brought to the Mansion
House. He seemed to suffer great agony of mind, and did
not raise up his head from his hand during the examination. The
justice-room was crowded with respectable persons, many of whom
were the friends of the prisoner.
Mr. Eden Harwood, accountant in the Sun Fire Assurance
Office, stated that the prisoner was employed as clerk, and it was
his duty to rective the money paid upon premiums on policies of
insurance, and to hand it in at the banker's. He (witness) had ex-
amined the books of the office, and found that the sum of 611. had
not been entered on .the 17th of April, as paid by Air. (gardener, a
bookseller. in Paternoster-row, nor had any such sum been en-
teral at all. (Here a receipt for the sum of tolL with the prisoner's
name attached to it, was put in.l Witness knew the writing to be
Mr. Oliver's.

D/r. Gardener, of Patemootter-row. bookseller and stationer, de.
deposed, that on the 17th of April he paid into the hands of
some person in the office the sum of 611. and received the receipt
produced for it. He was not sure whether the prisoner was the
person to whom he had paid the money, but he recollected that the
prisoner was in the office at the time. The aunt had been paid on
account of the University of Oxtbrd.
It was stated, that upwards of 150 cases could be produced
against him. tie declined saying anything, and was remanded for
further examination.

A big Lancashire man, named George Anderson' was charged
by Mr. Bennet, a respectable merchant, in Broed•street, With
having committed a violent assault. The landlord of the Fleece
public-house stated that he witnessed the assault, which was most
violent and unprovoked, committed upon Mr. Bennet, who seemed
to labour under some painful nervous affection. The prisoner bad
walked into a room in which Mr. Bennet was sitting taking wine
with some friends, and asked him for money, upon 111 r. Bennet's
refusal to give which, the fellow immediately knocked him down.
Mr. Bennet said he had engaged the defendant and some other men
to go to South America, to work his brother's mine. The terms
upon which the defendant hail been hired was 100 guineas a year,
and some incidental advantages, and a complete outfit. Ile (wit.
ness) had paid hint regularly since his engagement at the rate of
21. IN. per week, but the:defendant was very extravagant in hie ha.
bits, and upon being refused two sovereigns until he should be so.
ber in the morning, he cursed witness and knocked him down.—
The Lord Mayor expressed his surprise at this account, accused the
defendant of ingratitude, and was about to commit him, *hen Mr.
Bennet said he had only determined to dismiss him from his en-
gagement, which was not ratified by any written agreement. The
fellow was therefore discharged, and Mr. Bennet had the liberality
to pay his expenses back to the place from which he hed come to
London.
Thcmos Rol,inron, a young man of gentletnanly deportment,_ ap-
peared to answer the complaint of Mrs. Sophia Bloomfield, a lady
of very prepossessing appearance, who stated that she was married.
about eleven years since, and that shortly after her husband had
occasion to go abroad, since which time she had not heard of him.
About two years since the defendant occupied part of her house,
and shortly afterwards paid her particular attention, but she de.
dined teething his addresses; and informed him that she was al.
ready married. This answer did not satisfy him, and after quitting
her lodging, he continually annoyed her with protestations of his
love, &c. and refused to quit the house unless she consented to
complete his happiness by marrying hinu,urging thetas her husband
had been so long absent the law would allow her to do so. She re-
fused to comply, on which he conducted himself in a violent nos.
ner; and she was compelled to send for en Aga and give buss into
custody. He was afterwards brought before a Magistrate and held
to bail, to keep the peace towards her for twelve months. After
the expiration of that term be renewed his assurances of fidelityood
love. Ile swore he would not quit the house until she consented
to be his wife. Finding she could not otherwise get rid of him, she
on Friday night again sent for an officer, by whom he was convoy.
ad to the watch-house.
The defendant (who during the examination cast several amo-
rous glances at the object of hie love) being asked what he had to
say in his defence, replied, " I don't know," and in a very melon.
cooly tone said, " If I am discharged I will not annoy the lady
again." She lady, however, said she was not satisfied with this as.
surance, and he was then ordered to find bail to keep the peace to-
wards her.
GUILDHALL.
„ . _

