The Sun.
London, England, 1840-01-31 00:00:00

NE WPORT RIOTS.

NEwroal, MoN.Ax.—The following letter, addressed by
Lord Normanby :e the Rev. Mr. Coles and the Magistrates of
the neighbourhood, will show the opinion entertained by the
Government as to the discretion exercised by the Magistrates
in carrying on the examinations of the witnesses and the com-
mittal of the prisoners for the different offences with which
they were afterwards charged in the indictments preferred
against them at the special commission, although the officers of
the Crown did not eventually think it right to pursue the diffe-
rent parties to punishment :--.

hitehal, Jan. , 10.
" Sir,—As the trials of the prisoners l
charged 21with84 high
treason in the county of Monmouth are brought to a close, I
have great pleasure in taking this opportunity' of expressing to
the Magistrates who conducted the preliminary investi-
Fation the high sense 1 entertain of their valuable services.
Their zealous exertions to insure the apprehension of offen-
ders, and their ability and discietion in conducting the long
and laborious examination which ensued, contributed much to
facilitate the administration of justice under the special
commission issued by her Majesty, and are entitled to my
warmest approbation. I request you to communicate this
letter to the gentlemen who were associated with you on the
bench at Newport. •
" I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant,
" NOR,MANIT.
" To the Rev. James Coles, Newport, Monmouthshire."
Fuitzima EXAMINATION OF CHARTISTS.

Two persons, who had been absent ever since the 4111 •f
November, and who, from the lenity shown at Monmouth, had
felt a degree of security and returned to the neighbourhood,
were apprehended on Friday and Saturday last, and this morn-
ing were brought before the Magistates, and bound over to
appear at the sessions.

THE WITNESSES ON THE LATE Tar/us.
James Hodges, one of the chief witnesses against the pri-
soners condemned at Monmouth (accompanied by two or
three others), came tor•Neli port on Saturday last, stating that
they were afraid to remain in the neighbourhood in which
they had formerly lived, and begged the assistance of the
Magistrates. Hodges stated that he left Mcntnouth and
returned to his home at Blackwood on Sunday week, in-
tending to go again to his work ; that not a man woul.l
speak to him, but every one scowled at him, and, speaking to
others, observed that every witness ought to be shot, and hia
property destroyed. On the Tuesday night a letter was put
under his door covered with blood, and threatening his life.
He added that on Tuc:iday night stones were thrown at his door
and windows.

The Magistrates assured him he should have every protection.
Israel Firman, mother witness, aged 91, then came forward,
and stated that he durst not return to the hills ; that as he
walked in Newport persons said, " D—n him, there goes the
old devil ; he ought to be shot." His wife had friends in Lon-
don, and he was anxious to go there.
The Magistrates, feeling for the situation in which this unfor-
tunate man of 91 years of age was placed, gave directions for
places to be taken for him self, his wife, an family in a ship
bound for London.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

BOW-STREET.

A WONDERFUL CAT.—Yesterday, James Saul, the
keeper of a Tom and Jerry shop, it:Comp:on-street, St.
Giles's, was summoned before Mr. Twyford, to show
cause why be unlawfully detained a certain cat, the pro-
perty of William Kent.
The complainant, a respectable-looking elderly man,
stated that lie lived in 13trwiek-street, Soho. The cat in
question was a very valuable animal, and n great curi-
csity in this country. It was brought from Norway, with
another cat of the same description, but the latter died
on the voyage, and that circumstance rendared the sur-
vivor of still greater value, being, he believed, the only
animal of that same species in England at present.
Mr. TWYFORD—Then this wonderful cat is a Norwe-
gian by birth—pray is it a Tom or a female?
Complainant—lt's a Tom, your Worship, and as fine a
fellow as ever moused in a cellar.—(Luughter.) I re-
fused four guineas for him, and would not part with him
fur twice the sum.
Mr. TWYFORD—I suppose he was taken in a wild
state ?

I--- Complainant —He was, your worship; but he was
tamed by the gentleman who brought him over. He then
proceeded to describe the cat, which he said was covered
with long brown hair, with a black face, and a tail like a
fox. He lost the animal about seven weeks ago, and found
him in the possession of the defendant, chained up in his
sbop, where be was kept as a show.
The defendant declared that he purchased the cat for
4s. 6d. at a public-house in the Borough, as several per-
sons could prove who were present at the time. He did
not attach any particular value to the animal, and was
willing to restore him to the owner on payment of a sove-
reign for his board and lodging,—(Laughtvr. )
Mr. TWYPORD—Why do you not produce the cat, as you
admit the possession ? Defendant—Bless your soul, Sir,
I tried to catch him, but the brute knew when he was well
off, and would'nt give me the chance.
Mr. TWYFORD advised the, complainant to pay the de-
fendant 10s. for the keep of the cat, and, upon these
terms, the animal would, no doubt, be delivered up to him.
The defendant acceded to the proposal, and said be
would restore the cat in three or four days: and upon this
understanding he was allowed to depart.
A respectable-looking woman then came forward, and
said she was the complainant's housekeeper. She im-
plored the Magistrate, with tears in her eyes, to order the
immediate restitution of the cat on payment of the 10s.,
as she was quite sure the poor dear animal would be
poisoned, or come to some untimely cud, if suffered to re-
main in the defendant's possession.
Mr. TWYIORD explains) that he had no power under
the Act of Parliament to order the cat to be given up, in-
asmuch as an animal of that description could not be made
the subject of a felony, however valuable it might be in the
estimation of the owner. The Act gave a Magistrate
power to order the restoration of any beast or bird kept
in a state of confinement, but this description could not be
said to apply to cats, which, although domesticated, were
notorious for rambling about on their amatory excursions.
The applicant assured the Magistrate that the cat in
question was an exceedingly well behaved creature, and
by no means given to vice of any description. She again
implored the Magistrate to order the animal to be restored
to his disconsolate owners.

Mr. TWTFORD seeing the distressed state of the lady,
directed a constable to go with her to the house of the de-
fendant, in order if possible to obtain the restoration of
the interesting foreigner.

FALL OF A HOUSE.—On Tuesday the fall •f
the house of Mr. Turner, retail brewer and beerhouse-keeper,
in King-street, New North-road, Islin; in, caused much alarm