The Sun.
London, England, 1831-06-08 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

W ORSHIP- ST REE T.

A fellow named William Coo/c, a perfect Mau:-
worm, was placed at the bar, before Mr. BROUGHTON,
charged with conduct of the most disgusting kind,
towards several female children.
The particulars of this religions rascal's filthy
conduct are too abominable to be detailed.
When first questioned on the subject, the wretch
denied the charge, but on being told by Mr. Chap-
man (father of the children) that, if he confessed the
truth, he should be forgiven, he fell upon his knees,
and admitted that what the children said was true.
Luckily for the prisoner, he was taken into cus-
tody by some police constables, as the neighbour.
hood assembled in considerable numbers, and were
for making an example of him upon the spot.
The prisoner, in a canting tone, assured the Ma-
gistrate that he was a " particularly religious man,"
and would not do such things.
Mr. BROUGHToN—Do you preach ? Prisoner--I
attend the prayer tneeting,.
Grave', one of the Worship-street officers, in-
formed the Magistrates that the prisoner was well
known about Stoke Newington, and the darkness of
his complexion had caused him to be called
Mahogany." lie was in the habit of insulting,
not children merely, but grown-up women, and par-
ticularly respectable females. Fifty such cases, at
least, might have been brought against him.
The prisoner repeated that the charges were
not true. _

Mr. BROUGHTON—I have called in five of these
children, and examined them separately, and no one
who has heard them can entertain a doubt ai to
your guilt. I never knew a twlre atrocious attempt
to debauch the minds of children. _ _

The prisoner was then sentenced to three months'
hard labour in the House of Correction.

On Saturday, James Jordan, a butcher, residing
at Stoke Newington, was brought before Messrs.
BROUGHTON and TWYFORD, upon a warrant for
assaulting and beating John Lane, a boy about
fourteen years of age.
The plaintiff, an arch-looking little fellow, stated
that on Thursday he was amusing himself near the
defendant's shop with a few juvenile companions,
and began singing a song, in which his playmates
joined chorus, when the defendant came out and de-
sired them to be off; not having completed the
song, they did not obey the defendant's peremptory
order immediately, when the defendant rushed out
with a drover's stick in his hand, and belaboured
witness till his arms and back were black and blue.
(The stick washere produced,it wasaboat twoinches
thick, and the boy showed the Magistrates sevt cal
severe bruises he had received from the defendant.)

The boy's statement was corroborated by four
respectable witnesses.
Mr. BROUGHTON—It appeals a most unprovoked
assault. Pray what song were you singing, to raise
the butcher's anger so high ? Plaintiff—lt was
" Alice Gray," Sir.
Mr. BROUGHTON—AIice Gray ! What can there
be offensive in such a beautiful ballad ? The
butcher appears to have a sorry taste for music.—
( A laugh.) Butcher—They are always tormenting
me with that song, your Worship; but I don't mind
that so much as the parody they have made upon it.
Mr. TwYFoRD—I shrewdly suspect that the
butcher is over head and ears in love, and these mis-
chievous little fellows sing this song to tease him.
Now, tell me the truth, boy, has not the butcher got
a sweetheart who don't return his love ? Boy—
Yes, Sir. —(Laughter.)
Mr. TWYFORD—And is her name Alice Gray ?
Boy—No, Sir, " Sally Gray."—(Laughter.)
Mr. TWYFORD—I thought so. Then why do
You torment the defendant with these love ditties ?
Butcher—But you should hear the parody what
they have made, Sir.
Boy—Ah, but I don't sing that, it is another hay.
Butcher—But you help him. Let their Wor-
ships hear if it is fit to be sung to a young man
what's going to be married.
Boy—Oh, yes, if you wish it.
For her I'd kill the finest ox,
And bone far her the fat ;
For her I'd prig a prime sheep's head,
And shove it in my hat.
To make her fat as any hog,
I'd feed her night and day;
But she scorns the heart that's breaking,
Does naughty Sally Gray.
(Shouts of laughter followed this ridiculous parody.)
Mr. BROUGHTON said such jokes were, no doubt,
annoying, but they were no excuse for such a violent
assault. He should only fine the defendant 10s. and
costs, with leave to speak to the plaintiff.
The defendant finally paid ss. and costs to the
plaintiff, and made the best of his way home to
" Sally Gray."