The Sun.
London, England, 1839-12-11 00:00:00

BOW-STREET.-(THIS DAY.)

Mr. John Rice, proprietor of the Norfolk Coffee
House, at the corner of Compton-street, High-street,
St. Giles's, appeared upon a summons at the instance
of the police inspectors, F division, to show cause why
he did, on the morning of the Ist inst., willingly and
knowingly permit and suffer several persons of noto-
riously bad character to meet together and remain on
his premises, to which he pleaded not guilty.
Inspector Black stated that on passing the defend-
ant's house about four o'clock in the morning, he heard
a noise, and having sent a constable to ascertain the
cause, he brought back word there were several persons
of both sexes inside. On questioning the defendant
about it, he said, that the moment he had opened his
door a number of persons rushed in, some of whom at
his request went away, but several of them refused to
stir.

Constable Marchant, 139 F, observed several
men and women inside, many of the latter having
neither bonnets nor caps upon them, and some of
them he knew had been many times in custoiy ; bhe
defendant was present, and he heard him say they
should have nothing to eat or drink, and some, after
using very impertinent language, said they would not
stir from the place unless they were served. Witness
had frequently seen the defendant drive improper per-
sons away from the door, on their attempting to force in
at an early hour in the morning.
The defendant said, that when he opened his door,
nearly thirty persons who had been at a raffle in St.
Giles, rushed in, and he was totally unable to keep
them out, as they absolutely took the place by storm.
The constable, on being further questioned by the
Magistrate, said he had never any trouble with persons
who frequent the house, and when he entered none of
the women had any refreshment before them.
Mr. Joseph Fleming, a school assistant, proved that
the house had been open only ten minutes, and no re-
freshment had been served to any person previous to
the police entering, and he saw some women, because
they were bad characters, turned out after having de-
layed a few minutes.
_ _

Mr. TWYFORD said that no blame could be imputed
to the police for the steps they had taken, but after
such decisive ecidence, both on the part of the police
and the witness for the defence, he could not think of
ordering a conviction, and the case should be dismissed.

DANGER OF JOKING.—An old man of the
name of Knight met with his death in the City of Lon-
don Union workhouse at Peckham under most extraor-
dinary circumstances. It appeared before Mr. Carter,
the Coroner, who presided yesterday at the Crown,
High-street, Peckham to inquire respecting the facts,
that the deceased had formerly been in the navy, but
had been supported latterly in the above workhouse, he
at the same time• practising as barber of the village,
whereby he received a considerable sum of money, but
which all went in tippling. He had a habit, when he
went home to Marlborough House (the name of the
establishment), of snatching the food of the paupers
and ravenously eating it, though without the slightest
motive as far as want was concerned. He did this on
Friday night, when he endeavoured to swallow nearly
two ounces of stolen beef, while his mouth was full of
pork and bread taken from another pauper. The con-
sequence was that he was choked. Verdict—" Acci-
dental Death."
EXTENSIVE FRAUDS.—Since the examination
of Thomas Shelford, at Hatton-garden, on Friday last,
for having defrauded Mr. M'Cowley, of Alfred-place,
Bedford-square, out of 501., under pretence of obtaining
for•him a situation on the Birmingham Railroad, nume-
rous inquiries have been made at the office by persons
who have been similarly defrauded, to ascertain on what
day the prisoner would be brought up for re-examination,
and to see the prisoner, in order to identify him. He
has evidently pursued his transactions most ingeniously,
and to a considerable extent. It appears that some time
ago he was one of the parties who hired apartments at
various places in the west end of the town, and by
creating a nuisance obtained money to give up possession.
A French lady, named Veriez, met with her
death in a private lunatic asylum at Yotk, by throwing
her head back so suddenly as to dislocate the second
vertebra of the neck, during an attempt to administer
some gruel and wine to her. She had been in a me-
lancholy condition for some time, and had :efused to
take either food or medicine. An inquest was held on
the body, and a verdict returned accordingly. Mr.
Dawson, the keeper of the asylum, has a high character
for the humanity with which he treats the persons
placed under his care.
EFFECTS OF SEDENTARY EMPLOYMENT.—
On Tuesday an inquest was held at the Barley Mow,
Mount-street, Grosvenor-square, before Mr. Higgs, on
the body of:Ann Bales, aged 22, pupillto Mrs. Treacher,
dressmaker, of 57, Regent-street. It was distinctly
proved that deceased, who came home to her aunt's,
Mrs. Bevor, a milliner, residing at No. 22, Mount-
street, to sleep every Saturday night, went up stairs in
excellent health and spirits at a quarter past twelve on
Sunday morning last, and, whilst undressing in her
aunt's room, fell down at the latter's feet, breathed
three times and expired. Mr. Parrott, a surgeon, said
she had died of apoplexy, and so had a sister of hers,
aged sixteen, five or six years ago. A Juror—ls it
not extraordinary that women so young should die of
apoplexy ? Mr. Parrott—Not at all. The sedentary
occupations of milliners and dressmakers predispose
them to that malady, Mr. Bevor, the uncle, on being
questioned, said that his niece worked from eight
o'clock in the morning until nine at night daily. Coro-
ner—Work 13 hours a day ! That's a very long. time.
A Juror—Dressmakers work much later than that at
our end of the town—from seven in the morning to
eleven at night. Verdict—Died of Apoplexy.
The title of the Drury-lane pantomime is
Harlequin Jack Sheppard ; or, The Blossom of Ty-
burn Tree. The opening, it is said, is written by the
author of Othello Travestie,
Sheridan Knowles is engaged in writing the
libretto of ballad opera, the music of which is
to be
enmposed by Benedict. It is to be brought out at
Covent-garden.

