The Sun.
London, England, 1825-08-31 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANsios-it otrsE.—A Gentleman came to the Justice-room
to complain to the Lon') MAYOR against the captain.; or the
person, whoever he was, who had.the command or superintend-
ance afew days ago of the London and Rainsgatesteam-packet,
Captain Martin.
It appeared from the complainant's statement, thatja his
servant-maid and three children were crossing the 'Marries,
opposite, to Horselydown, in a boat, under the care of a
waterman, on Friday last, the steam-vessel, although called
upon to check her course, which was about 15 miles an hour,
continued to rush impetuously. through the water, and bearing
down upon the boat in which his family were, upset it, and
turned them all into the water. Their lives, which were in itn-
minent danger, were fortunately saved. The complainant ex-
pressed a hope that some regulation would he made as to the
rate at Which steam vessels should go after they reach a certain
part of the river.
The Loki) MaYoniaid he had received numerous com-
plaints against, the swain-vessels, and he regretted that the di-
rections which he had given to the harbour-masters seemed to
have no effect. Those directions were, that the captains of
steam vessels should be instructed not to exceed a certain de-.
gree of speed afterxeaching Greenwich, in their passage to Lon-
don. lf he had the power to compel an observance of this plan,
he would take care to prevent ail cause of complaint, by severely,
punishing those who violated the rule.
The complainant said, his Lordship had the power to regu-
late the speed of stage-coaches, and to punish those who.ex-
ceeded the velocity in which they were limited ; and as conser-
vator of the river Thames, it was reasonable to suppose that he
had a somewhat similar controul over Steam-boats which plied
in his jurisdiction.
The LOUD MAYOR said, the power just alluded to was
given to him by a special Act of Parliament.; and he wished
much that the Chief Magistrate had a similar power to check
the abuses and ill-conduct of those who were employedin steam-
vessels. He trusted that a petition would be presented to Par-
liament next session for leave to bring in a Bill to regulate
steam-boats, so as to prevent the dangers to which human life
was so constantly exposed. In the mean time nothing could
be done to remedy the evil, except by appeal to the humanity
of those who superintended the steam-vessels ; and he feared,
from what daily took place, that such experiment would be
productive of no great good.
The complainant asked whether there was no redress to
be had ?
His LORDSHIP lamented that a court of law was tile only
place in which redress could be given.-
Mr. Edward Hickman, a bill broker; was charged with hav-
ing
.appropriated to his own use bills of exchange to a large
• amount, which had been entrusted to him to get discounted by
a gentleman who deals largely in' merchandise in the city.
• Mr. ALLEY, for the complainant, stated his client having
had occasion for ready money, placed in the hands of the de-
fendant; who was, he understood, a respectable broker, bills to
the amount of 900/. or 1001. An Act. called Sir Thomas
Plomer's Act, as was well known, had passed, making it a
misdemeanour, punishable by transportation for fourteen years,
for any person to whom a bill of exchange was entrusted to
apply it to his own use. The Act, however, required that a
direction should be given in writing to the persons to whom
the bill was entrusted as to the manner in which it was to be
disposed of, but it was not specified in what form that direc-
tion was to be conveyed. The complainant had written a di-
' rection which certainly corresponded with the spirit of the Act,
and which he considered sufficient to prove the defendant re-
sponsible under the Act. That direction consisted in the Words
" to be tried,' which meant that it should be tried in the mar-
ket whether or not the bills could be discounted. •Mr. Alley
added that he had got the acknowledgment of the defendant as
to what he hhd done with the bills; that he had unfortunately
become embarrassed in his circumstances, and let the bills go
into the hands of his creditor&
Mr. ADO LPH s, for the defendant, contended that the case
did not come within the meaning of the Act, inasmuch as the
direction was not of the description required by its provisions.
