The Sun.
London, England, 1848-10-18 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON,

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MANSION-HOUSE.
Lieutenant Lean, R.N., the London agent for Go-
vernment emigration, appeared at the justice-room, for
the purpose of calling the Lord Mayor's attention to
a matter of considerable public importance. He had,
he said, been instructed by the authorities of the Co-
lonial Land and Emigration-office to represent to his
Lordship the cases of three men upon whom a person
residing in Billiter-street had attempted to practise a
gross fraud, by endeavouring to entrap them into the
payment of a sum of money, under the pretence that
the company he represented, but which it was believed
was limited to himself, were Government emigration
agents. The pretence of the self-constituted emigra-
tion agent was the more deeply mischievous,
as he required payment under the plea of pro-
viding for his victims that which, if applied
for at the Government Colonial and Emigration-
office, in Park-street, Westminster, would have been
given without any charge at all. The three poor men
who accompanied him to the Mansion-house bad,
upon the representations of the person complained of,
sold off all their goods, and prepared themselves to
emigrate to Australia. They had, however, fortu-
nately called upon him, and mentioned the extent
of the transaction which had taken place, and he
could arrive at no other conclusion than that a most
nefarious fraud was meditated against them. When
he bad made due investigation he reported the case
to the Government Emigration Commissioners, who,
he found, had not given any authority at all to the
party who pretended to be delegated by them, and
expressed a hope that the press would lend its aid to
the counteraction of so serious an evil as the success
of so dangerous an imposition. He could not more
clearly express the views of the Commissioners than
by reading an extract from the official letter which
he had received upon the subject, and which stated as
follows :—" As it is stated that no money has yet
been received by --, the Commissioners are of
opinion that it would not be possible to take any legal
proceedings against them. Ne►ertheless, as the
practice which they have adopted might lead to fraud,
and might expose poor emigrants to imposition, the
Commissioners think it would be advisable that the
utmost publicity should be given to the fact that
there is no agent in London authorised to distri •
bute forms or receive money, or act in any other
way on behalf of the Commissioners, but that all
information and the necessary forms may be pro-
cured gratis on application at this office, and that
nothing will be gained by proceeding in any other
way, either in increasing the emigrant's chance of
acceptance or otherwise."
The LORD MAYOR—Then it is quite evident that
the greatest facilities are afferded by the Government.
Lieutenant Lean said the facilities were so complete
that there was no occasion whatever for an agent in
London. As a matter of course there were agents
appointed for different parts of the country, who were
invested with the necessary authority. One of the
poor men was to have paid the sum ofi 51.; another
the sum of 8/. 103.; and the third the sum of 11/. ;
and the third was under a strict injunction of secrecy,
in order, as the self-constituted agent informed him,
that he might not be charged a pound more. It was
to be apprehended that the plan had been carried on
very extensively, and under the impression that the
system ought to be crushed at once, it was deemed
necessary to represent the facts to the chief magis-
trate, who had proved himself to be in every re-
spect so well qualified to protect all classes of the
public.
The LORD MAYOR—Have you reason to believe
that the party of whom you complain has imposed
much upon the simplicity of poor people desirous of
emigrating ?
Lieutenant Lean—These are the only cases with
which I am acquainted, and I have reason to believe
that your Lordship's interposition will completely
check the practice. These men have sold off their
furniture, and whatever other little property they
possessed, in order to enable themselves to go out as
advantageously as possible, and they have therefore
sustained what is to them a serious loss.
The LORD MAYOR—In what capacity did they
mean to go ? Lieut. Lean—One of them intended
to have a tree passage, if eligible, under the order of
the Commissioners ; the others were to be assisted
emigrants, if considered eligible from the nature of
their pursuits and their families.
The LORD MAYOR—What is the difference of the
treatment experienced by the two classes of free and
assisted emigrants ? Lieut. Lean—The assisted emi.
grants go out as passengers, under the same rules and
regulations as the free emigrants.
The three emigrants were then called forward.
They stated, under very intelligible manifestations of
injured feelings, the loss and annoyances to which
they had been subjected, and from a more intolerable
degree of which they had been saved by the interpo-
sition of Lieutenant Lean.
The Loan MAYOR--1 am sure the public are
greatly indebted to the Emigration Commissioners
for having deputed you to come before me and make
this clear statement of facts so interesting and im-
portant and useful to all classes, particularly at the
present moment. It is most essential that the public
should know that there is but one place in London
at which those who intend to emigrate ought to
apply for the necessary information and authority;
and it is much to be deplored that there are to be
found persona capable of conducting establishments
for such base purposes. I see that the practices
complained of have not been so far pursued
as to enable me to act in my magisterial capacity,
but I trust that the public exposure which I have
no doubt will very soon follow the representations
you have made will deter parties from engaging in
such unworthy transactions. I trust, too, that
emigrants will take a lesson from what has been
stated, and adopt the efficacious and economical plan
of applying to the Commissioners, in Park-street,
Westminster, for the facilities which on such occa-
sions are so indispensable. If there were any means
by which I could make an example in this matter, I
would without hesitation resort to them, and inflict a
penalty, the efficacy of which would not be easily
forgotten. I have lately decided in a case somewhat
similar, and obtained satisfaction for the injured par-
ties ; and nothing would give me greater gratification
than the present power to obtain for you (the emi-
grants) similar recompense. I much regret that you
have been victimized, but I have no doubt, but that
upon Lieutenant Lean's representation to thy: Board,
the Commissioners will consider your cases with a
high degree of humanity.
Lieutenant Lean said the Commissioners had given
due consideration to the cases of the poor men, and
would treat them in the manner his Lordship had so
kindly suggested. In their name, he returned thanks
to his Lordship for the readiness with which the com-
plaint had been heard, and the judicious treatment
it had received at his Lordship's hands.
The three poor men expressed their gratitude in a
manner calculated to make a strong impression in their
favour.

