The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-14 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER.

BANEFUL EFFECTS OF INTOXICATIONp—Sarah Cooper,
a middle-aged woman, was charged with being drunk and
creating a disturbance.

Peter Allen, 180 V, said that between five and six o'clock
last evening he was sent for to 34, Paulton-square, Chelsea,
outside of which he found the defendant drunk and creat-
ing a disturbance. He requested her to go away, but she
refused, and he was obliged to lock her up.
Defendant—l am a very ill used woman, your worship.
I have been grossly neglected by my husband, and every
time Igo near him for anything he locks me up. I went
to see him on business.

Mr. Arnold —You were drunk, and therefore in no con-
dition to visit any one on business.

Defendant—Oh, dear me, no, not drunk; I might have
taken a little refreshment, but was certainly not drunk.
The acting-inspector on duty at the station was called,
and proved distinctly that she was.
A Police-constable—She has given her husband and
family a great deal of care and trouble. She was only
liberated from prison yesterday, after undergoing a con-
finement of six weeks.
Mr. Arnold—How was that ?

Policeman—She was unable to procure bail for her
good behaviour, and was locked up in default.
Mr. Arnold—Was she then charged with drunkenness ?
The husband, a very respectable looking elderly man, a
dozen years her senior, said—She got drunk and took up a
knife and then threatened to cut off the childrens' heads,
but I fortunately got her out into the street before she did
any mischief. She's an incorrigible drunkard.
Dennis, the gaoler—When here last night she was drunk.
Mr. Arnold—l shall now commit her for seven days
without a fine.

Defendant—Pray don't, Oh, pray don't.
Mr. Arnold was inexorable, and she was committed to
Tothill-fields Blidewell.

Many mistakes have occurred in the observations
made on the appointment of Mr. Beard by her Ma-
jesty to the office of Court Newsman, from which Mr.
Doane retires. This office has nothing to do, as stated,
with the clerkship of presentations, which concerns eccle-
siastical appointments, and is in the gift of the Lord Chan-
cellor. The Court Newsman's duty is to distribute daily
to the morning papers a document supplied from Court, and
called the " Court Circular"—not in any way connected
with a newspaper so called. The offie of Court Circular,
or Court Newsman, commenced under the reign of George
111. The King, being much annoyed at the inaccuracies
in the papers as to the Royal movements, took the advice of
the chief metropolitan magistrate, and appointed a Court
Newsman; and Mr. Doane, the grandfather of the late
official, was installed in the office, which has gradually
developed itself in importance.
A SUBTERRANEAN HUNT.—An extraordinary
bait„e has just taken place in the sewers of Paris. Taking
adt,antage of the frost, which drives this particular game
into covert, the owner invited a Christmas party to partake
of the sport of rat killing. All the great sewers were driven
in ono direction till millions of rats, which fought among
themselves like tigers as they were hunted along, were col-
lected in the large drain by the bridge of Asnieres. Forty
dooswerethea
let down into the sewers, and after a fight
which last 45 hours, and in which four dogs were killed
and
some blinded, no lets than 11000 rats were despatched.