His client, he said, had never entertained any- idea of acting
fraudulently, and was, in fact, most unconsciously deprived of
the bills.. He had, hi truth, upon being desired to try the bills
in the market, placed them, with the view of getting them ne-
gociated, in the hands of a gentleman with whom he did busi-
' mess, and who, when Mr. Hickman got into difficulties, im-
pounded them . Mr. Hickman; finding that this advantage
'bad been taken of his embarrassments, called a meeting of his
creditors, in order to do the best that could be done under the
circumstances.
The Lunn MAYOR said he was decidedly of opinion, that it
was requisite to have the signature of the party who deposited
the bilis for discount to the direction, in under to place the de-
fndant within the operation of the Act, which was, in its pre-
' sent state, he was sorry to say, almost a dead letter. The Lord
Mayor then discharged the case.
Mr. ALLEY observed that commercial men ought to derive
benefit from this decision, to which he yisided, without hesita-
tion. Ile hoped that a false delicacy would not interfere to pre-
vent men from giving written directions, signed by themselves,
to those whom they entrusted with their bills,
John Pali's, who stands charged with• having stolen the bank
notes from Mr. Robertson, at the Auction Mart, was on Mon-
day brought before the Lord C.hief.Justice of the King's Bench,
upon a writ of certiorari, and admitted to bail, to appear at the
next Old Bailey Sessions. - In the affidavit on which the writ
lis founded he declares his innocence. Ilis bail is himself in
I 20001. and four sureties in 5001. each.

• Thomas Co the driver of the Richmond
stage-coach. No. 3.57tY, attended yesterday, before Mr. Alder-
man'A TKlss, upon a summons obtained against him by Mr.
Martin, the Member for (lalway, for wanton cruelty towards
one of his horses.
The Hon. Gentleman opened his case by observing, that he
had frequently had occasion-to notice the cruelty of disposition
evinced by this coachman, -but he should confine himself now
to his ccialuct on Wednesday last, when, as he was coming
from St. Paul's, along 'Fleet-street, -about three in the after-
noon,- he wantonly and most cruelly abused :.+;(1 ill-treated the
off-leader. lie could, upon his oath, depose that his treat-
ment of his horses on. four several days in the previous fort:
night had been most barbarous : but on the day in question,
so atrocious was his conduct, that on witnessing it he was de-
termined to punish him, and aucrdiri!.3ly gut into a hackney,

coach, at.d followed the stage, until he cattle up with it Au the
Strand, where he took the number.
Collins, in his defence, allowed that the horse was as good
a one as ever was put into a calTa'r ; but unfortunately, on tffe
morning in question, the lioat/ti being ill, the .coach
started without its usual appendage' of a hedge-hog (a piede
hard leather with nail points protruding through it, which is
fixed to the harness of one horse to prevent the other coupled
with it from running too close), and the consequende was, that
the off-leader kept hugging the near one, and pushing it . on- to
the foot pavenient, so that he alltost elt-eatled pagaing any
other vehicle, and was in danger every row and then ot-..tiver-
turning the coach upon the footway. The horse pressed upon
the other in this Manner both on Ludgate-hill and in
street, and he only gave him a .few lashes to make hitt draW
straight.
The defendant's muter' next stepped fotward, and gaVe him
an excellent character for his attention and humanity to the
animals under his cafe.
Mr. Duggan, a respectable gentleman residing at Richmond,,
who was on the box with the coachman at tine time in question,.
said, that certainly the off-leader was very refractory on Lud-
gate.hill, and hugged in the manner alre a? described, so a 3.•
to occasion some alarm, even in himself. When they got to
Met-market there was a stoppage, and the coachman then
gave the unruly horse some five or six smart lashes. The re •
port of a four-horse whip, as every one knew, made a great
noise,- and in -consequence one gentleman (not Mr. Martin)
called out. to the defendaht-L" You scoundrel, how dare you
flog a horsein that way—l'll have you punished ;" and followed
the coach .with a parcel Of boys shouting at his heels, as tar as
Temple-liar. The defendant, he believed, did .not„ with the '
exception of that he had already described, apply the whip with
any severity once during the journey from Richmond to town ; .
and though he professed himself an enemy to cruelty, he was
ready to swear that, in his judgment, the whipping was not
more severe than the occasion required, and, had he been
the - coachman,- he should have acted in precisely the same
manner. • . .