LAMBETH.
Henry Camp, a journeyman bricklayer, appeared
before Mr. Elliott, on a summons charging him with
assaulting his wife.
Mrs. Camp, whose jolly and portly appearance
formed a perfect contrast to the diminutive person of
her lord and master, went into a lengthened history
of her numerous causes for jealousy, and the ill
treatment she experienced at the hands of her hus-
band, and concluded by saying, that not content with
beating and kicking her until she was black and blue
all over, he occasionally amused himself by cutting
up her clothes, and latterly, when he met her in the
street, he destroyed, as well as he was able, those upon
her back.

Mr. ELLIOTT—WeII, defendant, what have you got
to say to this charge ? Camp—For God's sake, your
worship, send me to gaol, or any place in preference
to going back with that woman. A gaol, I assure
your worship, would be a choice of evils, for you can
form no idea of what a life I have led with that woman.
So strong is her jealousy, that she accuses me of an
intimacy with my own sister, and the result of our
living together will be the murder of one or the other
of us some fine morning.

Mr. ELLIOTT—Then you had better live apart.
What are you prepared to allow your wife weekly ?
Camp—She does'nt want anything your worship.
Mrs. Camp—No, sir, all I want is, that he keeps
away from me altogether, and not annoy me when he
meets me.

Camp—l am agreeable to that.
Mr. ELLIOTT—Then you must enter into your own
recognizances to do so. _ _ _

The defendant entered into the required securities,
and the happy couple withdrew from the court.

SOUTH WARK.

Henry Jones, Louisa Fisher, Sarah Lambert, and
Martha Mitchel were brought before Mr. Cottingham,
charged with being concerned in stealing a portman-
teau containing clothes and valuable papers, the pro-
perty of Mr. Weston, a gentleman residing at Ken-
nington.

