The Sun.
London, England, 1830-02-04 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION-HOUSE.
A case of rather an unusual kind is•as heard be-
;ore Sir PETER LAURIE.

A Mr. Allen came a few days ago to complain
that the new Common Councilman for the ward of
Portsoken, Mr. Michael Scales, unlawfully detained
a second-hand Common Councilman's gown, which
the complainant wished to sell, and which he had,
under the impression that Mr. Scales would have
no objection to purchase a bargain, entrusted to that
gentleman. Although " full of honour.," how-
ever, Mr. Scales could neither be prevailed upon to
pay for the gown nor to return it. The badge of
civic dignity had originally cost nine guineas, and
after having graced the shoulders and loins of Mr.
Gilbertson, a deceased member of the city Legisla-
ture, for some time, was offered for sale at the very
low price of two guineas. Mr. Scales, however,
thought even that too large a sum, offe!•ed the,
moiety for it, and treated the future applications of
the subject with the greatest possible indifference.
Sir PETER LAURIE (as Mr. Scales had been just
added to the list of city lawgivers), instead of sum-
moning him to account for this act of contempt,
sent his compliments to him to Aldgate, and re-
quested to see him upon the matter in question. His
worship's compliments, however, shared the fate of
the gown, and on the following day several Common
Councilmen attended, in expectation of having the
dignity of the Court vindicated. Mr. Scales did
not make his appearance.
Mr. Perry gave a brief account of the transaction,
at the desire of Sir Peter Laurie. This gentleman
had been ousted by Mr. Scales on the last St.
Thomas's Day, at the Portsoken election, very
much to his surprise, and the lucky candidate called,
in order to make inquiry about the gown which had
thus become vacant after some service. But Mr.
Perry hail no wish to be ousted out of his gown. It
happened, however, that Mr. Allen had, as executor
to one who could not be re-elected, a gown to `el!,
and he accordingly called upon Mr. Perry, and
showing him tire gown, asked about a purchaser,
and thus Mr. Scales got involved in the negociation.
The article was rather short for the new member, •
having been made for a very little man, rand
after having tumbled and tossed it about fur
some time, Mr. Scales said he would take the
opinion of his daughters on the value and respectability
of the thing, and was referred to Mr. Allen, from
whom he afterwards received it in order to take the
judgment of the young ladies upon its worth. Mr.
Perry refused to have any thing further to do with
the bargain and the complainant, who believing that
Mr. Scales's object in detaining the gown was that
he might have it copied, had in vain applied for its
restoration. Some laughter accompanied this state-
ment.

Sir PETER LAURIE asked whether the Common
-Councilman's gown went with the office. It w.,s
a common opinion that the Chief Magistrate's gold
chain followed the office. This was quite an erro•

newts impression. Every Alderman as he reach,.d
,he chair had to purchase his own paraphernalia.
A Member of the Court of Common Council
said, the• city ward representatives were obliged to
purchase theirs also. Their paraphernalia consisted
of the gown and cocked or opera hat. They were
obliged to purchase them, hut those dignities were
often transferred to persons of different sizes and
shapes.—( Laugh t er.)
Mr. Allen said that Mr. Scales complained, upon
being requested to act in the usual way in such
cases, of the great " bother" there was about the
gown. . _

It %vas afterwards signified to Sir Peter Laurie
that Mr. Allen had received the gown upon paying
Is. to the bearer.

EOW-STREET.