•

Mr. Martin here begged to say a word. He had made some.
inquiry respecting the defendant, and, had learnt that in St.
Paul's Church-yard he had a general character for cruelty to
his horses. The defence was, that he 'Hogged the horse at
Fleet-market for what he did on Ludgate-hill. Indeed, he.
would swear that flogging the horse was calculated to increase
the danger, if there was any danger in hugging ; but this
wretch—
Alderman ATierws—Do not call the man a wretch here, Sir.
Mr. Martin—Well, Sir, I hope shall not be accused of
possessing a morbid sensibility when you see that the flogging
excited the indignation of another individual besides myself--
The riding-master of one of the military academies assured
me they din not use two pennyworth of tvhipcord in a twelve-
month,---so much for-the necessity of flogging.
Mr. Duggan said the defendant bore a tfery different charac-
ter at Richmond to that stated of him in St. Paul's churchyard.
He had frequently come to town by his coach, and never saw
any thing reprehensible in his conduct.
Mr. Alderman's Allures wished he could impress upon Mr:
Martin's mind the difficulty he had to pay the chic regard to
the opposite testimonies of two gentlemen equally respectable;
and also the still greater difficulty in drawing the proper lint'
between necessary correction and unjustifiable severity. He
feared if he punished him for this—if he excluded the use of
the whip—she should be implicated in the charge of endanger-
ing the limbs and lives of all persons who might have occasion
to treed in stage-coaches.
Mr. Martin, however, persisted in the charge, and alluding
to that part of 111 r. Duggan's evidence, relative to the into r-
ference of the other gentleman, insisted that this was- a' case of
so atrocious a nature that . there were no grounds even for any
mitigation of punishment whatsoever. If, however, he said,
the Magistrate would not convict, he hoped every passenger by
the defendant's coach, and ever body in the line of its route,
would keep a watchful eye upon his conduct, and he was quite
sure lie would then soon meet with the punishment he so
richly deserved. •
Mr. Alderman ATKINS said, the man must not go forth
branded in this manner, or he had better be convicted at once.
All that Mr. Martin had said about wantonness, and cruelty,
and barbarity; and " wretch," went for nothing with•trim. be-
cause these epithets did not appear to be warranted by the facts.
proved. There was a wide difference between striking and
beating. As a father of 18 children, he knew that to spare the
rod was to spoil the child ; but however his feelings might in-
cline him to,go along with Mr. Martin, as a Magistrate lie' was
bound to do his duty to the public, and to judge only from the
evidence produced before him.
Mr. Martin interrupted the Alderman's observations now and
then, and asked with some warmth if it was to go forth to the
world as the worthy Alderman's opinion that no cruelty could
be inflicted with the lash of a whip ?
Mr. Alderman ATKINS replied, he did not sit there to define
what the law was, but to judge whether the charge brought be-
fore him was proved to be within'the scope and meaning of the
law. In the present case, he was of opinion it was not. It
should, however, be remembered, that Mr. Martin never ac-
cepted his' moiety of the penalty, and ought not therefore to be
considered as an informer. He had done much good ; and
even in the present case he had not preferred his complaint
without some cause, though he (the Alderman) considered that
cause insufficient. He therefore dismissed the complaint, on
the defendant's paying the costs of the summons and hearing.

