The Sun.
London, England, 1840-09-04 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER. 4, 1840.

improved plan, in some less confined situation, and on
some less valuable spot of ground:'

The repairs on the prison, aritounting to about lOdl.
per annum, are included in the workmen's bills.
t For Bridewell alone ; separate payments are made for
Bethlem. In the year 1835, the sum of 51/ 9s. was paid
for writing a vote of thanks to the late President.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

itiAIVSION-HOUSE.
A man, who said that his name was Palmer, was
brought L efore the Lord Mayor, on *ednesday, charged
with hat ing assaulted a female in the street. The in;
quiry ;:io the case led to the detection of the prisoner
cs d tigerous housebreaker, furnished with the full
apparatus of the trade. The history was rather curious.
The City Policeman, No. 060, saw the prisoner on
Tuesday night strike a young woman to whom he had
been speaking, a violent blow, and took him into custody
for the breach of the peace, and at the same time re-
cogn'zing in him a person whom the police had seen
about Broad-street with common thieves. The woman
did not appear against him before the Lord Mayor, who
asked him to give some account of himself. Palmer
declared that he was quite blameless, and that the young
woman alluded to was his wife. He had, he said, in
walking home with her towards Kingsland-road, where
they lived, happened to have a few words with her, and
as she went on a little a-head of him, the policeman
put his hand upon her shoulder in a familiar manner, not
easily to be put up with by a husband. On that ac-
count he gave her a slap on the face, upon which the
policeman took him into custody, and he was locked up
and detained the whole night away from his wife and
three children, a thing not to be patiently borne by
a respectable man.
The Loan MAYOR (to the policeman)—ls there
any truth in this ? Policeman—Not a word. He was
striking her and abusing her when I went up, and I
am convinced that she is not his wife, and that he is
a most dangerous character.
Palmer—Dangerous I am a highly respectable
man, and have 'been in the timber trade in America
for the last ten years. I have no suspicious ac-
quaintances. _ _

- The LORD MAYORHOW do you support yourself
and your family now ? Palmer—l brought over funds
with me, and live comfortably upon them.
City Policeman, No. 627—My Lord, I recollect this
prisoner. Ho was given into custody last Tuesday by
a woman for breaking into a house in Sandys-street, but
she refused to appear against him on account of an
affecting story he told about a wife and children he said
he had at home in misery. A small crow-bar, which
no doubt belonged to him, was found in the house, and
upon his person was found a pair of strong pincers, with
which much mischief could be done.

Palmer—lt was all a mistake, my Lord. The poor
woman acknowledged it herself. I never had a crow-
bar in my life, and the pincers was what I bad occasion
for in America in the timber trade, in which I was en-
gaged most extensively.
Mr. Hobler told the Lord Mayor that he was much
mistaken if the prisoner did not turn out to be a house-
breaker, and, perhaps, a returned transport.
His LORDSHIP—I must see the woman he calls his
wife, and hear more of him before I permit him to go
at large.
The prisoner—You will hear nothing that will not be
satisfactory, my Lord.
The LORD AYOR--Very well, I hope so. You
shall be brought up on Friday, and your wife can at-
tend and claim you.
Yesterday, Inspector Merchant of the City police,
stated that Mr. Palmer had given a wrong address, and
that it was ascertained that he lodged at No. 48, Lent-
street, Borough, with the woman he called his wife ;
that in his lodgings were found a number of picklock
keys, a magic•lantern, a jemmy, and a set of grappling-
hooks appended to a rope. The apparatus was exhi-
bited in the Justice-room. The hooks were so con-
structed as to fix upon being thrown in at a window,
or over a high wall, in whatever substance they came
in contact with, so that the person below could without
much difficulty raise himself by the rope to which they
were attached, and effect an entry into the premises.
Policeman No. 33 of the N division of Metropolitan
police, had, it appeared, in consequence of information
which he had received, kept his eye upon the house,
No. 48, in Lant-street. He observed a young man of
genteel appearance come out on Wednesday night ac-
companied by the woman Palmer called his wife, and
soon afterwards return. Again they came out, and
went towards London-bridge, and he missed them, but
he afterwards apprehended them, when the young man
told him that he had thrown two bundles which be-
longed to his companion over the bridge, and pointed
out the spot into which he had flung them.
Upon investigation the Lord Mayor ascertained that
the young man had got into a hobble innocently, and
without knowing either Palmer or the woman. He
had witnessed the disturbance in the street between
them on Tuesday night, and perceiving that the female
was rather intoxicated, and having heard her say that
she had three children, he offered to see her home, and
promised to call next day at the Mansion• house, to
hear what became of the charge. He did so ; but a
few words having reached him in the police room, which
proved that Palmer was suspected of being a house-
breaker, he left the room without saying a word.
The Loan MAYOR—Why, what could you have
sista ? 'men replied, thetAke intended_to have
said, what the woman told him, that she'was the prisoner's
wife, and that they had three children ; bt.t he was
quite shocked at what he had heard before the Lord
Mayor, and he departed. At night, according to his
promise, he called at No. 48, Lant-street, to mention
what occurred, and then the young woman told him
that Palmer was not her husband, and he advised her,
if she had anything belonginx to Palmer, to get rid of it
as soon as possible, or she migia get into trouble. In
that suggestion she acquiesced, and she handed him
two bundles, which he soon afterwards flung over Lon-
don-bridge.
The LORD MAYOR—It was very kind of you, but
you have run a great hazard of character.
The young man shed tears, and said that lie was now
aware that he had been in great danger, into which, he
solemnly assured the Lord Mayor, he was led by com-
passion alone for the unfortunate young woman.
Policeman 33 N said he had no reason to think that
the person who had got into such an awkward dilemma,
told anything but the truth.
The woman was very cautious in her answers to the
Lord Mayor. She had, she said, lived with Palmer
about five months, but she was not his wife, neither had
she any children. She had been married, it was true,
but her husband was dead.

The LORD MAYOR—How long have you been ac-
quainted with him ?
The Woman—l first knew him about ten years ago.
The LORD MAYOR—Where, and under what cir-
cumstances ?

The Woman—He kept a tripe shop in the Kingsland-
road, and I saw him as I passed.
The LORD MAYOR—, And when did you see him af-
terwards?

The Woman—When ? why five months ago.
The LORD Mivoa—Did you know him ?
The Woman—Oh, I knew him well enough.
The LORD MAvoa—And you have lived with him
ever since? The Woman—l have.

The LORD MAYOR--Did he tell you he had bee❑
in America ?

The Woman—He said nothing about it.
The LORD MAYOR—Nor that he had been in the
timber trade ? The Woman—No.

The LORD MAYOR—Do you know anything about
the young man who has got himself into such a scrape
on your account ?

The Woman—Nothing more than what he has said,
The LORD MAYOR (to the police)—Let the part of
the river pointed out to you be dragged. I have no
doubt that these two bundles contained house-breaking
implements, and I think we have got hold of a very
desperate character. Let this woman be brought up
with him. I discharge the young man. He leaves this
room with a clear character, but he was very near doing
it great injury by his injudicious humanity.