On Saturday John Thomas Johnson and James Rimier Grey,
both well-known persons, were brought up in custody on a charge
of having obtained goods on false pretences.
Mr. H u HPUREYS attended in support of the prosecution, end
Mr. HARMER for the defendanu.
Nicholas Hoskin, shopman to Mr. Wilde, 341, Ozfonl-street,
stated that on Wednesday a person, who said his name was Yates,
came to the shop and purchased a desk and dressing-case, which
came to 161. 10s., and desired that they should be sent to the
counting-house of Cragga and Yates, 205, Upper Themes-street,
precisely at four o'clock, when he should be there and would pay
the bearer. The articles were accordingly sent, but he had never
seen them, nor any money, nor Yates after.
The-person who took the goods stated that he found Gray in the
office, who said he had received a note, which he produmd, from
Mr. Yates, saying that he could not be at the office before eleven
o'clock the next morning. Gray, at the same time, answered the
witness, that the things he brought would be perfectly safe if he
left them there. Mr. Johnson came into the counting-house at
that moment and gave him the same assurance, in consequence of
which he left them. He called the next morning, and saw a wo.
man who lived in the house, who told hint that the people who had
occupied the counting-house had gone away, no one knew where.
There were a variety of things in the counting-house when he left
his articles there the evening tiefore, but in the morning it was
quiteempty.
Mr. HUMPHREYS here said he had a great number of cases
against the prisoners, but as they had only just then been appre.
hended he was not prepared with the evidence, but supposed he had
proved enough to have them remanded.
Mr. Creed, an active member of the Society for the Prosecution
of Swindlers, who was present, stated that the prisoners were con.
nected with Costar, and had succeeded in obtaining goods to ■
large amount, both in Liverpool and Bristol, and that the charges
that could be proved against them in a few days were both nume-
rous sod serious.

The Alderman said, he could feel no difficulty In remanding
them. particularly as be was informed that Gray had been publicly
whipt.
HATTON-GARDEN.
LIFE IN LONDON.—Saturday Henry and Frederick Allan,
par +labile frotruer, with a young lady who called herself Elizabeth
Carrot, were brought before Mr. Lama, charged by Ayres, a
watchman, with having assaulted him the previous night, about IS
o'clock, while on duty at Salfron.hill.
The complainant's statement was to the effect that, while petsm.
bulathig his beat, like " an ancient and most quiet watchman," as
he is, the three defendants came up to him, and, without any sort
of provocation whatever on his part, began to queer him, calling
him Charley, and making several allusions of the grossest nature
possible. If e.aram in consequence induced to put hie rattle into full
play, and by the free use of that instrument (scarcely less potent
than the wand of the enchanter) soon raised to his aid, not perhaps
• " spirit of health," but "a goblin," in the shape of the ugliest
commie we ever set eves on, and whom the parties complained
against soon took care should be"d—d" enough. This was not
all t " loud and deep" as their curses appear to have been, they
followed up every pith'sl anathema with the arm of the flesh, and
laid nbout them most manfully, t'le lady taking part in the fight
like a perfect Rradamante. But alas, as the old Spanish ballad
significantly asks—.
'• Who ran war with thousands wage?"
More watchmen poured in " to the rescue." and the two heroes,
with their lowly ally, were incarcerated in the parish watch.
house.

The grisly comrade corroborated this account, as far as he was
concerned, nor was its general correctness objected to on the part of
the defendants, the males candidly admitting that their '• fair coo.
sin" having lately arrived in loan on a visit to their mother. her
maternal aunt, they wished to show her a little of " Life in Lon.
don," and thought they could not begin better than by treating her
to a spree ,with a Charity, an amusement into the spirit of which
the young lady entered certainly with a degree of en '<waning they
had not ventured to anticipate, Both the gentlemen, however,
protested that it was not their intention tohurt the watchman, nor
should they have done more than just tease him a little, had they
not, on the irruption of others to the onslaught, been compelled to
fight in their own defence. Miss Carrol lisped out that site had
just left her place in the country, and was come up to town to visit
her relations, and see a little of the world before she engaged in
another. Some doubt, however, appeared to exist in the mind of
his ‘Vorship relative to the exact degree of consanguinity between
the parties; he therefore pressed the lady strongly on this ptoint.
" Pray, Miss, what is the elder Allan to you P" was a question she
was very reluctant to answer, tor was it till after considerable heal.
Minn that she at length replied, " Nothing as yet, Sir." It ap.
peered, however, eventually, that maiden bashfulness had led her
to misconceive the drift of his Worship's question, for on the aunt
being sent tor, she established by her testimony the relationship be.
yond all question, and was allowed to carry Miss Carrol off with
with her, while her gallant cousins, for want of bail, were re-com-
mitted to " the place from whence they came."
A very respectable man, whose name and accent import Italian
extraction, presented himself at the bar of this office, having iu las

