The Sun.
London, England, 1840-10-05 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, .MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1840.

Mr. MEEK then presented himself, and was, as usual,
received with a most discordant yell. A gentleman
in front of the hustings held up a " Times' with
" Dirty (rat) Meek" neatly written in large letters
upon it, which caused much laughter, especially
when that gentleman asked it to be handed up
to him, and held it up to the gaze of all. He
again alluded to the case of Mr. Mawe [not
Moore], and said Mr. Baldwin had written to that
gentleman, asking him whether the letter be had sent
to the Times was not correct, and Mr. Mawe in reply
said it was substantially correct. They had heard a
great deal of garbled extracts, but he accused Mr.
Alderman Harmer with having yesterday garbled Mr.
Baldwin's letter in reading it in that Hall.
Mr. Alderman HARMER.—d positively deny that as-
sertion.

Mr. MEEK.—The charge was that Mr. Mawe's name
had been obtained surreptitiously.—(Cries of " No,
no.") Now the fact was that Mr. Baldwin insisted
upon the name being struck out when be found Mr.
Mauve had signed it inadvertently. Mr. Harmer com-
plained that the declaration had been drawn up in the
dark ; but was not an indictment always drawn up in
private ?
Mr. Alderman HARMER—But the accused party
always has notice.
Mr. MEEK said motives had been attributed to him,
but be disclaimed being actuated by any but those he
had expressed upon the hustings. Ile congratulated them
upon the state of the poll, and he had no doubt but
thaf, by a little exertion, it would show as good an ap-
pearance at the close of the contest.
Mr. STEVENS then came forward, as he said, he-
cause they were in the background. He never de-
serted any cause, the more especially if it was an honest
one, and at the same time apparently a losing one,—
(Loud cheers.) Much had been said of the
articles which had appeared in the Dispatch.
Now he did not like many that appeared in that
paper any more than he did many that appeared
in the Times, and he was glad to find that his friend,
Mr. Alderman Harmer, had himself declared that he
disapproved of many of the articles objected to. The
warfare, however, was a mere warfare of bigotry oper-
ating upon ignorant minds,and brought to bear against a
man of whom even his enemies were obliged to speak
with respect, and to acknowledge him to be a man pure
in spirit—an active, zealous, and upright Magistrate,
and a good citizen.—(Cheers.) They did not yet de-
spair ; a re•action had commenced in the public mind,
and he trusted it was not too late to secure
the return of a man deserving such a cha-
racter from even his enemies. At all events,
the re-action would next year place Mr. Alderman
Harmer in a prouder position than even that of Chief
Magistrate ; but he hoped that Monday would place
him in that situation without fail.—(Cheers.)
The Hall was then adjourned till this morning at
nine o'clock.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MARLBORO UGH-STREET.

EXTENSIVE FRAUDS.—George Brown, an elderly
man of respectable appearance, was brought before Mr.
Long for re-examination, charged with having defrauded
a vast number of watchmakers. The Court was literally
crowded with persons who had been duped by the
prisoner's plausible representations. The prisoner for a
great length of time has been in the habit of calling
upon different watchmakers in the country, and in all
parts of the metropolis, and obtaining watches intrusted
to the watchmakers to repair, by the false representa-
tion that he had been sent for them by the owners.
To such an extent had the prisoner been able success-
fully to pursue this fraudulent scheme, that the police,
within four or five days after the prisoner's apprehen-
sion, were enabled to find upwards of 50 cases against
him.

