The Sun.
London, England, 1854-08-03 00:00:00

LA TV INTELLNENCE.-Aug. 2.

Christoph,er Clifford, 24, was indicted for having un-
lawfully placed his hand rr the pocket of a certain
woman, whose name was unknw❑ to the jury, with in-
tent to steal any property therein being.
Mr. Poland prosecuted ; Mr. Parry appeared for the
prisoner.
The only witness in the case was a sergeant of the F
division of police, and his evidence was to the effect
that one day a short. time ago he was on duty in the
Strand, when be saw the prisoner, in company with two
other men, attempting to pick pockets.
Mr. Parry addressed the jury, and induced them- to
come to the conclusion ,that the case was not sufficiently
proved, and the prisoner was found not guilty.
Mr. Witham told the jury that the prisoner was a
convict under a ticket of leave, but, with regard to that,
it bad nothing to do with the charge on which he had
been tried, and, under the circumstances, he did not
think that the jury had done wrong in giving the ver-
dict they had done. He was not aware that he had
any power to order the prisoner to be detained for having
forfeited the conditions of his ticket of leave, arid he
must therefore be discharged from custody, but he would
say, that he considered this system of liberating convicts
in this country, on tickets of leave, was working very
bad—it was an encouragement of crime, and the worst
of characters were turned loose upon society to plunder
where and who they could. It had long been the habit
to send the convicts to distant colonies, the best and
most healthy colonies, but now that plan was altered.
Now he thought some colony, not the very best, such
as hard-working emigrants went to, not the best
that could be selected, nor yet such a place as would
be dangerous to life or health, could be found
to send convicts to instead of keeping them in prison
fir a short time and then setting them loom again
in this country. He was afraid the ticket of leave sys-
tem in England woul-I never answer, and would prove
an evil to society. The prisoner was then liberated.
James Manlius, a private in the Royal Horse Guards
Blue, was indicted for assaulting Fanny Wilmot.
Mr. W. J, Payne appeared fur the prosecution.
The prosecutrix, a young woman \of three or four and
twenty years of age. stated that she was an unfortunate,
and following her course of life she was at a public-
house at Knightsbridge, where she met the prisoner,
who got into conversation with her. He had come up
from Windsor on leave, and he treated her with drink,
after which they repaired to a coffee-house, and there
they took tea. Subsequently he accompanied her to her
lodgings, No. 4, Cardinelplace, Trevor-street, Knights-
bridge, and when they had been there a short time, she
asked him for money. He was excited by drink, and
on her making this request, he became very violent,
and struck her a heavy blow over the eye, by which she
was knocked on the floor, and seized her by the throat
with one hand. He held her in that position, and pre-
vented her calling out by holding his other hand over
her mouth. He called her filthy names, and said he
would kill her if she made any noise, and through fear
she at last submitted to his wishes, and he undressed
himself and went to bed. She also undressed herself, but
did not go to bed, and the moment he dropped off to
sleep, she ran out of the place, and went to a young
woman, who like herself was unfortunate, and lives
two doors off. She had nothing on her but her chemise,
not even shoes or stockings, and her friend gave her
some clothing, and advised her to go to Knightsbridge
Barracks to fetch the piquet. On her going there, some
hours later, she was advised to give him into custody,
which she did. She had a severe black, eye her neck and
breasts were much bruised, and at the present time her
eye was very much bloodshot.
Maria Jennings, the young woman alludud to, corro-
rated the prosecutrix as to the condition in which she
went to her, and said she had evidently been very much
knocked about;
The prisoner, in his defence, said he treated the girl,
and gave her 3s. Gd., and when she had got that, which was
all he hail, she demanded more, arid as he cou Id not
give it her she kicked up a row. To save himself front
being turned into the street in the ma ht, without money,
arid his regiment being at Windsor, he made her hold
her noise, arid she bit trim on the band. He then struck
her, and she ran away, and he went to sleep.
The prosecutrix denied all this.—He was found guilty.
Corporal Hitchins attended to say that the prisoner
joined the regiment in January, 1851, and since their he
had been twice tried by court martial, and on each occa-
sion sentenced to six months' hard labour, besides which
tie bad been four times in confinement for breach of
military discipline.
Mr. Witham said the prisoner was an ill-conditioned
fellow, and had committed a most ruffianly assault. Had
he been convicted summarily. he would_have been sen-
tenced to six months, and he should therefore give him a
little more. He then sentenced him to eight months'
hard labour.

