The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-15 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 15, 1863,

POLICE INTELLIGENCE—This Day,

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

ASSAULT ON THE MARQUIS OF TOWNSHEND DY A
NOTORIOUS BEGGING 1111POSTOR.—Eliza Croker and Ca-
therine M'Ray, two notorious beggars, were charged before
Mr. Knox with begging in Piccadilly, Croker being also
charged with assaulting the Marquis of Townshend, of No.
6, Grosvenor-street, Grosvenor-square,
The prisoners accosted the Marquis of Townshend in
Piccadilly about one o'clock this morning asking him for
alms. Knowing the prisoner Croker to have been about
the streets daily for years begging with a poor child, and as
she he.d called upon him and proved herself a gross im
poster, his lordship gave her into custody,when she slapped
his face. The other prisoner having been seen bogging by
Water Non, 141 C, was taken into custody by him, when she
became very violent.

Fryer, one of the Mendicity Society's officers, said he
had known both prisoners for years, and they had been
several times convicted. Croker had been known to the
society for years.
A constable having corroborated the Marquis of
Townshend,
Croker said she did not know who the gentleman was,
whether he was a policeman or not.

Mr. Knox said she well knew, whether it was the MarTais
of Townshend or a policeman, she had no right to beg of
anybody.
M'itay said she only asked the gentleman to buy a pair
of cuffs.
Committed for a month each.

THE VOLITNTEERS.

The annual distribution of prizes to the successful com-
petitors in the 29th (North) Middlesex Rifle Volunteers
took place yesterday evening at the Vestry-hall of St. Pan-
cras, Camden-town, and in the presence of a numerous
company of ladies and gentlemen. Lord Enfield, M.P., the
honorary colonel of the corps, presided. Lieutenant-Colonel
Whitehead, in opening the proceedings, congratulated the
regiment upon its healthy condition. The Government aid
had reached them, he said, at the right moment, and had
enabled them to reduce the amount of subscription, and to do
certain things which would otherwise have been almost be-
yond their power. At the annual inspection Colonel Morris
had expressed himself strongly in approval of their effi-
ciency in drill and smartness in mancauviing, and in point
of numerical strength they were progressing. He hoped,
however, that it would not be long before their numbers
were doubled, as with a recruiting district containing a popu •
lation of 200,030 he thought the local corps ought to equal
in strength the London Rifle Brigade and the Queen's
Westminster& Lord Enfield having then addressed a few
words to the meeting proceeded to distribute the prizls,
which were considerable in immber and varied in kind, cash
prizes not appearing among them. The awards had been
made solely on account of excellence in shooting, and
several members had succeeded in carrying off two or more
prizes—Private Kennedy, Sergeant Humphrey, and Cor-
poral J. Wells being especially prominent. At the con-
clusion of the distribution a vote of thanks was passed to
the visitors for their attendance, in response to which Lord
Llanover expressed the pleasure he felt at meeting his old
constituents upon such an occasion, and hoped the corps
would accept from him a prize to be contended for next
year—an offer which was of course received with the warm-
est applause. Lord Fermoy and Mr. H. Lewis, the mem-
bers for the borough, followed, the former on the part of
himself and colleague, also giving a promise to offer next
year a prize to the corps. Colonel Erskine, Assistant-
Inspeotor of Volunteers, then spoke, and said the practice
of giving prizee to Volunteers for efficiency in musketry
practice was productive of much good ; but he would
remind them that, while good shooting was one of the
requisites of a good soldier, it was only one of several,
and therefore should not be exclusively cultivated to the
neglect of other important acquirements. Amid the smoke
and confusion of battle exact aim could not be taken, and
only rapid and sustained fire could be looked for. It was true
that thee were many occasions upon which marksmen were
of great value, and although all officers were not agreed
as to the amount of advantage which accrued to an army
from efficiency in musketry among the men, yet there
could be no doubt that skill in shooting was a benefit to
the individual soldier. In consequence of the melancholy
memory attaching to the day, the meeting abstained frem
the cheers for the Queen which are usually given with such
heartiness at all Volunteer gatherings, the National Anthem
being listened to in silence. The proceedings were brought
to a close by three cheers for Lieut.-Colonel Whitehead,
given with sufficient vehemence to prove his high popu-
larity with the Volunteers under his command.