arms a beautiful dog of the English, spank* breed, which had just
been stabbed in the belly by a butcher on Eyre.street.hill. Signor
Disteffoni, the complainant, described the animal as one of the
most hermits,' and inoffensive crcaturesin the world, and expressed
his firm conviction that this barbarous act was perpetrated merely
from the habitual propensity to sticking, which the butcher acquir.
ed from his profession. He wished to know whether the Magis-
trate could grant him any redress. Unfortunately, however, in this
case nothing could be done, except by an action at law. Signor
Disteffoni retired, declaring he would bring an action &pipet the
butcher, coat what it would.

QUEEN-SQUARE.
ATTEMPT TO Sluauf:a A POLICE oEl'lcl:ft.—A fellow
well known in Westminster, named Henry Hain:worth. alias
Bluth Bob, alias Dusty Bob, so called from his being a chimney
sweeper, and a notorious running dustman, was brought up
before Mr. White and Mr. Markland, the Magistrates, or. Smut-
day, charged with attempting to murder Joseph Cooper, an active
officer of this establishment, on Friday night. Cooper is so
dangerously ill from the wounds he has received, that he is unable
to attend at the office, and therefore was not present to give evidence
against the prisoner.
It appears that on Friday morning last, the foreman to Mr.
Britten, the contractor for the dust in ht. Margaret's parish, ob-
tained a warrant against two men named Blower and Taylor, no.
torious running dustmen, for stealing a quantity of dust ; which
warrant was put into the hands of Joseph Cooper, who received
information that one of the individuals named in the .warrant
(Blower) was in the house of the prisoner llainsworth, No. 4, St.
Henban's-hill. Cooper repaired there immediately in company
with the foreman, and found the door fastened inside ; he called to
those within to open it, stating who and what lie was, and what
business lie had come about. The prisoner answered that no per-
son should enter, on which Cooper forced the door open, and
pushed into the room, where I.e was encountered by Black Bob,
who was joined by live or six women that were in the room. The
prisoner took a knife from the table, "rifle' he used most desperately
on Cooper, and with his own (C.'a) truncheon, beat him over the
head till be was In a gore of blood. ‘i'hilst this was going on; the
foreman to the contractor secured the man (Blower) • and atter
Black Bob had beat Cooper till he could beat him no longer, be
made a plunge with the knife at him, which fortunately the foreman
stopped, by letting go Blower and securing Black Bob ; and
Cooper, with the blood pouring from his head in torrents, put the
handcuffs on him' and the next moment he fell to the ground from
the loss of blood. The prisoner was carried to the watchhouse.
and Cooper to the hospital, where his wounds, which consisted of
two very extensive ones on either side of the skull. and a desperate
one over the bridge of the nose, were dressed, and he now lies in a
very bad state.
The Magistrates were of opinion, that the officer had acted
wrong in going at such an unseasonable hour—viz. between eleven
and twelve o'clock at night—to execute his warrant; but they
were told that it was Impossible to meet sith them at any other,
time.

The prisoner was ordered to find bail to answer the charge at the
Sessions ; but before he left the offic: he was convicted of stealing
dust from the house of Dr. Furnival, in Duke-street, Westminster,
the property of the same contractor, and he not being able to pay
tha 101. penalty, he was sent for six weeks to hard labour in the
House of Correction.
The prisoner will be Indicted capitally for the assault on the un-
fortunare officer at the ensuing Westminster Sessions, which will
be held iu a very few days.

