The Sun.
London, England, 1840-08-21 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 1840.

to deliver. If the steamer had not gone on, he and his
passengers would have been quite safe. He did not
think the barge that was approaching them would have
struck his boat, but she might have struck the steamer.

Cross-examined—lt was blowing hard at the time,
and there was a great swell. He did say to the per-
sons in the wherry " For God's sake be quick, or the
barge will be into us." Captain Fairbairn was on the
paddle-box of his vessel. He had said that in his opi-
nion the steamer went on to prevent the barge from
striking her.
Mr. John \Vinkfield deposed that he was captain of
the Emerald steam-vessel, and at the time in question
he was up the river. He was astern of the
sailing
s
barge,
and his vessel struck the barge and
carried
her mizen mast. He observed the posi-
la
tion of the Victoria and the wherry, and from the state of
the wind, and the " way" the barge had on her, he was
sure that she must have struck the steamer, and that the
lives of the people on board, and likewise those in the
awaywherry, would have been endangered. He was decid-
edly of opinion that both the steamer and the boat
were endangered by the barge.
Cross-examined—ln my opinion, if the steamer had
stood still, the barge would have crushed the wherry,
and destroyed the lives of all the people in her. I con-
sider that Captain Fairbairn did all he could, and that
by going on, as he did, he avoided the greatest and most
serious danger.

Mr. Baron GURNEY here addressed the Jury, and
said that upon looking over the depositions, he did not
see that there was any more material evidence that
could be adduced, and he did not think the charge had
been at all made out against the defendant. At the
same time it was a most proper inquiry, because for the
preservation of human life on the River it was very ne-
cessary that persons having the charge of steam vessels
navigating it should be taught to exercise the utmost
care and caution in so doing.

The jury then returned a verdict of—Not Guilty.
Mr. Baron GURNEY said he quite concurred in the
verdict, and before Captain Fairbairn left the bar, he
could not help expressing his opinion that he was not
at all to blame in the transaction. It appeared by
the testimony of all the witneises that he had been
placed in a situation of great difficulty and danger,
and that he had done all in his power to prevent a
more serious accident. He hoped that he would al7
ways exercise great care and caution in the performance
of his duty.
Captain Fairbairn said that he had always endea-
voured to do his duty, and had on no occasion wilfully
endangered the life of any one.
He was then ordered to be discharged from custody.
Elizabeth Cleveland, aged 53, was indicted for felo-
niously casting a quantity of oil of vitriol upon George
Day, with intent to maim, disfigure, and disable him.

Mr. CLAItKSON defended the prisoner. It appeared
from the evidence that the transaction in question took
place on July 13, in Lucas street, St. Pancras. The
prosecutor was walking down the street in question,
where there are some disreputable houses, and the pro-
secutor went into one of them, where he saw the
prisoner and another female, who requested him to
treat them. He refused, and wished to leave the house,
and as he was doing so, the prisoner threw the liquid
in his face, the consequence of which was that he was
severely burned, and that he lost the sight of one of
his eyes.
The Jury returned a verdict of Guilty.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION-HOUSE.

Mr. O'Hay, whose real name is supposed to be
O'Sullivan, an old military man upon half-pay, was
brought before the Lord Mayor charged with having
indulged on the preceding night in his favourite drink
of whiskey punch, until he became unable to take care
of himself. He made himself comfortable, as the
night was warm, in a damp corner of an alley, which he,
no doubt, with the entitling which drunken fellows
sometimes possess, thought he should have all to him-
self. He then began to snooze, and although many
gentlemen who had been carousing in the neighbouring
public-house paid occasional visits of short duration to
the spot, he was unconscious of any one's approach
until a policeman, who was informed that there was
some extraordinary obstruction in the sink, pulled him
out of his odoriferous chamber by the heels.
The Captain, whose eyes were swollen with drink,
stared about him, and at last fixing one of them on
the policeman, and closing the other, he said contempt-
uously, " Well, what of that ? I abused nobody. I
kicked up no row. Can any one say I broke the peace ?
No, I'd see the peace d—d before I'd break it."
The LORD MAYOR-But, Sir, this example of
drunkenness set by a man of your rank in society is
most discredita',le.

The Captain—Society would have known nothing
at all about it, high or low, if the officer had been quiet.
Where was the use of bringing me here?
The Sergeant said, that two 5/. notes and other
money having been found upon the person of the gen-
tleman, it was necessary to introduce him to the Ma-
gistrate.

- Gooch, the principal turnkey of the Compter, said
that the Captain was very food of a glass indeed. Al-
though an old man who had seen a good deal of service,
and often hard pressed to make both ends meet, he was
in the habit of breaking out for eight or ten days when
he handled his money, and nothing could check him.
He had been frequently in the Compter, and the sur-
geon of the establishment was of opinion that drink was
turning his brain decidedly.
The Captain—Oh ! he thinks so, does he ? Pray
what are my symptoms ? I should be glad to know.
Gooch—Mr. M'Murdo can tell particularly ; but. the
moment you are brought into the prison at night, you
arc known by the noise you make like a goose ; when
you get a drop you are certainly mad. Alderman Pirie
was obliged to fine you the last time he saw you, which
was yesterday.—(A laugh.)
The Loan PdAvott---Oh ! then he is keeping it up
now ? Gooch—Yes, my Lord, and he'll never be at ease
till he has spent the whole of the money which was found
upon him.
The Captain—l suppose I may convert my own pro-
perty into the shape of whiskey or gin if I please. 1
don't see what money is good for if not capable of such
transformation. Besides, teetotalism is running riot so
desperately, that it must be a sort of pleasing novelty to
see a man in a helpless state of intoxication.
The LORD MAYOR--I wish we had somebody to take
care of him.

The Captain—Oh ! dear, I thank you for your kind-
ness, but I have now for a great many years taken care
of myself.

The LORD MAYOR—Then I must request that you
will be good enough not to come into the City any more.
The Captain—Certainly. Nothing shall ever induce
me to step within your jurisdiction again. I can't re-
ceive higher satisfaction than I do from the belief that I
shall see you no more, my Lord, except, indeed, it may
be upon your invitation.—(A laugh.) The Captain
then paid the fine of 3s. and departed.