3. Evans, apprentice to Mr. Marsh, Dover-street,
Piccadilly, said the prisoner called at the shop a few
days since, and said he had been sent for his brother's
watch. The prisoner pointed out a watch, and wit-
ness said that this watch bad been left by one of Lord
Deere's servants. The prisoner immediately replied
that this servant was his brother, and that he had been
requested to call for the watch, and had received both
the name of the maker and the number, but he had left
the card at home. Witness asked him to call again for
the watch, as Mr. Marsh was out of town ; but the
prisoner replied the watch was wanted particularly, and
if allowed to take it away he would bring it again
should it not go well. Witness let the prisoner have
the watch. In a few days afterwards the person who
left the watch called for it, and the fraud was then
discovered..
The person who left the watch, a footman in the
service of the Hon. Miss Brand, said he knew nothieg
whatever of the prisoner.
Mr. LONG recommended the police to make inquiry
among Lord Deere's servants for the purpose of ascer-
taining whether or no the prisoner had a brother in his
Lordship's establishment. .
A number of other watchmakers gave similar evi-
dence, and
Mr. LONG decided upon remanding the prisoner to
Wednesday next, in order to give the police more time
to make inquiries.
A watchmaker begged to have the advice of the
Magistrate in this matter. The prisoner had obtained
a large number of watches, and the owners of course
called upon the watchmakers to replace the property.
iNow, as some of the parties made very exorbitant
claims, tic wished to know how the watchmakers were
to act.

Mr. LONG could give no advice in the matter be-
yond that the watchmakers were bound to satisfy those
who had been deprived of their watches.

THAMES POLICE.

COMMITTAL OF A SEAMAN FOR MURDEL—Tho-
mas Hanlon, an Irishman, was brought before Mr.
Ballantine for final examination, charged with the wilful
murder of Andrew Drynan, a sailor, off the island of
Trinidad, on the Bth of June last. The prisoner was
sent over to this country by the authorities in Trinidad,
and arrived here in the Princess Charlotte a fortnight
ago. lie was then remanded by Mr. Ballantine until
the arrival of the witnesses who had returned to -Cork
in the vessel in which the transaction occurred. :They
came here on Thursday in an Irish steamer,
and yesterday the prisoner was fetched from
Clerkenwell Prison to hear the evidence. It
appeared from the testimony of David Rawlinson, the
chief mate, and Timothy Cronan, a youth belonging to
the brig, New City of Cork, trading between Ireland
and Trinidad, that the prisoner was second mate of the
ship, and the deceased, a boy, serving on board the
same vessel. On the Bth of June, the deceased, Cro-
nan, and three others belonging to the crew, had oc-
casion to go ashore in the joily-boat, with some cloth-
ing for the master, and on their way left the second
mate (the prisoner) on board a sloop, named the Pros-
perity, which was at anchor near the brig. The jolly-
boat called alongside the sloop on its return, for the
purpose of bringing the second mate away, and some
drink was provided for the people, of which the de-
ceased, Cronan, and others, partook. When they left
the sloop on their return to the brig, Drynan com-
plained that be had been struck on board the sloop, but
he did not say by whom, and Cronan declared that
whoever struck Drynan, must strike him, or he would
strike them. When the jolly-boat came along-
side the New City of Col k, it was hois.ed up
to the davits, and all the party went on
board, and the prisoner complained that while
he was in the cabin of the sloop conversing with the
Captain, a piece cf wet canvas waa thrown down the
skylight by Drynan, and that lie would thrash him for
it. Drynan said he was leaning over the skylight, and
the wet canvass fell into the cabin accidentally. Cronan
made some complaints about his shipmate Drynan hav-
ing been struck, and the prisoner told him to hold his
tongue. Crowns was insolent, and said that the second
mate might hit him as soon as he pleased, on which the
prisoner shoved him down and struck him, and said he
would serve Drynan the same. Drynan was at that time
in the after part of the vessel, standing close to the
chief mate, and he came forward, when the prisoner
went over to him apparently with the intention of
striking him, and directly afterwards Cronan, who was
sitting on the hencoops, saw the deceased go overboard,
and he fell into the sea.

