The Sun.
London, England, 1865-05-25 00:00:00

IiARYLEBONE.

THE BILLETING NUISANCE.—VIOLENT ASSAULTS BY A
MILITIAMAN.—WiIIiam Kelly, a member of the corps of the
Hampstead Militia, was charged with being drunk and dis-
orderly, and committing several assaults.
James Harley, potman at the Oxford Arms, corner of
James-street, High-street, Camden-town, said—Last night
just as we were closing the house, the prisoner, who is
billeted upon the landlord (Mr. Newport), came in very
drunk. He was asked to go up to bed, which, after
knocking me about, he did. Hearing a noise in his room,
master went up with me, and we saw him with the win-
dow open, throwing things out. Master wished him to
shut the window and go to bed. Prisoner took up a chair,
and striking my master on the head knocked him down.
William Peatrey, barman at the same house—He has
been billeted upon us for three weeks, and has been a
nuisance to the whole neighbourhood, always coming
home drunk and riotous. Who he returned last night he
was told to be quiet and go to bed. He took hold of the
potman and nearly strangled him and struck him three
times. After that we got him to his bedroom. A noise
was afterwards hoard, and on going into the room where
prisoner was he was seen throwing water and other things
upon a crowd of about 50 people who had collected about
the house through his conduct. When remonstrated with
by Mr. Newport he took up a chair and knocked him down.
He was exceedingly violent.
Charles Barber, 147 S, was called to take the prisoner
into custody. He was
very drunk. Mr. Newport seemed
to be much injured about the head.
In default of payment of a fine of 200. he was sentenced
to 21 days' hard labour in the House of Correction.

THE KEY AND THE BIBLE.—On Thursday a
strange application was made to the sitting magistrates at
North Shields. A middle-aged woman, living in Milburn-
place, North Shields, applied for a summons against a per-
son for defaming her daughter's character. She said that a
short time ago some person in tho neighbourhood had lost a
b that
r ebes‘s
brooch and it could not be found, and some person about the
place was thought to have Wolen it, but the culprit could
not be ti aced. However, after considerable consultation, it
wasiey and decidedthep
mysteryy havingibtlhe neighboursThin
i
o
ot els
holy and
antiquateddd
infa llassembleible test,nd methodof the solve
the
“
of discovering the perpetrator of guilt is as follows :—A
piece of string is tied round the Bible, the book is then laid
on a table, and a key is spun round on the top of the Bible,
and while the key is "going its rounds" some one in the
company completes the charm by repeating a verso of Holy
Writ by way of guiding the movements of the revolving key.
The party to whom the end of the key points when it has
stopped is considered to be the guilty one. In the experi-
ment referred to the applicant's daughter was the indivi-
dual who was taken notice of by the " knowing" key, and
as the mother considered the character of her daughter
slandered by the conduct of the key she sought redress at
the hands of the Bench. The magistrates said they could
do nothing to assist the old woman beyond advising her to
cease putting the Bible and the key to such silly uses.—
Newcastle Chronicle.
ENGLISH NEWS IN FRANCE*—The London corre-
spondent of the solemn Memorial Diplomatique has
discovered that the English are becoming more pleasure-
loving than formerly—beginning to frequent theatres, balls
and concerts, in place of concentrating all their attention,
as before, on politics and le sport. In the same letter the
correspondent reveals another wonderful discovery he has
made. After speaking of the numerous literary circles, lec-
ture rooms, Polytechnic, and other institutions in London,
he informs us that among the institutions established here
with a view of elevating the taste and forming the mind,
the "Peckham Debating Society" deserves particular men-
tion. Our readers will be glad to learn that this notable
institution, thus dragged from its obscurity and brought
under their notice, is simply "a gathering of honest citi-
zens, who meet from time to time to discuss either a histo-
rical point or one of the great questions of tho day." The
other day, it seems, the subject of discussion was the equity
of fines imposed by courts of justice, when an " hon. gen-
tleman, M. E. Ballantine," opposed such fines, because en-
abling the rich to escape punishment, while the poor got
punished ; and a " Mr. Hanley" defended the propriety of
inflicting fines in some cases, adducing the case of Captain
Colborne, who, we are told, had been arrested after a duel,
provoked by an attack upon his honour. After other
I speeches pro and con., a majority of four declared that the
administration of justice, in respect of fines, is often at fault.
See, says the wise Memorial, what amusements are prac-
- tised at Peckham, one of the most charming suburbs of
London, under the presidency of George Barton, Esq. !