The Sun.
London, England, 1837-10-06 00:00:00

MARLBORO UGH-STREET.

Thomas John Sherry, a lad of very effeminate appear-
ance, wearing speetkicks, and carrying a bludgeon, was
charged before Mr. CONANT and Mr. HALL, with having
wilfully thrown a little boy, named Burn, into the Serpen-
tine River.

Mr. John Pritchard, superintendent of the Humane So-
ciety, knew the defendant by sight, from having seen him
fishing in the river. On Monday afternoon, he saw the
defendant seize the little boy, and deliberately force him
into the river. He ran forward instantly, but the defendant
had fortunately succeeded in rescuing the child before life
was extinct. The spot where the child was thrown in was
upwards of four feet deep, and the very place where Capt.
Parry was drowned not a very long time ago. Had the
child, in falling, not have turned towards the bank, he must
have been drowned.

Mr. CONANT asked the defendant what he had to say ?
The defendant, in a penny trumpet voice, said, " I was en-
gaged in fishing, when the boy began to throw stones into
the water. I asked him to leave off, but he only looked
at me sneeringly. I then commanded him to desist, but
he threw another stone, and I then laid hold of him with
the intention of wetting his ancles, or at most his knees,
but he slipped down into the water, which I was not
aware was so deep there."

The superintendent said that the defendant, in denying
the knowledge of the depth of, the water, told a premedi-
tated falsehood, for he must have known the depth from
having fished in it. The present was not the first offence
of the same kind which the defendant had committed, for
a short time back he had thrown a little girl into the water.
Defendant—l did throw the girl in, but I was very
much exasperated at the time. She was with a parcel of
girls and boys, who played tricks with my fishing tackle,
and overturned my basket, and when she chucked sand in
my face I certainly did send her into the water. But
though I was justified in that instance, I can't speak in my
favour in the present case, except just to say, that when
the little boy got into the water I took the trouble to pull
him out, and also to get out his cap.
The superintendent said the defendant, instead of ex-
hibiting the least compunction for the situation into which
he had reduced the poor child, actually threw his cap after
him in the most contemptuous manner.
Mr. Burn, of No. 304, Oxford-street, the father of the
little boy, said the child had been in a very delicate state
ever since the transaction.

Mr. CONANT inquired of the defendant if he were in the
habit of carrying a life-preserver ?—The defendant replied
he Was, and on one occasion had he not pulled it out, a
man would have cut his fishing-line.
Mr. CONANT said it was highly improper for a youth of
such violent passions to carry such a weapon about with
him. The assault on the boy was of an aggravated cha-
racter, and if the father wished it he would send the de-
fendant to the Sessions, or he would fine him the utmost
amount the law had affixed.

The father having requested the Magistrate to deal with
;he offence summarily,

Mr. CONANT inflicted the fine of 51., or two months'
mprisonment.

The defendant said he would send to his mother, in
Lower Sloane-street, Chelsea, for the money.

HATTON GARDEN.

Yesterday a poor sickly-looking woman was observed
sitting in this office, gasping for breath, when Keys, the
overseer of St. Pancras, called her from her seat, for the
purpose of being sworn to her examination relative to the
settlement of her child, illegitimate, a fine boy, about seven
years of age, who was present in the office.
Mr. Mallett, the clerk, read over the examination, from
which it appeared that her name was Eliza Jones, a patient
in the North London Hospital ; that she was a native of
Bristol, where the child was born, and that was his legal
settlement. On being sworn she was asked whether it was
all true 1 She replied (tremulously)—" It is all true as
you have read it, Sir."
Mr. Mallett (handing her the pen)—" Then you must
sign it.' Bursting into a flood of tears, she said, "I am not
able to sign it ; I have two blisters upon me."
Keys—" But you can make your mark."
She managed to make her mark with some difficulty.
Mr. LAING considered it an unnecessary step to bring
the poor woman from the hospital in her present condition.
Keys had leave at the hospital to bring her.
Keys said they had no other alternative than to pass the
child to its settlement. The parish were bound to do so
for their own safety, but he individually did not wish to
press the matter.
Mr. LAING again suggested that Keys should consult
with the woman, in order that her child might not be sent
so far distant from her.
Keys said that since she had been in the hospital her
child had been in their workhouse.
The mother was subsequently conveyed back to the hos-
pital, and the child was taken back to the workhouse.