Rawlinson, the chief mate, who was close to the after-
hatch at the time, and heard the splash, but did not see
the lad fall overboard, jumped into the sea after him,
and the boat was instantly lowered, but the boy was
not seen again, and perished. The prisoner also exerted
himself to save the boy, and got upon a barge alongside
the ship, with a rope in his hand, to throw to the assist-
ance of the boy, and in endeavouring to save him was
nearly drowned. On his return to the ship he delivered
himself up to the chief mate, and said," I have commit-
ted murder—l deliver myself over to you for murder."
It was 11 o'clock at night when the transaction happened,
and neither of the witnesses saw the prisoner throw the
deceased overboard ; but he went over directly after the
prisoner made towards him, whether from a blow or not
they could not say. The gangway was open at the time.
The prisoner, in defence, said he exerted himself to
save the lad after lie went overboard, and with a rope
in his hand be jumped on board the lighter and fell
overboard himself, and was obliged to get up the side
of the vessel by the ship's fender.
He was then committed to Newgate for the wilful
murder of Andrew Drynan, and the witnesses were
bound over to prosecute.

•
DEATH OF, A BOY FROM POISO/C—lnforma-
tion was on Saturday given to Mr. Wakley, the Coroner.
of the following awful event :--A boy, nine years of age,
the son of respectable people living in Victoria-place,
Elder-walk, Islington, having been detected in some fault,
was ordered by his mother to remain a prisoner in his bed-
room until he would beg pardon and promise amendment.
His mother visited him shortly afterwards, and finding,
him in a state of stupor she sent for a surgeon, who, dis-
covering that he was suffering from the effects of poison,
applied the stomach-pump and other remedies, but not-
withstanding bis exertions death speedily ensued. The
deceased, it, appeared, had drunk a pint of strong gin, in
which was dissolved a quantity of hiera picra.

ATTEMPT TO FIRE SHEERNESS
DOCKYARD.

(From a Correspondent of the Shipping Gazette.)
SHEERNESS, OCT. 2, 11 30 P.M.-At ten minutes
before six o'clock this evening, the inspectors of ship-
wrights went the usual tounds on hoard the different
ships in docks and basin, to see all the lights extin-
guished. Mr. J. Duff visited H.M.'s ship Camperdown,
a first-rate, and reported all lights out. The Camper-
down lay in the fitting basin, close to the stern of the
north and middle docks, in which were the Amazon
frigate and Achille, second-rate. The carpenter of the
Camperdown, Mr. Henty, whose duty it was to visit
and report, followed Mr. Duff; and he also reported all
lights out. Mr. Henty, having shortly afterwards re-
collected he had left his umbrella, returned to the ship,
and on going down on the lower deck he saw a dense
smoke arising from the after cockpit ; he ran down be-
low, and found it proceeded from the Midshipmen's
berth, on the larboard side. He saw the fire proceeding
from the lockers. He immediately gave the alarm, and
with the assistance of Mr. Banes, one of the foremen
of the dockyard, they succeeded in getting the fire
under. The fire-cask and buckets in the after cockpit
were fortunately close to the cabin door, and they soon
put the fire out. The alarm being given, the gates
were closed, with strict orders to prevent any person
passing out. Captain Superintendent Sir John Hill,
and all the respective officers, were shortly on the spot,
and all the engines surrounded the docks and basin,
and got ready to work. A strict search was made
throughout all the ships. Mr. Henty declares that on
his proceeding down into the after cockpit, on discover-
ing the smoke, he heard a heavy footstep running across
the cockpit, as though the person bad nailed shoes ;
but being dark, he could not see any person. Upon
examination of the Camperdown, the locker in which
the fire broke out was found to contain a large quan-
tity of tarred oakum, picked loose, and mixed up with
fir shavings and new birch brooms ctt open ;
.and im-
mediately over the lockers a quantity of hay and oakum
was stowed between the shelf-piece and beams, leading
into the openings bztween the timbers. On fur-
ther examination, in the fore part of the ship,
they found stowed in the carpenter's store-
room, in one of the lockers, a large quantity of
tarred oakum, pitch, tallow, resin, brooms cut loose, and
a number of lucifer-matches, one of which had been
lighted, e vidently for the purpose of setting fire to the
mass of cimbustible matter lad in the locker. Every
precaution has been taken—none of the workmen were
permitted to leave the dockyard until half-past seven
o'clock. One half of the shipwrights were retained, with
their respective officers, and all the military who were off
uard were called into the yard, and stationed at every
part to prevent persons leaving. Every precaution was
taken to prevent further outbreak, and a strict inquiry
made to endeavour to find out the perpetrator of this
base deed. An express was sent off to the Admiralty
at eight p.m. ; it was conveyed by Mr. Luson, clerk to
the Captain Superintendent, and will arrive in town at
about Jour o'clock tomorrow morning with the intelli-
gence.