SUDDEN DEA TII.-Tuesday morning, between
eight and nine o'clock, the steward of General Sebas-
tiani, the French Ambassador, at Hertford-house,
Ilanchester.square, was walking quietly through the
hall, apparently in his usual health and spirits, when he
suddenly fell to the ground and expired. Surgical aid
was promptly obtained, but all endeavours to restore
animation proved unavailing.

The first six months from the opening of the
Croydon Railway terminated on the 4th inst. ; during
that period 311,319 passengers have travelled on the
line, and the money received is 17,666/. 113. 3d.
LOUIS PHILIPPE AND HIS COUSIN OF
DESSAU.—There is at Dessau, the capital of the
Duchy of Anhalt-Dessau, an old gardener of the Ducal
Court. In his youth he had a situation at Versailles,
where he had obtained the friendship of a young
Prince, to whom he used to offer fine fruit, and who
always thanked him, styling him his " Dear cousin."
The young Prince is now King of the French. The
old gardener has a grandson, who wishes also to be a
gardener. The old man, remembering his relationship
to Louis Philippe, lately wrote to him, requesting
that he would employ the youth in one of the Royal
gardens, and see that he duly attended to his profes-
sion. The King has most graciously replied to his
old acquaintance in an autograph letter, written in the
German language, and commencing with the words—
"My dear cousin." The King tells him that he has
granted a situation of 2,000 f. to his protege, with lodg-
ings, and that he will take care of the youth. The
epistle concludes with—" Your affectionate cousin,
Louis Philippe." The old gardener exhibits the royal
communication to all who visit the Duke's garden,
always holding it in both hands, in dread of the pre-
cious autograph being torn from him.—German Paper.
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.—On Tuesday morning,
between five and six o'clock, a fire broke out in the ex-
tensive workshops of Mr. Bowen, coachmaker, Mill-
street, Old Kent-road, which, owing to the combt'stible
nature of various articles used in the business, burnt with
such fury that notwithstanding the firemen brought
seven engines to bear on the premises, they were soon
entirely destroyed.

,
IMPORTANT—IF TRUE.—A provincial paper
in 1824 stated that the grains of wheat were so large
hat year that they choked the little birds that attempted

:o swallow them.