LAMBETH-STREET.
On Saturday Tom Cooper, brother to the pugilistic glpsy of that
name, and himself an aspirant in the fistic an, was brought up
for final examination, before 111. WYATT, Esq. upon a charge of
highway robbery, on the person of Mrs. Sarah Page, of Cannon.
street-road.
The prosecutrix and her husband are in the habit of attending
the different fairs In the neighbourhood of the metropolis, with a
booth for the sale of bread, beer, ando ther refreshments. On the
6th of July last she attended at the fair of Romford, in Essex,
from whence she and 'ner brother were returning on the evening of
the same day, in a chaise cart, when they met the prisoner between
that place and Ilford. On meeting him, he asked her to give him
a ride to town, • request which she complied with. When they
arrived at Ilford they stopped at the Coach and Horses, where
they had a pot of beer, to pay for which she took out her pocket.
book, and gave the landlady sixpence t the prisoner observed at the
same time, " What, I see you have got some sovereigns, have
you?" To whirls she made no reply, but returned the book into
her pocket. They then proceeded on their journey, in the course
of which, feeling the prisoner's hand several times near her
packet, she said to him, "Surely you are not going to steal my
pocket-book !" When they had reached the hlile-end turnpike
the prisoner leaped out of the chaise-cart, and ran away. She then
instantly missed her pocket-book, in which were deposited seven
sovereigns and some silver. Her brother went in pursuit, but did
mot succeed in overtaking him; and though information was given
at the police offices, he was not apprehended until Tuesday last,
when, recognizing him at Croydon fair, she gave him in charge to
an officer.
This witness was cross-examined at considerable length by Mr.
Price, the prisoner's solicitor; in the course of which she admitted
having told some persons that it was the prisoner's brother, Jem
Cooper, who had robbed her, but she afterwards corrected herself,
saytng, that though she knew two or three of the brothers by sight,
she did not know them by name. She was satistieslas to the iden-
tity of the prisoner.
Mr. Price said that there were eight brothers of the Coopers, who
all bore so strong a resemblance to each other that it was a diffi-
cult matter for even those who had known them from their child-
, hood to distinguish one from the other.
Jack Cooper (better known by the name of Gipsy Cooper) was
! then called In, and placed beside the prisoner; and, with the ex-
! eeption of a slight difference in their stature and in their dress,
nothing could be more complete than their likeness.
Mr. Price further said, that he could (but for certain reasons),
produce other members of the family, who bore a stronger likeness,
if possible, particularly as to site ; and added, that he was pre.
pared with evidence, should the Magistrate think it necessary, to
rebut the entire of the prosecutrix's statement; and prove. to the
satisfaction of his Worship, that she was grossly mistaken in al-
leging that his client was the criminal.
The Magistrate said that a prima facia' case had been made
out, and the prisoner was accordingly committed on the capital
charge.
TOWN-HALL....
_ _

On Saturday Thomas Jackson, a mere child, not more than nine
years of age, was charged with committing a burglary on the pre.
mises of Mr. James Whitelock, a master builder, 7, Griffith's.
rents, St. Thomas's parish, Southwark.
The merits of the case stood thus :—Mr. Whitelock resided in

an old mansion, formerly an inn, which he had divided into two
separate tenements, occupying the one part himself, and letting the
other to the parents of the prisoner. In his division he had depo-
sited building materials to a considerable amount, one cwt. of
which, in iron hold-fasts, hinges, nails, clamps, &c., he missed on
Thursday last on his entering the room, the door of which had been
blocked by a large copper, and the putitionidoor forced. The
character of the prisoner being of the worst description, he was
apprehended; when he confessed he. had taken all the property
missed, and disposed of it to a woman named Priscilla Fletcher,
the keeper of a marine store, 31, Joiner-street. The receiver, who
is the last of a long family that has not been either hanged or trans-
ported, refused to swear to the prisoner, though she admitted
she believed he was the person she hsd bought the pro-
petty produced from, at the rate of Id. for each three pounds of
13, the weight produced. It was proved to be worth lid. per
pound.
Ald. J. J.SwiTn regretted that the deficiency of evidence prevent.
ed him from sending the young delinquent for trial, and thereby res-
cuing him from an ignominious death, and told Mrs. Priscilla, who
was all modesty, that he was convinced she had perjured herself—
not to exult at her own escape, from transportation, a reward be
could not help considering she richly merited, and which, in due
season, doubtless she would receive.
The hardened child laughed during the hearing, and on being
sentenced by the oath of the officers as a reputed thief, spit at his
accuser, and exclaimed, as lie was taken from the bar to be con.
veyed to Brixton—" Is this all ? I'll torment you yet."

