The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-14 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

BOW-STREET.---John Macarthy, a boy who has
been repeatedly convicted of picking pockets, although
only in his 14th year, was charged with stealing a silk
pocket handkerchief, the property of his Royal Highness
Frederick Christian Charles Auguste, Prince of Schles-
wig-Holstein, of Wilton-crescent.
His Royal Highness stated, that he was walking in
the neighbourhood of Drury-lane, when a man in plain
clothes, who said he was a detective constable, asked
him if he had lost his pocket handkerchief. Witness
found that it had been taken out of his pocket, and gave
the stranger his name and address, as requested ; but
afterwards he began to think that a trick had been
played upon him, and that possibly his handkerchief had
disappeared through the instrumentality of the person
who had spoken to him, and who had gone off, as he re-
presented, in pursuit of the thief. He mentioned this
circumstance because, on subsequent inquiry, he found
that the man in plain clothes was a real detective officer,
and he was much concerned to think that he had enter-
tained any suspicion upon the subject. The fact was that
he (the Prince) had just previously had some counterfeit
money passed upon him, respecting which he had spoken
to a constable in different costume ; and this circum-
stance, probably, had some influence on his mind. He
now wished to state that the detective officer showed
great activity and skill in the matter.
Mr. Henry said, that all the detective constables
were provided with warrants to show their authority,
and they ought to produce them for the satisfaction of
strangers.
The officer in question (F 37) stated that he had acci-
dentally left his warrant at home. He saw the prisoner
draw a silk handkerchief out of the prosecutor's pocket
and run away ; but witness knew him, and consequently
apprehended him three hours afterwards. The property
was not recovered.
Mr. Henry committed the boy to three months' hard
labour.
Shortly before the rising of the Court, Mr. E. Wilder,
of the Union Club, arrived in a Hansom cab, and applied
to Mr. Henry to settle the
amount of a disputefare,
the dr. W.
driver being
stated
sPtraesedntt:
Mrhat he got into the
to
the defendant's
thence t o the
Kennington,
r
cab at
Piccadilly,t e Hn at
o rs
and Union Glocester-
street,
club,Trlfal:
offered
edriver
nal s
t.
oficl
drivew htioc hB owasw
Witness ga r -
declined.squa re . He
sthen
Bow-
street, believing that he had not gone over three miles
of ground.
Mr. Henry thought it very probable that Mr. Wilder
was mistaken. The Commissioners of Police are em-
powered by the new act to print a book of fares, and
every cabdriver is bound to have a copy of it in his pos-
session, to be produced, whenever a dispute arises, un-
a penalty of 40s. All such questions as the present
must be determined by reference to this official book of
fares, which is to be admitted as conclusive evidence.
Unfortunately, these books had not yet been distributed,
and consequently the old system of measuring the dis-
tance must be resorted to. This could be done if the
applicant
inclinedt towished it,
that
distance li e (Mr.ex cHe
eednerdy )t
hwrae se rather
.
Mr. Wilder said as there was some doubt apparently
about the distance, he should withdraw the complaint,
consenting very readily to pay the original demand, with