.Bo w-ST ntt'T.--Yesterday a man named Mitchell, a
groom in the service of a gentleman of the name of Powell, re-
siding in Nightingale-lane, Clapham, appeared, according to
an undertaking which it was alleged he had entered into, to
answer the complaint of William Thomas, one of the horse-
patrol, who made the following statement Saturday
night last, he (the patrol) was on duty on the Dulwich road,
when he saw the defendant riding a very valuable horse, which
was wanting a shoe, and which seemed to have been over-rid-
den ; he stopped him, and asked who and what he was, and to
whom the horse belonged ; and he replied in a short and rather
surly tone, that his horse was his , master's, and that he was
going to take it home to his master's house in Nightingale-lane.
Witness put other queStitms, but the defendant refused to' give
him any further answers, and told him if he chose to suspect that
the horse was stolen, he was Welcome to take the animal and keep
him until he bad satisfied himself, so that he let him go about
his business,,for he was tired and wanted to get home. This
proposition increased the suspicion of the witness that the horse
was stolen, and he kept hold of the bridle until he met some of
his brother patrol, when, on the defendant's still refusing to
. give any further explanation, they took him into custody, but
let him go the next day, on his promise to appear here yester-
day. They inquired, and found that he was the servant of
Mr. Powell; that the horse belonged to that gentleman ; and
that, in fact, the defendant had told a correct story, and there-
fore the witness had now nothing to charge him with, except
'that when he and the other patrol were taking him to a place
of confinement, he abused them grossly, and told them they
wanted to make a property of him.
Mr. Milasity Le. said it was very natural that an innocent
man should feel a little indignant at being arrested, although,
perhaps, the patrol had done no more than- their duty ; and
therefore any warmth of expression that he might have made
use of ought readily to be excused. There appeared now to
be no charge against the defendant, and he of course was at
liberty to go about his business.
•Mr. Powell (defendant's master)—O, Sir ! but we shall not
be satisfied with that mode of dismissing the ease. My servant
has great reason to complain, and he begs that he may be
heard.
Mr. MINSBULL said he should certainly not deprive him of
the liberty of making any statement he thought proper.
The groom then stated, that on- the night in question he had
been attending a lady some distance in the country, and was
returning home, when he was stopped by the patrol, who ques-
tioned him Toughly as to the horse, and he told him his master's
name, and where he was going, but be refused to answer an
more questions, because he had a mind to see to what length
the officer would go with him. The patrol, when he refused to
give any further explanation than that he was welcome to go
with him wherever he went, seized the bridle of his horse, and
conducted him at least three quarters of a mile, with his pistol
within three inches of his (defendant's) head.
Mr. MINSIInLL.—Did he do that ? I hope not. It was
• very wrong, if he did.
The Patrol.—l deny that. I rode with my right hand nest
to the defendant, and held my pistol over my left hand.
Defendant.—l say that •be rode with his pistol within this
much of my head (taking a gentleman's stick 'and holding hia
thumb about three Inches from the end). The defendant went
'on to say, that when they came up with the other patrol, he
immediately recognized one of them cf the name of Lunn, as
an old acquaintance, but Lunn seemed determined not to know
hint until after some time, when he asked him some questions,
and Lunn admitted that he knew him. Lunn knew perfectly.

.RICE SEVENPEZ;Z-CE.

well Who Ire was, and where he lived, but, notrvithstanding-
tuat, they took him to the cage at Dulwich, and locket' him up
till the middle of the next day, when 'Thomas, the patrol, dis
charged him without taking him before a Magistrite, on a
promise that he would appear here yesterday. The defendant
added, that when he was first put into the cage, there was not
so much as a bit of straw. fur him to lie or it down upon, and.
' he requested to have some.. After a little delay,
.straw was
brought, and he sat doWn upon it, but had not been long in
that posture before Thomas
.came, and with an oath desired.
him to get up, or he would handcuff him.
.•
Mr. MrXstt tri.r. said, that the patrol had .unquestionably
done wrong in taking upon -himself the power of discharging
the defendant, without first taking him before-a Magistrate.