There is no doubt the perpetrator of this foul deed
was surprised by the unexpected return of Mr. Henty.
The following ships were in the docks and basin, close
to the Camperdown

In docks.—The Achille and Amazon. In the basin
—The Monarch and Cornwall. At the time the fire
was discovered it was blowing a fresh breeze from
N.W., taking the range of the three docks and roofs.
If the Camperdown had taken fire, it must have com-
municated to the other ships, and all must have been
destroyed. Fortunately for the public interest the de-
sign of the incendiary has been frustrated ; had he
succeeded, the whole of Blue Town would most likely
have been burnt down, as they would not have been
able to procure engines from any other source tha❑ the
dockyard ! They would have been fully engaged for
the protection of public property, and unavailable to
the town.

" A man has this moment, (half-past eight o'clock
this morning,) been taken by order of the Captain
Superintendent, on suspicion of being concerned in the
above act."

The Camperdown is a very fine ship, and has not seen
much service ; she has just been put into commission as
the flag-ship of Admiral Sir Henry Digby, C.B. One
hundred and twenty marines, commanded by Captain
Corriton, embarked on board her Majesty's
steam-ship Salamander, Captain Henry, yesterday after-
noon, and will steam down to Sheerness at four o'clock
this morning, for the purpose of doing duty on board the
Camperdown. Great preparations have been making in
the various yards, in fitting the ships for sea. Her
Majesty's steam-ship Lightning, Captain Waugh, R.N.
left Woolwich yesterday evening, fOr the purpose of
towing her Majesty's ship the Howe, 120 guns, Capt.
Baker, over 'he flats on her way to Plymouth, and from
thence she proceeds, with as little deloy as possible, to
join the Mediterranean squadron.

On Saturday morning three persons named Wright,
Grigg, and Britt, were taken into custody la suspicion
of having been concerned in the diabolical affair. An
inquiry took place before the principal officers of the
yard, in the course of the day, but •the result of the
examination was the discharge of Britt, upon bail, and
the remand of the other prisoners, Wright and Grigg,
until the following day (Sunday).
In the course of Saturday evening the Earl of Minto
and Sir Charles Adam, Lords of the Admiralty, arrived
at Sheerness, with a view to a strict investigation of the
affair. Their Lordships were saluted on Sunday morn-
ing by the discharge of guns from the Ocean guard-
ship, which temporarily bears the Admiral's flag ; and
at an early hour, accompanied by Admiral Digby,
entered upon an examination of the Camperdown, and
those portions of the dockyard and the vessels in it, by
an inspection of which their object was likely to be
advanced. Their Lorships' survey was carried on in
strict privacy, no person being allowed to enter the
yard.
They continued their investigation throughout the
day, and we believe that the men in custody underwent
a new examination in the presence of the whole of these
persons. We have reason to believe that the evidence
as yet obtained against the prisoners is slight and unsa-
tisfactory. We have been able to ascertain that they
were men employed in the Dock-yard, but not on board
the Camperdown. In the course of Friday they quitted
the vessel on which they were employed, and made
their way to the Camperdown, for a " skulk," as it is
termed in the dock-yard, or for the purpose of shirk-
ing their work and chattering with their fellows who
were employed on board that ship. They remained
talking for some time, and then returned to their
own posts. Additional evidence, however, has also
been obtained tracing one of the prisoners to lodg-
ings, from which hay similar to that discovered in
the Camperdown, and bearing upon it a white pow-
der, as on that found in the ship, was yesterday pro-
duced. The hay has the appearance of having been
used to stuff a bed, together With wool or some other
material of that description, and the powder which is
spoken of has much the appearance of the dust which
would be produced by its being employed for such a
purpose. Byond this we have no reason to believe
that there is any real evidence tending to confirm the
suspicions entertained against the prisoners. The ge-
neral opinion among the persons with whom the pri-
soners were acquainted is, that they were in nowise
concerned in the foul attempt, for that they could have
had no interest in its success, and that their degree of
intelligence was not sufficient to induce them to under-
take such a scheme for any purposes of their own. The
object of such a deed can only be ascertained upon the
production of evidence, fixing its perpetration upon
some individual whose secret feelings and inducements,
by that means, may be brought to light.
A plan more maturely formed, or more likely to pro-
duce mischievous results, =slot well have been con-
ceived. We have already pointed out, though perhaps
not very clearly, the position of the Camperdown in re-
lation to those ships also in dock, and to the surrounding
buildings. It will be perceived that she was placed
nearly in the centre of the four vessels lying near her.
The fire was attempted to be kindled lore and aft, exhi-
biting the atrocious determination of the incendiary, and
had either effort t ffectually succeeded, immense damage
must have been the result.