The following curious application was made yes-
terday to Mr. HALLS, the sitting Magistrate.
Mr. Wakley, the Editor of the well-known medi-
cal publication called the Lancet, addressing Mr.
Hails, requested his advice under the following cir-
-1 cumstances :—He had, he said, challenged Monsieur
Chabert, better known by the name of the Fire-
King, to swallow some prussic acid, the deadly
nature of which need not be described. Monsieur
Chabert had stated in reply, that he was willing to
meet him (Mr. Wakley), and give him ocular proof
that his offer to swallow prusic acid was not an idle
boast, and in order to put the matter beyond dispute,
it was his (Mr. Wakley's), intention to attend on
the following (this) day, when the " Fire-King"
had advertised his benefit, and personally administer
to him a portion of prussic acid, which was then pre-
paring for the purpose by an eminent chymist, the
power of which would be of that nature, that by
merely dipping a quill into the bottle which con-
tained it, and holding the end to the nostrils of a
rabbit, the animal would instantly drop dead from
the mere smell. Now, being aware of the, deadly
and instantaneous quality of the poison, and being
morally convinced that if but a single drop of it
were to be swallowed by any human being, that
instant death must follow, the difficulty which he
felt was, that if the result of the trial should prove
unfortunate, be (Mr. Wakley) might be considered as
an accessory to the death of the " Fire-Kin and and be
made liable to the consequences--a situation in which
be was by no means solicitous to appear. Under
these circumstances, he was anxious to know from
the Magistrate how far he should be legally respon-
sible for having furnished to the Fire-King a drug
which beyond all doubt would be fatal in its conse-
quences.
Mr. HALLS said, that in his opinion, Mr.Wakley
• would stand in the same situation as an apothecary
who should vend a deleterious drug, the word " poi-
son" being written upon the bottle.
Mr. Wakley not only proposed to furnish the
prussic acid, but intended, in order to prevent the
possibility of deception, to administer it himself to
the Fire-King.
Mr. HALLS would by all means advise Mr.Wakley
to do no such thing. If he felt so certain that the
poison would have the effect he described, he would
certainly incur the risk which he was desirous to
prevent. Suppose, for instance, that a juggler
should say, •" You may cut off my head, for I pos-
sess the power of placing it on my shoulders again,"
would not the party who took him at his %void be
guilty of his murder ?
Mr. Wakley felt the awkwardness of the situa-
tion in which he might be placed. He by no means
wished to put himself forward in the matter, and
had for a considerable time abstained from any in-
terference in the feats of the Fire-King; but hav-
ing, in his capacity of editor of the Lancet, received
upwards of one hundred letters upon the subject,
and being continually annoyed by medical men calls
ing upon him to put the assertion of M. Chabert,
with respect to prussic acid, to the test, be felt de-
sirous to do so, in order that the claims of that in-
dividual to the distinction which he sought might
be fairly ascertained; or, if his feats should prove to
be founded in juggle or sleight of hand, that public
exposure should follow.
Mr. HALLS remarked, it would •be desirable that
the matter should be placed, if possible, beyond
doubt. It was certainly most extraordinary, if M.
Chabert possessed the power of resisting the effects
of a poison so deadly in its nature and instantaneous
in effects as prussic acid. He (Mr. Halls) had,
however, heard medical gentlemen declare, who were
present at die Fire King's exhibitions, that he ac-
tually so allowed prussic acid.
Mr. Wakley—All I can say is this, that if he
swallon the smallest portion of the prussic acid
which I propose to-offer him to-morrow at his be-
nefit, and if he survive the dose, my incredulity will
be completely dissipated.
Mr. Haus said that the other feats of M. Cha-
bert sunk into comparative insignificance when coin-
pared with the fact of his swallowing prussic acid.
Mr. Wakley knew as well as any man, that it
watsonsu
ot,giz the effectstfeattotaokt aneri
heatedspoori oftdwoe.
of boiling oil,
or
Mr. Wakley remarked, that such feats were com-
mon to all jugglers. By retaining a quantity of
saliva in the mouth, the effect of a spoonful of boiling
oil would be obviated, as the saliva would prevent
the oil from reaching the skin. It was quite different,
however, with respect to water heated to a certain
degree, and M. Chabert lad not, as lie (Mr.Wakley)
proposed, said whether or not he was willing to try
the latter test. Mr.Wakley, after again repeating his
total disbelief of the power to resist deadly poisons,
and more especially prussic acid, which the Fire-
King claimed, observed, t!.at the whole medical pro-
fession was deeply interested in the question, and
it was felt as a stigma on its members that the means
of counteracting die effects of such dreadfully de-
structive drugs as prussic acid, laudanum, &c., should
be limited to one individual, if it were indeed true
that the Fire-King possessed die secret of which he
boasted. He (Mr. Wakley) was determined if pos-
sible to put the matter beyond doubt, but at the
same time he would act upon Mr. Halls's recom-
mendation, and hold himself clear from the conse-
quences which might follow, if he were to administer
the poison to the Fire-King.
Mr. HALLS wished Mr. Wakley to understand
that he must act entirely upon his own responsibility.
Mr. Wakley--I certainly mean to do so, and shall
not voluntary administer the prussic acid to the Fire-
King to-morrow. If, however, he should invi!e me
to do so, I suppose I should be justified in meeting
his wishes, as it would then be his own act.

Mr. MlNsnur,L, as a Magistrate, was bound to
caution Mr. Wakley how, by any act of his, he en-
dangered the life of a fellow-creature.
Mr. Wakley, having thanked the Magistrate, re-
tired, expressing his dete►mination to be present at
the Fire King's benefit, and putting his pretensions
to the test, as far as the swallowing of prussic acid
is concerned.
John Hobday was brought in custody, and exa-
mined in the private room, upo❑ the charge of hav-
ing stolen a bank-note for 101. from a General Post-
Office letter.
The prisoner was remanded, to give time for the
production of witnesses.

NOT BORN TO BE HANGED.—He was, in
his younger days an officer in the army; and was nearly
burnt, drowned, and hanged, in the course of a few mi•
nutes. In time of war be was ordered abroad, with some
of his regiment; and when on his way to a foreign coast,
in a fleet of trat,spot ts, the little squadron fell in with the
enemy ; an engagement ensued.—During the encounter,
the ship in which he was sailing caught fire ; he was en-
veloped in flame, when an explosion took place, which
blew him into the sea; unable to swim, he expected to
sink immediately, never to rise again :—an accompanying
Eng'ish vessel, observing his situation, threw out a rope
to him, with a noose in it ; in his hurry to fix it under
his arms, it slipped round his neck ; and when a Men:lly
sailor tugged at hint, to haul him on board, the endeavour
to save his life, almost put an end to it. Luckily, he had
not far to go : and he was dragged upon the deck half-
singed, half-drowned, and half-strangled. This triple PS..
C pc! !nay be considered as quadruple; for he tan the im-
mediate risk of being shot, in common with others en-
gaged in the action.— Colman's Random Records.

BIRTHS.
On the 3d inst. in Lower Berkeley-strea, the lady of
E. C. Macnaghten, Esq.
On the 2d inst. in Henrietta-street, Brunswick-squaret
the lady of T. N. 'I alfourd, Esq. of a son.
On the 2d inst. in Tavistock-place, the lady of Thos.
Gihbes, Esq. of a son.
On the 9,1 inst. at Parson's-green, the lady of J. A.
Hammett, Esq. of a son.
On the 30th ult. at Rose Green, Sussex, the lady of Vir.
Brk.o, jun. Esq. of a daughter.