The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-13 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER.

GENTLEMANLY AMUSEMENT.-Mr Sidney Vare Alston
and Lieut. Rutherford, of the Royal Marine Barracks,
Woolwich, were charged before Mr Dayman with wilfully
damaging the lining of a Hackney carriage, the property
of Mr. Henry Townsend, cab-proprietor.
Thomas Weather, cab-driver, No. 3, St. George's-road,
said that about 5 o'clock that morning he was hired by the
prisoners to go to Sussex-street, Pimlico. Another gentle-
man and two females entered the cab. He had got as far as
the corner of Warwick•street with them when they all
were about to leave. Upon the prisoner coming out of the
cab witness observed the lining of the roof hanging down.
Ho called the prisoners' attention to the lining, when one
of the females said that it was cut by Alston:, He gave the
prisoner into custody. The females and the other man ran
away. Witness offered to take a sovereign for the damage.
Alston offered 55., which witness refused to accept. The
other prisoner was insensibly drunk.
Mr Dayman—What did Alston say to the charge?
Witness—He said that the lining was torn when he got
in the cab. But the cab had only been relined about a fort •
night. I received no fare,
Mr. Townsend, 2, Regent-street, Westminster, stated
that ,the damage to the_cab and the cost of repairing it
would be about 225.

The prisoner Alston was fined 225., Rutherford was
discharged, and the cabman was allowed 108.

THAMES.

siNai,•.LAR ANNOYANCE—KNOCKING VE A RELIEVING
OFFICES.—,TyIia Donovan, an Irish midwife, about 60
years of age, ano: dwelling at No. 18, St. Dunstan's-place,
Ratcliffe, was brougi,!, before Mr Paget, charged with wil-
fully disturbing Mr Johi; Wright at an unseasonable hour
and unlawfully knocking at his door.
Mr John Wright, relieving ogeer of the Hamlet of Rat-
cliff, in the Stepney Union, states that a quarter past 3
o'clock this morning he was disturbed by a loud knocking
at the door 'of his home, No. 11, York-,square, Stepney.
He leaped from his bed, and before he could open the door
of his room the knocking was repeated. He partially dressed
himself and went to the street door. The knocking never
ceased until he:opened:the:door. He saw the prisonerholding
on by the knocker and very much intoxicated. He asked hbr
what she wanted, and she said, What about that case of
Ansell, on Monday ?" He told her his office hours at the
Ratcliff Workhouse were from 10 to 12 in the day, and she
must come then if she had any business with him. She
said she was debilitated, and wanted to go home. He told
her he had no water for her, and that she must go home.
She refused to leave. A police-constable made his appear-
ance, and he gave the prisoner into custody. On the 9th of
Aprit last elle knocked him up at half-past 3in the morn-
ing, and said silo wanted an order for the doctor of the
Union to attend a po'r woman in labour. He gave her an
order, which she never mode use of. In answer to Mr
Paget as to the motive which in,luced the prisoner to make
such unseasonable calls, Mr Wrig:Zt said the prisoner
called upon him some time ago, and sais:l she was in great
distress. He relieved her with bread and oatmeal and went
to her dwelling-house. There were no indicatiori..B of die-
tress, her husband could afford bacon for his breakfast and
roast mutton for his dinner. He refused, of course, to re-
lieve her any more, and she adopted this system of annoy-
ance.
The prisoner, in defence, said she was exceedingly de-
bilitatekthis morning.
Mr Paget—Yes. You were debilitated, ea you term it,
from drink. You were intoxicated at 16 minutes past three
this morning.
The prisoner—No, I was not. I have lived in the hamlet
of Radcliff since 1820.

Mr Paget said the prisoner was an exceedingly bad cha-
racter, and wanted to live on the industry and hard earn-
ings of the ratepayers. He fined her 10s., and in default
of payment 11 days' imprisonment in the House of Cor-
rection,