The Sun.
London, England, 1870-10-29 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—Tars DAT.

SUSPECTED PERSONS.—Two lads, named Vim. Davis
and Daniel Sullivan, were charged before Mr. Knox, at
the Marlborough-street Police-court, as follows :—From
the evidence of Butcher and Shrives, detectives of the
C Division, it appeared that they saw the prisoners and
another lad walking up and down Compton-street, in front
of a hosier's shOp. Davis and the other lad looked at
some shirts, and Sullivan made a pull at one, but did not
succeed in getting it. Away they then went to another
hosier's shop, two doors off, and again tried to get some
shirts, but were again unsuccessful. The officers then
took the prisoners, whom they knew as companions of
thieves, into custody; the other lad succeeded in escaping.
Mr. Knox asked the prisoners, who said they worked for
their living, whether they could get anyone to speak on
their behalf ? Sullivan said he could do so if he had time
allowed him. Mr. Knox said he would give the prisoners
an ample opportunity to do so, and remanded them for a
week.

SIX. OF ONE, AND HALF-A-DOZEN OP THE OTHER.—A
respectable, middle-aged man came before Mr. Paget, at
the Thames Police-court, and asked him how to get rid
of a bad wife. Mr.Paget—l am sure Ido not know. This
is not the court for disposing of bad wives. What has
she been doing. Applicant—She is continually drunk.
She neglects her children. The money I give her to keep
the home comfortable is expended in strong drinks—
her children are neglected, and when I come home,
instead of a cheerful hearth and clean room, she is
stretched on the floor intoxicated, and my children around
her, half naked, crying for bread. All my hard earnings
are expended in drink. Mr. Paget said he really could
not assist the applicant. His whole time would be occu-
pied if he could separate bad wives from their husbands
and bad husbands from their wives. Drunkenness was
a great evil, and was the ruin of many every day and
every hour. The applicant retired, seemingly much disap-
pointed. He was succeeded by a woman of 30, with a severe
black eye, which she said her husband had inflicted. He
was continually drunk, he neglected his business, there
was an execution in her house and shop for arrears of
rent, and he took the money out of the till to supply him
with brandy, rum, and gin; his children wanted clothes,
his business was going to ruin, and he had become a great
brute to her. Mr. Paget—When did he knock you about ?
Applicant : Yesterday week. Mr. Paget : That is a long
time ago ; you should have come here before. The appli-
cant : I could not. I have been confined to my bed all
the week, owing to my husband's ill usage. Mr. Paget :
You shall have a summons against him for assaulting you.
IMPORTANT APPLIOATION.—GAS COMPANIES AND THE
PUBLIO.—A middle-aged man, of very respectable appear-
ance, applied to Mr. Arnold, at the Westminster Police-
court, for his assistance and advice, under the following
circumstances :—Applicant said that he'was a tradesman,
and having recently taken a shop in Oxford-street, wanted
the gas laid on, but was not disposed to accede to the
Company's terms. The Chartered Gas Company, who
alone enjoyed the monopoly of supplying that
district, refused to put the gas on unless a certain
deposit of money was left with them by the consumer.
He had been informed that they were not entitled by law

to make such a demand, and he wished the magis-
trate's opinion about it. Mr. Arnold observed that it
was not an unreasonable thing for the company
to require a deposit, but he could not say any-
thing about the law of the matter. Applicant said that,
admitting the propriety or legality of the deposit, the
question was whether having demanded a deposit of
£3 ss. or £3 10s. before they supplied gas, a com-
pany was justified in keeping it without the
payment of interest. If a man was to deposit part of
his capital he ought to hare interest. He had been
informed that there was something in the Gas Company's
own Act which would determine the matter. Mr. Arnold
remarked that he xnew nothing about it. If appl;cant
would bring the Act of Parßament and point out the
clause, he would see whether he had power to interfere.

We understand that Sir Thomas Bazley, M.P.,
Professor Huxley, and Mr. Matthew Arnold have been
nominated governors of Owens College, under the
Extension Act of last session. The office is purely
honorary.
- - - -

The North Devon Herald reports that considerable
progress has been made in the construction of the Devon
and Somerset Railway, which is now almost completed
between Wiveliscombe and Taunton, and that a portion
will be opened far traffic in a few weeks. • -The promoters
also announce their intention of proceeding vigorously
with the remainder of the line, the second section of
which, from Barnstaple to Southmolton, must be ready
according to the contractors' agreement, by February,
1870, and the th;rd and last division by the following
June.

LONDON SCHOOL BoAnD.—Yesterday evening Mr.
Hepworth Dixon received a deputation from the Maryle-
bone Electoral Association, who came to offer him their
undivided support in the pending election for the School
Board. The deputation, which was received by Dr.
Richardson and other members of Mr. Dixon's executive
committee, consisted of Mr. Henry Spencer, secretary ;
Mr. Groves, and Mr. Morgan. After a lengthy discus-
sion, measures were decided on• by the association to
secure the return of Mr. Hepworth Dixon. The general
committee numbers already over 300 ratepayers, including
many Fellows of the Royal Society, Fellows of the
Society of Antiquaries, Justices of the Peace, Royal
Academecians, &c., &c. Mr. Hepworth Dixon has issued
an address, in which he takes his stand on compulsory
education, Bible reading, and a thorough use of all the
powers provided in the Act.

DEAN HOWSON AND CHESTER RACES.—A move-
ment has been commenced at Chester with the view of
abolishing the annual race meeting. Dean Howson has
published a pamphlet on the subject, in which he urges as
reasons for discontinuing the races the shameful im-
morality which prevails during the race week, the com-
plete stagnation of trade,. the unhealthy excitement im-
bibed by even children in the schools, and, lastly, the
positive loss to the citizens and inhabitants of Chester by
the dishonesty of defaulting strangers.

—.— -
THE Loss OF THE CAMBRIA.—The corpse of a
woman, apparently between 50 and 55 years of age, was
washed ashore on the Kintyre coast, opposite the island
of Gigha, yesterday morning. There are no means of
identifying the deceased, who appears to have left the
ship in little more than her nightdress. A good deal of
wreckage has come ashore on Kintyre, and more is ex-
pected, as the wind is from the south-west. The list of
passengers already published is believed by the owners of
the Cambria to be a correct one, excepting in one particu-
lar. Mrs. R. Rawson, of Liverpool, there stated to have
been a cabin passenger, came with the succeeding steamer
of the Anchor Line, the Anglia, which arrived in the
Clyde on Thursday.