The Sun.
London, England, 1831-12-26 00:00:00

10 Pt

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POLICE. iNTELL iOi

Q UEEN- S O UA R E.Ne\rtottei
On Saturday evening, just as Mr. TT,
the sitting Magistrate, was about leaving the bench,
a stout powerful man was brought up in custody by
the police constables of the A division, charged with
having obtained entrance into St. James's Palace
by means of skeleton keys, with an intent to com-
mit a felony.
Mr. MARRIOTT—What is your name'
Phi-
soner—l don't know, I'm sure.
Mr. MARRIOTT told him that he was acting a
very foolish part, and only doing himself a great
deal of harm.
Prisoner—l can't tell my name.
George Rarbury, the office-keeper to the Board
of Green Cloth at St. James's Palace, stated that
about five o'clock in the afternoon he left the
office. At that time there was one of the mes-
sengers in the office. About a quarter past six
o'clock, it being a dark foggy night, he returned to
see that every thing was safe. On opening the
door he observed a light, and thinking that the
messenger had not left, he called out " You have
not done then." At that moment he observed two
strange men in the office, who rushed past him and
ran away. Witness immediately followed ; one of
the men ran up Pall-Mall, the prisoner ran up St.
James's-street ; he called out " Stop thief," and
some police constables seized the prisoner. Wit-
ness then went back to the Palace, and found that
his desk had been wrenched open with a crow-bar,
arid his papers all strewed about. He also found a
I dark-lantern in the office, which had, no doubt, been

left by the thieves in their hurry to escape. He
had not yet had time to examine the office minutely,
and could not say whether any thing was missing.
In answer to a question, the witness stated that
be never lost sight of the prisoner until he was in
custody.
William Martin, one of the messengers, stated
that a little before six o'clock, he went up the State
rooms with a letter; at that time all was safe; and
when he left the office he locked the door.
A police constable, who apprehended the pri-
soner, produced a number of skeleton keys of vari-
ous sizes, and several small crow bars, which he
found on the prisoner.
Mr. MARRIOTT—Have you any thing to say in
answer to the charge? Prisoner—Why, ull I got
to say is, that I was going up St. James's-street,
when there was a cry of " Stop thief," and these
oonstables laid hold of me, and this is all I know

about it.
Mr. MARRIOTT—Do you still refuse to give your
name ? Prisoner—l shan't tell my name at present.
Mr. Manniorr —What business are you ? Pri-
soner--I refuse to say anything now.
Mr. AIARRIOTT—You are only exciting a pre-
judice against yourself, and doing yourself no pos-
sible good by refusing your name. Prisoner—l have
my reasons for not telling my name.
It was in vain to press the question, and Mr.
Marriott ordered him to be remanded.
The prisoner was then removed.
THA MES- OFFICE.
On Saturday Captain Samuel William Hurry,
master of the Fenwick West Indiatnan, from Ber-
bice, now lying in the St. Katharine's Dock, was
brought before Mr. BALLANTINE and Captain Men-
BELL, charged with committing a series of cruel
assaults on Joseph Bransen, a sailor boy, aged 17.
The complainant, who was labouring under a
severe illness and fever, stated that both on the
outward and homeward bound voyage the Captain
had frequently beaten and kicked him. About four
days after the ship sailed, the Captain struck him
with a speaking trumpet, and broke it to pieces
over his back, as they were speaking a ship. He
received serious bruises on that occasion. The
next time he was beaten at, or near, Berbice, and
severely kicked. One day he had a shivering and
ague upon him, and the Captain knocked him down
at the wheel and jumped upon him, because he was
unable, from weakness, to steer. He had frequently,
when ill, kept him steering four or five hours with-
out allowing him any grog. While the vessel was
in Stangate creek, he was so ill with the fever and
ague that he was unable to work ; and as they
were about to leave after performing quarantine, the
Captain came down and ordered him aloft. He told
him he could not get up, when the Captain abused
him, and kicked him repeatedly as he lay in his
birth. One kick nearly put his backbone out, and,
he could not move his neck without eilduring grew;
pain. The lad with difficulty stood upright.
The defendant said, that when he struck the
boy with the speaking trumpet he was not steer-
ing properly.
Captain RICHBELL said, a man ought to have bees
placed at the ‘vneel while the ship was speaking
another.
The defendant said that the boy's illness arose
through laziness, and he could not get him to at-
tend to his duty, and it was always necessary to
punish boys to make them work. While he was
at Berbice the boy had every attention paid to him
by a doctor, and recovered sufficiently to work,
but he skulked during the voyage homewards,
though he (the Captain) and several of the crew-
were ill.

Mr. BALLANTINE asked the prisoner what he had
to say to the more serious charge of kickng the boy
in Standgate-creek, and injuring hurt so as to affect
the back of his neck.
Captain Hurry said the pilot told him he must
get the crew up, or he could not get the ship out
of the creeks, but when he called the buy he wntibl
not move, and he was compelled to kick him.
The lad said he never refu-ed to work wutle he
was able, and had been three voyages with am)! her
Captain, who had given him a good character. The
defendant was continually beating and kckng him,
and he was unable to stir from his hammock at
Standgat,-creek.
Mr. BALLANTINE said he was surprised that
Captain Hurry, who appeared a well-educated and
respectable man, could justify such cruelty in the
way he bad done. If the boy had been a thief, the
punishment inflicted upon him w,puld not have been.
warranted; but under the circumstances, it was quite
uncalled for. When we hear of mutinies and ex-
ceases by seamen, we don't wonder at it, knowing
the many cases of harsh treatment by masters of
ships which are brought before us. Frivolous com-
plaints b,y sailors against their Captains would never
be. listened to in that office; but this was a case
that deserved severe reprobation.
Captain 11.1cHnELA.,,—I think that Captain Hurry
was not at all justified in such treatment, as this. It
is very, had incleed•
Captain Hurry denied that the boy was ill, and
asked what he was to doif not allowed to punish boys.
Mr. BALLANTINV, said he thought it was impos
sable to reach the defendant's mind; but he must
tell him that his conduct at the bar showed that. his
heard was not in the right place. In the Royal
Lhavy, where the discipline was very accurate, no per-
son from the Admiral of the Fleet downwards would
be allowed to kick or trample on a boy, but if ill he
would be taken care of. He and his colleagues often
saw persons going into fits who never fainted, and
others crying who never shed a tear, but every per
Ban in the office could see that the boy's illness was
not feigned, and that his white and parched tongue
and ghastly looks were the indications of a severe
fever and ague- The bench were of opinion that
Captain Hurry's conduct was bad from beginning to
end, and that he ought to be held to bail to appear
at the Admiralty sessions for the assaults at sea, or
fined 51. fur the assault in the county at Statuig4te-
ettrieeelti'd wAhso neithere
eonf e
ill ussee
dc,o uhresews
o%tslodu would
lobwe n et
et
parties to talk together, and see if they could cotne
to any arrangement.
Soon afterwards Mr. Evans, the principal sur-
veyor, said that the birythlsaadtioconi,isuelilidtedthteo
receive t►so
Vlagisira es
;olivenereoirgdielsreads thes warrantc°mpie
to be discharged, out tile
defendant paying costs. Captain IttcnnELL also
directed that the lad should be conveyed to the .415,44
Dreadnaught hospital-ship, where he wouldhe taken ""
proper care of,