With respect to the other parts' of the case,' he .should only
make this remark, thet he wished the patrol to do their duty,,
and tee would always protect them in the proper exercise of it ;.
but be was always very anxious that that duty shauldhe per-
forf_led with temper and discretion. Without further.9bserva-
tion at present, he should tiii*the clerk to'draw up at length
the statements of both parties,-'242d those statements should be
sent to the Home Departnient'Art the inspection of the Secre-
tary of State, who had more immediately the controul and
regulation of the horse' patrol, and who would doubtless do
equal justice in the cafe. Meanwhile, the defendant was by.
no means deprived of the privilege of indfcting the officer for
a.ssault and- anprisoament if he thought such a course ad-
visable..
„...
'Tile clerk retired with the patties' to a private room, to take-
down their statements, and 'here the matter rests for the
present.

MARYLEnorti-OrrlcE.—Yesterday a poor woman named
Kennedy applied to the Magistrate 'for his assistance to obtain
her mother, a very aged woman, froin the parish workhouse of
St. MaryLehi:me. The applicant Stated, that about 8 or
weeks ago, her mother, who lived in Strutton.ground, West-
minster; and was nearly 100 years of age, left Mine to go to
market, and on her way she was seized with -a fit, amVeartiad
by the beadle. to Saint Margaret's. workhouse, Westminster,
where 'she remained until her settlement was found to be in
Marylebohe parish, in which she rented a house; to which she
was removed-. On her apartment being. searched, a box was-
discovered taeontain a considerable sum of money,- and docu-.
ments which spewed that she had 1001. in the Bank of Eng-
land. Applicant, on hearing ef. her' mother's situation., came
from Glasgow, in order to take care of her, and she had applied
to the pansh where she was; but there were some objections to
delivering her into her (appicant's) care.
Mr. GRIFFIT us thought that she was the most proper per--
Itin to have the care of the poor ottlereature. •
Mr. Stocker said, the parish were very willing to deliver her
to: her daughter, but she was. so very feeble through age, and
incapacitated, that the Board thinight she would not be able to.
go to Glasgow, where the daughter wished to take ;ter.
. M. PitIFFITILS7-Is she willing to go ?
Applicant--Yes, Your Worship.
Mr. GhrtFintsl—Then the parish has' no right to detain
her against her will. I havte no proof that she is linable to
. go, or that she is incapacitated, and it will be policy on the
part of the parish to give her up;' persons may be apt to say
Something about it if they do not do so. Is she able to come
here ?

Apialicanf—Yes.
' Mr. G liITFITIIS—Then let hei be brotight in a chair, and.
we'll see whether she is able to'go the distance.
The old lady, who could' scarcely walk, and very feeble, was-
brought forward, and she teemed to- Comprehend all the. Ma-
gistrate Stid to her, and that she was willing to go with her
daughter.
Air. GUir us:jocosely obseried, that he was not in the
habit of asking ladies c. how old they were," tiut he would for
once break his rule with her, and requested to' know her age.--'
She smiled, and seemed to feel a' delicaty in • divulging it, and
retrinined, Silent.

Mr. GRIFFITHS would not press for an answer, as it would
be extrajudicial, and obliervecl that the poor womah, although
old, had possession of her faculties, and ordered her imme--
diately to be delivered, together with her property, to her
daughter, with whom she hobbled out of the office.
LAMBETH- ST REET.--.Yestertlay Mary Iluater, a young
woman apparently years of age, was brought up in custody
of Davis, one of the officers, before AI. WYATT, Esq., the
sitting Magistrate, charged with the perpetration of a' fraud on
the Stepney Charitable Society.
Mrs. Harris, a lady of fortune, and an active rnErarber of the
above society, established for the purpose of supplying such
married women as circumstances deprived of the means of pro--
curing the comforts necessary during accotYcliement with baby
linen :and other requisites, stated that about three months,
since; the prisoner made application to her for such assistance
as the Society waf th the habit of granting, representing in
support of her claims, that she *as
,a married Woman, and
that her husband, who was a. mechanic, had deserted her,
leaving her itr ir most destitute contrition, and wallow a farthing
in the • world, and added that she was then in so advanced a
state of pregnancy that she momentarily expected to be confined.