As the prisoner was leaving the dock, he thanked the
corporal for giving him "a lift."
The whole of the cases being disposed of, the court
adjourned.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION-HOUSE—Mr. Bell, a lucifer match manu-
facturer, carrying on business in Cannon-street West,
appeared before the Lord Mayor, on a summons charg-
ing him with having unlawfully and injuriously kept on
his premises large quantities of explosive and ignitible
matches and other materials whereby the surrounding
inhabitants were annoyed, disturbed, and rendered un-
comfortable in the occupation of their dwelling-houses,
and were in great hazard of losing their lives.
The City Solicitor appeared in support of the com-
plaint. •
Mr. Haynes, a solicitor, appeared for the defendant.
The City Solicitor said—My Lord Mayor, this is an
information charging an offence at common law against
Mr. Bell for a common nuisance ; it is instituted at the
instance of the authorities of the ward, and is not
brought by any private person complaining of a private
wrong. The charge is contained in the information, and
the evidence will support. the fact that very large quan-
tities of ignitible and combustible materials have been
and are kept on the premises of the defendant. The
immediate circumstances which put this proceeding in
motion was the fact of a 'fire having taken place npon
Mr. Bell's premises, arising from the explosive and igni-
tible character of the articles in which he dealt. It is
not necessary in order to constitute a nuisance that such
a fire should have taken place. The defendant would
be equally amenable to the law provided I had brought
evidence here to show that there were circumstances
leading to the probability of danger. However, if I
show the fact instead of relying merely upon the possi-
bility and probability of the event, of course it becomes
much stronger, because it changes presumption into
proof. It appears that neither Mr. Bell, nor any mem-
ber of his family, nor servant, slept on the premises.
The door was closed for the night, and the constables
and the firemen were compelled to break open the ware-
house in order to extinguish the fire. I will not occupy
the time of the court in detailing the circumstances pre-
sented to their observation when they arrived there, but
will leave each of them to state them in their own
words. It is my intention to call Dr. Lethehy, the
eminent professor of chemistry at the London Hospital,
who will state the composition of these articles, and
the danger to be apprehended from them. Your lord-
ship , will feel much strosgei than myself the
necessity for this inquiry. Many persons who sleep
in the City are obliged to do so for the protection of
their property, and it is a matter of the deepest impor-
tance that they should not be exposed to the danger
which, according to the evidence that will be adduced,
accompanies' the stowing of large quantities Of these ar-
ticles. I stated that this proceeding was put in motion
by the authorities of the ward. In the first place, there
was a presentment of the inquest, who were bound on
oath to prevent any nuisances. Besides this, there was
a petition presented to the Court of Aldermen, com-
plaining of this nuisance and praying that it might be
removed, sisned by 70 or 80 persons, consisting of the
deputy, the common councilmen, and the principal in-
habitants of the ward.
Dr. Lethehy—l am professor of chemistry at the
London Hospital. I procured samples of the different
kinds of lucifer matches sold at the defendant's ware-
house. I produce the remains of some of tho boxes. I
cannot produce the whole, some of them having spon-
taneou ly ignited as they lay on my laboratory table.
I have analysed the chemical materials of which they are
composed, and find them to be chiefly phosphorus and
chlorate of potash, glue, and red oxide of iron. I have
made experiments for the purpose of ascertaining the
conditions under which they will probably ignite, and
find that the phosphorus itself, one of the chief consti-
tuents, takes fire spostsneousiy when in a fine powder,
and exposed to the air. The temperature of this or of
any room is sufficient to fire phosphorus spentaneoudy
whin in a powdered state, aed it may be in a powdered
state on the surface of the Lucifers. (The witness here 'Jo:,
a small quantity of phosphorus on a sheet of paper, and in
the course of a few moments it;ignited.) When I put this

INSOLVENT DEI3TORS' COURT.
Mr. Commissioner Phillips and Mr. Cowslissioper
Mu/ply cleared their lists on Tuesday, and thi Courts
rose' for the vacation. A sitting will be held in a few
days to bear applications for bail.
IN THE MATTER OF CHARLES MATTHIAS GUNNELL.
Mr. Sargood, at the rising of the Court, applied in
this matter to rescind an order made on the insolvent's
retired allowance, as one of the clerks of the House of
Commons. Mr. Gunnell was discharged under the act
some years ago, when an annual sum was set aside,
which was afterwards reduced to 1301,, out of a salary
of 7001. Mr. Gunnell had since retired on a pension.
Without any alteration, the provisional assignee still
claimed the 1301. a year, which it was found impossible
to pay, and therefore the present motion to rescind such
an order. The Speaker of the Hons.:, of Commons had
sanctioned the order made, but Mr. Gunnell found that
it was quite impossible, with his family, to continue
such payments. _

Mr.. Commissioner Murphy would at once grant a
rule. In another case the law officers of the Crown had
submitted to him a question whether, where the act
spoke of the head of a department sanctioning a re-
commendation of A salary. and there was no head, from
there being no such department in existence, whether an
order could be made.
Mr. Sargood admitted the importance of the point.
In this case it was very hard on Mr. Gunnell to con-
tinue such an order. Out of 3001. a year, to make an
order for 1301., with his family, was a great hardship.
He doubted very much the power of the Court to set
aside such a pension, and he thought the only way to
touch it would be as subsequently-acquired property.
His Honour said a rule nisi should be granted. The
case was one which clearly required reconsideration.
Rule nisi granted
MIDDLESEX SP;SSEONS--Aug. 2.