The Sun.
London, England, 1836-01-01 00:00:00

TICE SUN LONDON, FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 1836,

WESTMINSTER SESSIONS.

These Sessions commenced this morning before Mr.
RawLiNsoN (the Chairman), Mr. Sergeant ANDREWS,
and a Bench of Magistrates.
Upon the Grand Jury being sworn, the CHAIRMAN in
his address observed, that so short a period had elapsed
since the last sessions as to render the calendar very light.
Thomas Ball, aged 29; a private in the Scotch Fusileer
Guards, was indicted for stealing, on the 9th of December,
a pocket-book, of the value of I ls., the property of Mr.
Stocken, of Regent-street.
The prosecutor resides at No. 53, Regent-street, and
carries on the business of a stationer. About eight o'clock
in the evening of the day in question, the prisoner came
into the shop and said he wanted a pair of eightpenny scis-
sors. Witness replied, " I told you last week I had none
under a shilling." On which the prisoner said that he
would look at them. Witness then produced the drawer
containing the scissors, and which the prisoner looked at.
While examining the articles, Mr. Stocken came from the
parlour, and desired the prisoner to take out of his pocket
the article which he had stolen. The prisoner then took
out of his pocket the book. Witness then observed that
he had no doubt of his having stolen an ink-stand the week
before, as he missed one directly after he had left the shop.
The prisoner replied he had never beeh there before. A
constable was sent for, but before his arrival the prisoner
ran away, but was pursued and taken into custody.
The prisoner, in his defence, was requested to purchase
a pair of scissors by a comrade, and went into the prosecu-
tor's shop ; he merely took up the book to- look at, and
had no idea of stealing it.
The Jury found the prisoner Guilty.
The prisoner was again indited for stealing, on the 20th
of November, a tooth-pick case of the value of 18s., the
property of William Henry Foukes.
The prosecutor resided at No. 15, Burlington Arcade.
On the evening of the 20th of November, the prisoner
came into his shop, and asked to look at some common
razors and scissors, which he wanted to purchase for his
Sergeant. The prisoner, however, bought nothing, saying
he would call on the following day with his Sergeant.
About three weeks after, witness missed the case, and he
neither saw nor heard anything more of it until the 11th of
December, when West, a police-constable, called on him
and produced several articles, none of which belonged to
witness. The case was then produced, and which witness
identified as his property.
Sergeant West, of C division of police, deposed to going
to the prisoner's lodgings, and on searching them, found
in a box the toothpick-case and a quantity of other articles,
all of which were produced.
The prisoner denied the robbery.
The father-in-law of the prisoner, in September and Oc-
tober, had repeatedly seen the case which the prisoner was
charged with stealing.
The Jury acquitted the prisoner.
He was then sentenced to be imprisoned for six months
for the first offence.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION- HOUSE.

A young man, named John Burdett, was brought before
Alderman FAREBROTHER, the locum tenons for the Lord
Mayor, charged with having stolen a basket of clothes from
an old man named Alexander Robertson.
Jacob Barnet stated that between twelve and one o'clock
on Christmas Day, he saw an old man in Gracechurch-
street, apparently tipsy carrying a basket of clothes. The
old.man found a difficulty in getting along on account of the
crowd, and the prisoner walked up, took the basket off his
shoulders, deliberately turned round, and went off in a dif-
ferent direction. Witness instantlymentioned the Circum-
stance to an officer, whO apprehended the prisoner.
Robertson, a feeble man, about 70 years old, stated that
his sister, a washerwoman put a basket of clothes on his
shoulder, and told him to carry them to the house of his
brother, the owner of the King's Head public-house, in
Little Eastcheap. As he went along the prisoner, whom he
knew nothing about, told him the basket was too heavy for
him, and offered to carry it for him. He said, " Very well,
do," and the prisoner took the basket, turned to the right
about, and ran off. Witness was neither able to follow nor
to cry oat.

The prisoner said the oia gentreinan'and all the rest were
mistaken in his person. The fact was, he was standing at
lower Nt nublic-houe, when a man offered him a
listance, and

shilling to carry the groxvt
desired him to walk on the other sii

Alderman FAREBROTHER-Why did you not point out:
the man to the officer? Yrisoner-L—Depend upon it the
thief made his escape the moment be saw the officer. It's
a way they Lave that steals.
Committed to Newgate for trial.

the two young gentlemen) bleeding from the lip. The po-
lice took him and Mr. Shepherd, a friend who had resisted
the rough treatment directed against him, to the station-
house, and, ultimately, both were locked up. It was quite
false to charge him with being intoxicated. He told the in-
spector he was a respectable man, and offered to send for
the gentleman with vvhom he had spent the evening, and
whose house he had just left, before entering the Saigon to
look for his nephews. The inspector would not take any
notice of what he urged, and refused to receive bail, and he
was compelled to pass the night in a cell in which were pro-
miscuously
,placed felons and drunkards. He considered
he had been rather ill-used by the inspector, who would not,
take the charges of assault made by his brothers and ne-
phews against the frequenters of the Saloon.
Inspector Dewing, with some warmth, denied the impu-
tation of partiality. He did not take the charge of assault,
because the other party asserted that the young gentlemen
were the aggressors.
The nephews of Mr. Mason, who were present, came
forward, and said when they wetft into the Saloon the
waiter or manager quarrelled with them because they called
for brandy and water. The man said brandy and water
would not pay him, they ought to order champagne or
some sort of wine. Their father and uncle came in to
get them out of the place, upon which a number of fel-
lows made an attack on all the party,. and forcibly expelled
them. One of the young gentlemen appeared to think
some partiality had been shown by the police in the mat-
ter. The police would not take any chage against the
Saloon 'people ; and when his father, whose lip had becii so
badly cut that he was unable to come forward, wished to
make a complaint, he was pushed out of the station-house,
and told if he did not mind what he was about be should be
locked up.
Inspector Dewing replied he knew none of the parties.
The charge of assault he had not received for the reason be-
fore assigned, but he had caused the name and address of
the party charged to be entered in the customary manner
in the refused charge book. With respect to the refusal
of bail, it was the practice not to take bail in cases of drun-
kenness, and he was certain Mr. Mason was not 'sober.
Mr. CHAMBERS said it was a very proper course for Mr.
Mason to take, when he found his nephews had gone into
such a vile place, to endeavour to get them out as soon as
possible ; and, under all the circumstances, as he could not
but think the inspector had been mistaken with regard to
his sobriety ; he should order him to be discharged.
Inspector Dewing having remarked, that it "was a com-
mon occurrence for persons to baill-used in the house,
Mr. CHAMBERS ordered the clerk to take down the words,
and then asked the inspector if he had ever made any com-
plaint to the parish authorities, or to the Commissioners,
on the subject ?
The inspector replied he had not.
Mr. CHAMBERS then requested Mr. Mason would call
on the Commissioners, and make them acquainted with the
shameful outrage which had occurred. The place was a
public nuisance, and he was resolved to take strong steps
to abate it, as soon as he could procure sufficient evidence.
Mr. Shepherd was then fined 20s. for the assault on the
police.