The Sun.
London, England, 1836-09-07 00:00:00

HATTON-GARDEN.

Last night, a respectable looking man, about thirty-two
years of age, was brought before Mr. LAING, by George
Court, of No. 52. G division, charged with creating a dis-
turbance in Leather-lane, Holborn.

Court saw the prisoner haranguing upwards of two hun-
dred persons, saying that he had a donkey, and had paid
801. for it.

Mr. LAING asked the prisoner, who was much excited,
and covered with mud, who and what he was ? He re-
plied with an affecting air of dignity, " I am a special
pleader." He was passing through Leather-lane, when a
person called after him, " Who stole the donkey ?" The
fact was, about nine years ago he was elected one of the
Coroners for the county of Kent, and he led a donkey into
a room with ribbons, as an electioneering squib ; and such
an attack excited him, and he thrashed the person who
hooted after him, and was explaining the case when the po-
liceman took him into custody.
Mr. LAING—Ho►v long have you ceased to be Coroner?
Prisoner—Three years.

Mr. LAING—What caused you to leave it ? Prisoner
(hesitating)—Because my grandfather died and left me ten
thousand pounds, and it was my ambition to become a spe-
cial pleader.
Mr. LAlNG—Where do you live? Prisoner—At N 0.7,
Claremont-place, Burton-crescent.
Mr. LAING—For what division of the county of Kent
were you Coroner ? Prisoner—Len, nine miles from
Maidstone.

Mr. LAING—If you are what you describe yourself to
be, it would bare been better for you to have passed along
and gone to your residence. You cut a very sorry appear-
ance before me. Prisoner—Well I may after being
dragged about (lifting up his leg) and covered with mud.
The prisoner begged to cross-examine the witness, and
placing himself in a " special pleading attitude," he did so
in a most eccentric manner, and caused an impression that
he had been drinking, or was otherwise excited.
Mr. LAING said his conduct before him caused a belief
that the constable had stated the truth, and that if he
suffered him to depart without security he would probably
be brought before him again. Prisoner—l gave the fellow
a sound thrashing, and I could go home to my wife and
six children, who are waiting anxiously for my return. I
was on my road to Mr. Chitt)'s when I was insulted.
Mr. LAING-If you leave here, 1 should advise you to
go to the county of Kent as soon as possible, or return to
your wife and six children, whom you ought to have thought
of before.

Prisoner—l always think of them—they arc nearest and
dearest to my heart.

He was ordered to find bail.

When the officers were leading him towards the door, he
vociferated in a loud strain against Mr. Laing, and asked
him for his Christian name, saying, that as he had adopted
that severe coarse against him, he was determined to bring
his action. He was then taken outside, where he strutted
backwards and forwards exclaiming against the Magistrates
and officers.

Mr. LAING doubted very much whether he was what he
represented himself to be. He intended letting him off
scot free, but as he had threatened him with an action, he
would gratify his whim, and he ordered the clerk to take
down the evidence of the officer—which was done.
Robert Graves, a tall, athletic " man o' wars man," was
brought from the station-house, charged by
Henry Wyatt,
a cabriolet driver, of 4, Union;court, Leather-lane, Holborn,
with having attempted to pass off a bad shilling.
The complainant, on Monday night last, was called
,off
the stand in Holborn by the prisoner, who orderedur
m
to John-street, Smithfield, where he handed him a shi
ing,
which he discovered to be a bad one, and he gave him into
custody.
A constable produced the shilling, and found two silver
medals and 41,-d. in his pockets, together with a short pipe
and tobacco-box, and some ‘) xi
Mr. LAING—WeII, what have you to say ?—how did
you get this shilling ?—Prisoner (rubbing his head)—Bless
your Honour, I know no more than you 3 do ;
top-heavy, and I suppose I had been a drinking, and that
was the last shot in the locker.
Mr. LAlNG—Anybody could tell that it is a bad one.
Prisoner—Very likely, your Honour ; but, d'ye see,
I didn't look at it, and being muzzy it was planted on
me. I sartainly did take the coach, and gaNe the shil-
ling, but that's not the way I lives. Look at my hands,
your Honour (they were certainly hard and horny, and had
the hue of tar.)
Mr. LAING—Is there anybody rho knows you ?—Pri-
soncr—Why, yes, your Honour, there is an old lady who
lives alongside 0- me—if you call Mrs. Corbett—
Mrs. Corbett, an elderly dame, said she knew Mr.
Graves; who followed the water as a profession.
Prisoner—Yes, 3 our
llonour, and never had a stain on
my character in all my life.
Mrs. Corbett said he bad a small cottage next to hers,
and a more honest fellow never lived in Mile-end.
Mr. LAING---I should advise VOll to be cautious in fu-
ture, and look at your money. You are discharged, but
you must pay the cabman.
This having been done by Mrs. Corbett, the sailor

Ann Stacey (who appeared in the witness-box with her
right eye much swollen) resided with her husband at
No. 14, Charlotte-street, Middlesex Hospital, and on the
previous evening, about eight o'clock, she stopped against a
post in Goodge-street to speak to a friend, and had not
been there many minutes before the prisoner Billinghurst
came suddenly round in front of her and lifted up her
clothes to :a considerable height ; she immediately told
him that he was a good-for-nothing fellow, but had no
sooner uttered the words than the other prisoner Bonner
(both of them at the time very drunk) struck her two des-
perate blows on the eye, and applied towards her the most
abusive and abominable language. Complainant concluded
by stating that Bonnor was in the act of attempting to
strike her or.,the body, when she fortunately got away from
him and took refuge in a fishmonger's shop close by ; she
quickly gave information of the outrage to the police, by
whom the prisoners were in a short time apprehended.
Mr. RAWLINSON, aaer commenting in severe terms
upon the unmanly and brutal nature of their conduct, or-
dered each to pay a fine of 505., or be imprisoned for a month.
A POLICEMAN'S BLUNDER.—On Monday a working
man, named Brown, was brought before the Magistrates
by a constable of the S division, charged as follows :
The constable was on duty in Somers' 'Town on the pre-
vious day, when he saw the prisoner amusing a mob of
people, by addressing them in the French language. As
lie was drunk, and refused to desist, he took hiin, to the sta-
tion-house.

Mr. RAWLINSON—What do you mean by creating a
mob by talking French in the streets ? Prisoner—Me
talk French! Lord love your Honour--I know nothing
about that 'ere lingo—l only talks in my own vulgar tongue.
Mr. RAWLINSON—You were talking drunken English I
suppose, which the policeman, not being a professor of lan-
guages, mistook for French.
Prisoner (smiling)—l suppose it must have been so.
Mr. RAWLINSON—WeII, you are discharged, but don't
mislead the police by talking drunken English again.