She (Mrs. Harris) believed her statement, in which she was
confirmed by the apparent rotundity of her persois. Previous,
however, to complying with her request, and granting the aid
required, she took the usual precautions, and sent her servant
toinquire into the truth of the prisoner's represensations, both
from her landlady and others in the neighbourhood. The re-
sult of the inquiries was most satisfactory, anti persons from
whom they were made that they considered the prisoner's
tale perfectly correct, and that they thought her an object well
deserving of the Society's humane assistance. On this as-
surance she (Mrs. Ilarris) gave her not alone a box of the So-
ciety's linen, but also added a liberal donation.frona her private
purse. When the usual time for returning the linen had elapsed,
she (Mrs. Harris), it not being returned as is customary, sent
for it, and then discneered that she had been imposed upon by
the. prisoner in the grossest manner ; for the property had nct•
only been disposed of, but the prisoner had also absconded ;
she, Mrs. Harris, in consequence gave information of the cir-
cumstances at this office.
Mr. WYATT observed, that those persons who had giver.
Mrs. Harris a fictitious character of the prisoner, were equally,
if not more culpable, than the of ,herself, and merited
similar punishment.
Mrs. Harris said, that originally she was of the same opinion.
but that on making further enquiries, she had every season to
think that the persons who had recommended the prisoner had
been themselves imposed upon.
Davis, the officer, stated, that in consequence of information
received from the last witness, be had repeatedly called at the
prisoner's lodgings, but could never find her at home. He was,
however, more fortimate on that morning, when hi took her into'
custody. On searching her person, he found duplicates of the
entire property, which had' been pledged at different pawn-
brokers' in her (the prisoner's) name. He had made every in-
quiry, and had ascertained that she was up to the present mo-
ment a single woman, had not been for the last two years in a
state of pregnancy, and consequently could only have required
the Society's assistance for the purpose of fraud.
Mr. WYATT sentenced the prisoner to three months' hard
labour in the House of Correction, hoping that it worth! be am
example to deter others from the like °Wet&

About 24 years ago two young men got a boat
from Leith Harbour, and set off early in the morning for the
purpose of shooting rabbits, at that time in great abundance on
the Island of Inchkeith. They had hardly reached the island
when it began to blow a strong gale, which soon increased
to a hurricane—so much so, that they were obliged to haul
the boat on shore, high and dry, to prevent its being stoVe
on the rocks. They shot a number of rabbits, but how
,to
get their booty off was now a serious question with thetp,
as the gale rendered it impossible to leave the island., There
was then no lighthouse, nor building of any sort op the
island, anti having never anticipated a detention from -Ws
Cause, they had 'taken no provisions with them.;
,but neces-
sity and a keen appetite sharpened
.their wits, and they col-
lected some drift wood on the shore,- with which they made
A fire, and roasted some of the rabbits.. At sunset they took
.the boat's sail, and, wrapt in, it, slept soundly. in one of
-caves in the island, expecting, to get home , the next
day. The next day came, but brought them no relief, the
wind 'continued as violent as ever. They kindled their fire
again, and repeated their repast of rabbit's flesh, anxiously
wishing- for the accompanying luxury of a stale biscuit or
trust of bread ; and, in the evening again took to the cave.
In this manner they passed the second day and night, ar d ;t
was late in the afternoon of the third day ere the wind abated,
so as to enable them to reach Leith again, which they did in a
very exhausted state of body. Their friends and acquaintance;
having given them up for lost, supposing the boat had satmi.,
ed, or was driven out of the Frith, were, of course, overjoyed
on their return.—(Caledonian Mcrcury.)