The Sun.
London, England, 1852-12-30 00:00:00

POLIO

'ENCE.

BOW-STREET.—Charles Mitchell, a militiaman,
was charged with highway robbery.
A young man named Thomas Bennett, in the employ
of Messrs. Daukes and Rodick, bottled beer agents,
Exeter-street, had spent the evening in company with a
young woman at a temperance ball, from which they
were returning through High-street, St. Giles's, at
about one o'clock in the morning (Wednesday). They
saw a group of men near the railings of St. Giles's
Church, and crossed the road to avoid them. The men
followed, and one of them (the prisoner) seized Bennett
by the throat, forced him back on the pavement, rifled
his pockets, and snatched at his watch chain, which
broke at the swivel. The others assisted in the attack,
and the prosecutor was severely knocked about ; but
the screams of his companion brought a policeman to
the spot bsefore they could secure his watch, and the men
ran off in different directions. The constable (F 73),
suspecting tillat one of them had gone into Dudley-court,
proceeded to the spot, where he found the prisoner
almost out of breath from the exertion of running. He
was immediatel v identified by the prosecutor as the man
who had throttled. him ; and Hannah Reardon, his com-
panion, corrobonded the statement.
Mr. Henry inquired if the prisoner was known to the
police ? - - _ _

The gaoler stated that the prisoner was brought before

Mr. Hall a few weeks since,in company with another
man, charged with being drunk and assaulting several
people in Holborn. They were both in the militia uni-
form, and the prisoner was committed in default of pay-
ing the fine inflicted.
The prosecutor expressed a wish not to proceed with

the case, became he could not get leave of absence from his
business ; and the inspector informed his worship that
the foreman of Messrs. Daukes and Rodick, who was
present, had threatened .to dismiss him from his situation
if he absented himself for the purpose.
Mr. Henry, after remarking that this was very extra-
ordinary conduct, requested the foreman to explain it.
The foreman said that several of the hands were already
absent from sickness and other causes, and if the prose-
cutor was to be kicking his heels for three or four days
at the sessions upon this business, he (the foreman) would
not undertake to say that his place would not be filled
up by another hand. He wished the case to be disposed
of summarily.
Mr. Henry said he had no power to deal adequately
with such charges as this, except by sending the case for
trial. Highway robberies in the streets of London were
getting very common now, and soon it would be unsafe
to walk them after dark, if some exertions were not
made to detect the offenders. It was a very small sacri-
fice for a respectable tradesman to make in the public
service, and it -would be extremely unjust to visit the
prosecutor with dismissal from his situation for one day's
absence, and probably no more, to attend the sessions.
What had happened to him (the prosecutor) might hap-
pen to his employers at any time ; and if the employers
were consulted, he could not think that they would be
so selfish as to sanction the threat of their foreman, who
had shown a vea7 bad spirit in the matter.
The constable said it was with great difficulty that he
had prevailed o n the foreman to allow Bennett to attend
before his worship that day.
Mr. Henry desired the officer to communicate his sen-
timents upon the subject to the principal of the firm,
who, it appeared, was not at present in town.
The prisoner, on being asked if he had anything to
say to the charge, said, "You have got it all your own
way, so do as you like." 4
He was then committed for trial.

Daniel Mahony, James O'Carroll, and Catherine Sul-
livan, each of -whom occupied a room at 4, Lincoln-
court, were charged by Inspector Reason and Sergeant
Hunt, with neglecting the regulations enforced by the
act for the improvement of common lodging-houses.
It was shown in evidence that the defendants had
neglected to provide the requisite partitions between the
beds occupied by men, women, and children, and that
the whole of the house was in a very filthy condition.
The landlord was chiefly responsible for this, because,
owing to the unapproachable state of the water-closet at
the bottom of the house, the lodgers had habitually re-
sorted to the front cellar, the stench arising from which
was truly horrible.

Mr. Henry said he should not dispose of this case
without seeing the landlord.
His worship then issued a summons for the attendance
of the latter, and adjourned the inquiry to a future day.
Four similar charges were preferred against the occu-
piers of rooms in Orange-court, but as the defendants
promised to put up partitions forthwith, and to comply
with the other regulations of the act, Mr. Henry sus-
pended his decision for a fortnigilt.
Our reporter was requested to acknowledge the receipt
of 10/. from the Mercers' Company, for the poor-box of
the court.

GUILDHALL.--Mr. Alderman Copeland having
signified his intention to deliver his decision in the case
against Mr. Grafton, a watchmaker and jeweller, of
Fleet-street, all the parties attended according to the
notice.