The Sun.
London, England, 1831-11-25 00:00:00

of the proposed elective qualification—and on that
account the affair, otherwise contemptible in itself,
becomes worthy of public notice. Can these infa-
tuated persons be so wilfully blind and perverse as
to turn heedlessly away from signs and warnings ?
Does Mr. Warburton—do the parties who are
putting him forward to declare his particular anxiety
for the welfare ( f Lambeth—do any of them believe
that even he, political empiric and visionary as he is,
would have a shadow of a chance for his election at
the hands of the men who defeated them, and tram-
pled their projected " Union" in the dust, on Wed-
nesday night ? The general proposition that such a
franchise must subvert the entire order of society,
and establish the democratic upon the ruins of all
the other interests, is clear and unanswerable ; but
if general reasoning be not enough for the preju-
diced and the incredulous, let them look closely into
facts like these, and they will find demonstration.—
_Morning Post.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

HATT ON- GARDEN.

On Wednesday John Nicol Walters, surgeon, was
brought up for re•examination, on a charge of having
enticed and solicited R. B. Steele, a medical student,
to set lire to his house.

The evidence given by Steele at a former exami-
nation having been read over to him,
Mr. George Oakley, inspector of the E
gave the following account of the manner in which
he apprehended the prisoner, in consequence of the
representation made to him by Steele :—I walked
by the house an hour and a half, when I received a
note from Mr. List, stating that he had charged Mr.
Steele at the station-house, and advising me to take
Mr. Walters into custody. I knocked at the door
and rang the bell violently, and a person undressed
came to the door, and inquired my business. I asked
if Mr. Walters was there ? I was answered that he
was not. I inquired if he lodged there. The person
said he was not known there. I said his house was
on fire, and if he was there, to let him know imme-
diately, and he had better conic directly. A voice
of a female exclaimed," Oh my God The door
was instantly opened, and I went up to the second
floor, back room, where I found Mr. Walters, with
a female. I said, " For God's sake, Mr. Walters,
come with me, your house is on fire." He asked,
" How did you know ?" I said, " For God's sake
make haste, for the house is nearly burnt to the
ground,—lose no time." The female was fainting,
and a Mr. Reeves, the son of the landlord of Mr.
Walters's house, was there. He endeavoured to
recover the lady and appease her alarm, and he put
on his cloak and came down with me and Mr.
Reeves. He asked me whether I was sure the
house was burnt ? I said, that I was, and that seve-
ral engines were there. Mr. Reeves asked me
whether any lives were lost ? I answered, " There
are not." Mr. Reeves asked him if he was insured ? •
He said he was. I asked him where ? He said, he
did not know where. I asked how it could have
happened. He replied, we have not left it moo
than an hour. He said Mr. Reeves left there ashore
time before him. A repetition of these questions
were put on the road. When he (Mr. Walters) ir-
quired who told me that he was in Wardour-street,
I told him a tall, fresh-coloured young man. When
he got into Oxford-street, he said, " I don't sec any
flames." I said, " Oh, it is burnt to the ground by
this time." I said, " I suppose you had a good
stock." He replied, " Yes ; I had some fresh
goods in the week before." At Hanway-yard, Mr.
Reeves was anxious to go a short cut ; but I led
them along Oxford-street, until they arrived at Meux's
Brewery, when I addressed the prisoner, and told
him that I was an inspector of police, and I had him
in custody on a charge for attempting to set his house
on fire. Up to this moment I did not make known
to him that I was an officer. He expressed his sur-
prise and said, " I know nothing about it." In pass-
ing the house in Backeridge-street, I said, " Were
you not in that house last night ?" He said he was.
I took him to the station house and searched him. I
found a watch and 7d. on his person. Mr. Steele
was then in the Station-house under custody, un-
known to the prisoner. He denied knowing any

thing of the ci►curnstance. The prisoner said he was
insured for 2501., and that a Mr. Neill or O'Neill had
insured for him. He believed it was in the Phoenix
or the Sun. The prisoner asked who sent ►ne to
Wardour-street. 1 told him a person named Steele.
He said he knew no such person. Mr. List and
my-elf inquired where he kept his policy of insurance.
He said it was in a drawer in a back room of his re-
sidence. We went, searched the place, but could
not find it.

Mr. Harmer—You did not tell him that you
were an officer, but you resorted to an untruth.
Oakley—l can explain my object. I was told that
the prisoner was armed with pistols, and I was in-
duced for my own safety to use stratagem to get him
out of the house.

Mr. ROGERS—lndeed I think the alacrity and in-
genuity of the officers has been unequalled, and de-
serves the greatest praise.
Mr. Harmer—But they are not to tell untruths.
Mr. ROGERS—I cannot praise their vigilance too
much in bringing such a man as this to justice. They
have done no wrong. Oakley—l thought the pri-
soner, who could be capable of such a diabolical act
as that of setting his house on fire, would not hesi-
tate in shooting me if I made known to him who I
was. I was not to blame for using a little stratagem.
Mr. Wooler—But the prisoner had no pistols.
Mr. ROGERS—He might have had. The officer
was told so.

Alfred List, inspector, accompanied Oakley as de-
scribed, and received a document (now produced)
written by Steele, saying that he was solicited by
the prisoner to set fire to his house. He feigned
that he would do it, and informed the police to pre-
vent his criminal purpose. He (Mr. List) followed
Steele, and saw him enter the place. There was a
paper on the counter; the gas was burning; saw a
drawer open behind the counter in one of the lower
tiers half drawn out, containing gallipots with tur-
pentine, saltpetre, a two-gallen jar with turpentine,
nitre, and a packet of cochineal, and small scales
standing in their usual place. The articles were now
produced. He charged him at the station-house. He
said Walters was armed with pistols to guard himself.
Mr. Harmer suggested that bail should be taken
for the prisoner.
Mr. ROGERS—If I take bail,it must be very heavy
—himself in 1,0001., and two sureties of 500/. each,
with proper notice.
Mr. Harmer wished for less amount.
Mr. ROGERS sail the prisoner, he understood, to
have insured for 900/., and he could not order less
amount of bail.
The prisoner was then ordered to procure bail to
that amount, and told that he would be brought up
again on Friday next, as there were several other
witnesses to be examined. All the witnesses, how-
ever, were bound over to prosecute him at the ses-
sions.

Mr. ROGEtts remarked that there seemed to be an
impression against the respectability and credibility
of the witness Mr. Steele. He held in his hand a
discharge from the army, and a character from his
commanding officer, stating that he was a sober,
honest, and efficient soldier. It was a gratifying
character.
Two gentlemen wished to know what the Magis
trates' impression was as regarded Mr. Steele, who
had requested them to become his bail if required.
Mr. ROGERS—Certainly my impression is not un-
favourable, but I shall require bail for his appearance
in 1001. each, but it was eventually reduced to 801.
Several gentlemen from the insurance offices
attended, and requested a copy of the depositions.

MARY LEB ONE.
On Wednesday a poor man, whose miserable ap-
pearance fully coincided with his tale of distress, ap-
plied to Mr. RAWIANSON for his assistance.
The applicant stated that a child belonging to him
died on Saturday last, and he was wholly unable to
procure the means of burying it ; however, a friend
kindly
him
me
nowl" wherewith be purchaed a
coffin,
andg stood in need of towards the
ave
all h
interment was a spot where to lay the little crea-