UNION.HALL.
On Saturday, Mr. George Coatler, a shipwright, of Bother-
hithe, appeared at this office under the authority of a warrant, be.
fore the sitting Magistrate, M. Swaby, Esq. charged with an al-
leged assault upon the person of Barnard Farley, one of the men
in his employment.
From the statement of the complainant it appeared that he, with
several other men in the employment of Mr. Castles, were engaged
at the rate of Ss. ftd. per day to unload the ballast out of a vessel
preparatory to her going into dock for repairs. On Tuesday last,
while he (complainant) was engaged at this work on the main deck
of the ship, Mr. Castles, without any just cause, that he (Farley)
was aware of, approached, and struck him a violent blow, kicked
him, and afterwards sent him on &here, declaring that ha should no
longer work in his service.
Mr. Castles having been called upon to give his account of the
circumstances of the assault, commenced by alluding to the incal-
culable Injury sustained by persons of his business since the spirit
of combination had shown itself amongst the various classes of
workmen employed in their yards. The complainant, be said,
in this case, was employed with a number of others in preparing a
vessel just come off a voyage, to go into dock for the purpose of
being coppereti and sheathed. Previous to the job the defendant
and hie fellow workmen were engaged at the rate of3s.lid. per day to
heave the ballast out of the ship, a scale of wages, Mr. Castles ob.
served, that was considered high for work of Ibis description, How.
ever, they had not been long engaged in the vessel, when he had
complaints made to him that Farley was endeavouring to instigate
the rest of the workmen to " strike," unless their pay was posed
from 3s. Gd. to 4s. per day. The defendant could scarcely believe
the report at first, however, upon interrogating the major part of
the men, he ascertained that what be had heard was true, and that
Farley had actually went so far as to threaten those with vengeance
who refused to comply and agree with his proposition. Mr. Cu.
ties said, that having made himself acquainted with the conduct of
the complainant, he went on board the vessel on which he was at
work, In order to discharge him instantly ; he, however, had
scarcely got upon deck when Farley came up to him, and In an in.
solent tone, demanded another &I. pet day, in addition to hi; pre.
sent wages, declaring that neither he nor the rest of the men would
work any more in clearing out the ship, unless their wages were in.
creased from that day. Mr. Castles said he was extremely irritated
at the demand, as well as the manner in which it was conveyed, end
admitted that he struck Farley, and &fireweed& tuned him out of
the ship about his business.
The complainant here declared, that he was not the only person
in Mr. Castles' employment who found fault with, and wag Bison.',

tented at, the wages. All the men agreed, he said, in col-rodent:2
31-6 d. per day as too mans temeneratien for such wank as baldestheaving.
wanted tclli for suit,
Two robust-looking Irishmen. who happened to be in the office
when-Farley complained of his wages, remarked, that they should
be
warty igahts thatitl ad
the complainant
Mr. Castles here produced a paper signed by several of his work.
hpsia coupleinit of
shillings
o have a
raisedda day
ea
os.
men, which stated that Farley threatened them if they did not
" strike," in case their employer refused to increase their wages.
The Magistrate observed that Mr. Castles was perfectly right in
discharging gush a man, who was so dangerous as example to the
other workmen, from his employment. Ilad Mr. Castles, in the
first instance, applied himself for a warrant against the complainant
for intimidating and threatening his men, it should certainly have
been granted. flowerer, as this proceeding had not been adopted,
and as the person who had the most right to stand before them in
the character of defendant was now present, he (the Magistrate)
would take the opportunity of addressing a few words to him by
way of advice. Should any complaint or application for a warrant
be made at this office by any future master, into whose service the
complainant might enter, for threats or intimidations directed to
other men, in the same employment, he (the Magistrate) should,
without hesitation, have him taken into custody, and in the event
of the charge being proved, send him for three months' hard labour,
for the benefit of the country.
The warrant against Mr. Castles VMS discharged.