- . ..._ .__...
At the time of the_ diseovery of the attempt the wind
was blowing strongly from the north-west, directly into
the dock-yard buildings and town, and through the Cam-
perdown, the fire would have communicated, there is
no hesitation in believing, to the surrounding ships, and
from them, little doubt can be entertained, that it would
have been carried to the buildings without the dock-yard,
Most of the houses of the Blue 'lown of Sheerness, which,
as we have already stated, adjoins the dock-yard,arehuht
of wood, which,
from acre , has become peculiarly liable
to ignition. The destruction of the whole of this part
of the town mu,t have been consequential upon the
burning of the dockyard. The Fountain, the princi-
pal ina of the town, lies in the precise direction which
the flames would necessarily have taken.
Little interest appears to be excited in the town of
Sheerness by this event. A few inquiries might be
heard yesterday merning as to the cause of the salute
being fired, but beyond this there were few persons,
except those engaged in the
investigation by virtue of
their office, who were to be seen exhibiting any anxiety
upon the subject. Among the dock workmen conside-
rabled, and declared that they had not
feeling is entertained, numerous were the ex-
clamations we heard expressive of wishes that the
offenders might suffer the just penalty of their crime.
All, however, appeared convinced of the innocence of
the men in custoy,
" gumption" to co..nmit such an offence.
Rumours of all descriptions were afloat, as usual upon
such occasions. Amongst others was one that "a fiatsin a cloak," who visited Sheerness about a week ago,
and pretended to be going to join the Camperdown, as
one of her officers, was strongly
suspected of having em-
ployed some of the men to commit the foul deed ; but
we believe that there is not the least foundation for the
suggestion. It was also reported that on the same night
on which the fire at Devonport broke out, a large quan-
tityanything had fallen on them,
of Lucifer matches, so disposed among the chips in
one of the sheds as that they might have taken fire if
was discovered, but this
report proves to be equally the result of invention. The i

matches, it was proved, had been conveyed to the spot
by come of the children of the workmen, and instead of
their being so numerous as had been represented, it
turned out that they had scarcely exceeded a dozen in
number, and were noticed only by a policeman, who,
however, from motives of precaution, carried them away
with him.

We believe that this attempt had no connection
whatever with the recent dreadful occurrence at Ply-
mouth, but that it was a foul and most diabolical ef-
fort to commit damage, which would have been almost
irreparable, there is no doubt.
(From the Devonport Independent.)
SATURDAY, HALF-PAST TEN O'CLOCK, A.M.—All
investigation is now in progress before the authorities,
in consequence of a quantity of shavings, chips, pitch,
and ends of candle, having been discovered in a large
heap by the workmen, on the Ballast, near the kelson
of the new ship, St. George. We understand that
both in material and quantity, it would have been suf-
ficient, when ignited, to have destroyed this beautiful
specimen of naval architecture, and in all probability,
the ships and buildings adjacent. No clue can yet be
got at how these various inflammable articles could
have been placed in such a situation.