The Sun.
London, England, 1839-09-30 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

G UILDHALL.

Thomas Leger, the conductor of an omnibus, was
brought before Mr, Alderman White under the fol-
lowing circumstances :
Mr. Michael Drury, surgeon, of High-street, Dept-
ford, deposed—On Sunday, the 15th inst., I hailed an
omnibus, of which the defendant was the conductor, at
Hyde Park-corner, and asked the fare to Kew Bridge,
the defendant said sixpence. On arriving at Kew
Bridge I handed him sixpence, which he put into his
pocket, and then laying hold of my collar, demanded
another shilling. I refused to pay, and desired him not
to interrupt me. He shook me, and I then put up my
umbrella, and said if he touched me I would knock
him down. He then left hold of me and put himself
in a fighting position, and forcibly took possession of
my umbrella, with which he ran off. I gave informa-
tion to the police, and he was taken on 'Wednesday at
the corner of St. Paul's Church-yard. He begged for
forgiveness, and promised to return the umbrella and
pay all expenses, and I consented not to press the
charge. Instead of doing so, he refused to give up the
umbrella, and abused the policeman, and was retaken.
I have not had the umbrella since.

A solicitor, who attended on behalf of the defendant,
said that the umbrella would be returned when the
shilling was paid.
Mr. Drury said there were numbers of omnibusses
running in that direction with 6d. marked nn them.
An officer remarked that they always charged Is.
_ _ . .

Mr. Alderman WHITE said the transaction had oc-
curred out of his jurisdiction, and must be taken to
another office. He should recommend the giving up
of the umbrella.

The solicitor thought qe Alderman would not do
so if ho heard the whole of the evidence.
The defendant was then sent to Bow-street.

BOW-STREET.

THE NEW POLICE ACT.—C'harles Musket, the pro-
prietor of the house in Brydgv—street, Covent-garden,
known by the name of Mother H.'s, was summoned by
Inspector Mullins, of the F division of police, for har-
bouring prostitutes and other persons of bad character
in his house.

Inspector Black stated that at two o'clock in the
morning on Tuesday, the 10th September, he went to
the defendant's house. Oa going up stairs he found
eight men and eleven women sitting in the front room.
The women were all very showily dressed, and he be-
lieved were common prostitutes.
Cross-examined by Mr. Clurkson (who appeared on
the part of the defendant)—The women were not street-
walkers. Saw nothing indrcent or improper in their
behaviour.

Two policemen confirmed th., evidence of the Inspec-
tor, and added that three off b,! women they saw in the
defendant's house resided at a house in Exeter-street.

Mr. Clarkson addressed Lilo bench at great length
on the part of the defendant, and contended that, as no
disorderly conduct had been proved to have taken place
in defendant's house, the charge must be dismissed. The
mere circumstance of showily-dressed ladies being in his
house, was nothing more than what constantly occurred
at Willis's Rooms, and many other places of fashionable
public resort at the west end of the town ; but the prin-
cipal point on which he relied was, that there was no
proof that the defendant was present at the time the al-
leged offence was committed, or at all aware of what was
going OR in his house. The fact was he was in the
country at the time, having been obliged to leave town
for the benefit of his health.
The waiter was then called, and he swore that the de-
fendant had been out of town for the last month, and
only came home on Friday.
Mr. HALL then said, that as there was a doubt
among the Magistrates of the different police courts
whether a person keeping such a house as the defendant
was liable for anything that took place in it in his ab-
sence, he should pospone his judgment until he had an
opportunity of consulting them upon the subject, as it
was important that there should be a uniformity of de-
cision in such cases.

The further hearing of the case was accordingly post-
poned for a week.

William Morgan, the keeper of a coffee.shop in
James.street, Covent-garden, was summoned for har-
bouring prostitutes in his house on Sunday, the 22d in-
stant.

Inspector Black stated that he went to the defen-
dant's house at two o'clock in the morning on Sunday
last, and that he there found twenty-two men and seven
women in the lower room ; they were drinking coffee.
He knew four of the women to be common prostitutes.
Mr. Clarkson having addressed the Bench on behalf
of the accused, Mr. Hall find the defendant 20s. and
costs, which was immediate!), paid.
Mr. Thomas Eaton, chareej with the manslaughter
of William Cole, was brought up for re-examination.
The widow of the deceased previously had an inter-
view with Mr. Hall, the Magistrate, when she stated
that since the prisoner's apprehension, a gentleman had
called upon her and made her a present of a sum of
money, which he said he had been desired to give her to
alleviate her present distresses. He did not say from
whom the money had been sent.
Mr. HALL said there could be no doubt that the
money had been sent either by the prisoner, or some of
his companions on the night of the fatal occurrence.
As there was a doubt whether the prisoner was the
person who caused the death of the deceased, two wit-
nesses swearing positively to his identity, while a third,
who witnessed the whole affli,, was equal:y positive he
was not the man, he (Mr. IL") thought that under all
the circumstances he show! ci ti • perfectly justified in ad-
mitting the prisoner to bail, particularly as, in a case
where so much doubt existed as to the identity of the
prisoner, there was little probability of a jury convicting
him even if he should be committed for trial.

The prisoner was afterward'. placed at the bar, when
the Magistrate said that he 11.1.(i decided upon admitting
him to bail, himself in 3001.. al two sureties in 1501.,
each, to appear again at )ve office on Saturday
next. The prisoner, and t n of his friends, having
entered into the required surnties, left the office.
It was stated that an annuity of 201. a year had been
settled upon the widow of the deceased, and that, con-
sequently, no further proceedings would be taken
against the prisoner.