On the preceding evening, at six o'clock, the com-
plainant arrived at the Waterloo terminus from Win-
chester, and having hired a cab, his luggage, con-
sisting of a portmanteau and box, was placed on the
roof of the vehicle. On the road to Kennington the
portmanteau was stolen, and the driver, whose name
is Sergeant, subsequently mentioned the fact when
he got to the stand at Kennington- cross, when a cab-
driver named Finch informed him that he was liktly
to find it at the house of Fisher, another cabman, in
Union-street, Borough-road. Finch, then accompa-
nied Sergeant to the house in question, and a police-
man being called, the two latter entered the dwelling,
and Fisher made his escape at the rear of the pre-
mises. After examining the house the complainant's
portmanteau, emptied of its contents, was discovered
in the kitchen, and also a great number of skeleton
keys and other housebreaking implements. The
prisoners being in the house at the time were all taken
into custody, Louisa Fisher being the wife of the
man. who escaped.

In the course of the investigation, when Finch
was called on to give his evidence, he prevaricated
so much, denying that he had given Sergeant any
information with respect to the person who had
stolen the portmanteau, that the Magistrate ordered
him to be placed in the dock with the other prisoners,
and he was charged with having bad a participation
in the robbery.
Mr. COTTINGHAhI said that it was quite evident
that Finch must have been aware of the robbery,
otherwise he could not have given information. The
circumstance of the finding the housebreaking im-
plement in Fisher's house, as well as the complain-
ant's portmanteau, rendered it extremely probable
that he was engaged in burglaries as well as other
offences. He should order the prisoners to find bail
for their appearance at the next examination, and in
the mean time every exertion must be used by the
police in the apprehension of Fisher.
James Smith, a well-dressed young man, was
charged with stealing a 101. Bank of England note
from Mr. William Baker, at the Cole Hole Tavern,
near the Surrey Theatre.

The complainant stated, that on the preceding
night be went into the Coal Hole Tavern, and being
in want of some small change, he addressed the land-
lord who was atthe bar, andinquired of him if he could
let him have sovereigns for the note. The landlord
replied in the negative, and complainant, still holding
the Bank note in his hand, walked round the bar,
and as he was passing, the prisoner, who was there
with several others, snatched it out of his hand, and
holding it up to the light, asked if it was a good one.
Complainant, thinking it was done by way of a joke,
desired the prisoner to restore it, but he crushed it
up in his hand and said that he had it not. The pri-
soner then hastily went towards a room at the back
of the bar, followed by some of his associates, who
endeavoured to prevent the complainant from entering.
The landlord immediately proceeded to the room, and
insisted that the prisoner should deliver up the note.
The prisoner, however, denied that he had it, and
endeavoured to make his escape, but was closely fol-
lowed by the complainant, who had every reason to
believe that he passed the note into the hands of an
associate, and a policeman being called, the prisoner
was given into custody. The 101. note, however, was
not found.

A gentleman who was with the complainant con
firmed his account of the transaction.

Mr. COTTINCIHAM asked the prisoner what he was,
and he replied that he was the proprietor of a cooper-
age ; and when further questioned he denied the
charge, declaring that he never saw the note.
A policeman gave evidence of having frequently
observed the prisoner in the neighbourhood of the
Surrey Theatre in the company of thieves, and the
Magistrate committed him for trial.

John Daley, a powerful-looking man, was charged
with committing a very aggravated assault on Eliza-
beth King, by throwing her into a horse-trough in
the Kent-road.

The complainant said that on the preceding after-
noon she went into the World Turned Upside Down
public-house in the Kent-road, to have a little re-
freshment with another woman. When they came
out the defendant was very insolent to them, and she
desired him to go about his business or she would call
the police. Instead of doing so he ran towards her,
and, seizing her up in his arms, plunged her into a
horse-trough nearly filled with water, which was
opposite the public-house.
The witness alluded to confirmed her evidence, and
said that no provocation was.given for such conduct
on the part of the defendant.
The defendant said the complainant spat in his face,
and he warned her that if she attempted to do it
again he would assuredly throw her into the horse-
trough, which was near at hand ; that she did repeat
the insult, and that he then took her up and laid her
in the horse-trough, which was not more than a
quarter full at the time. He added that she had
often insulted him before.

The complainant contradicted the assertions, and
said that a new straw bonnet she had on at the time
was comFletely spoiled, and that it had cost her ten
shillings.

The— Magistrate adjudged the defendant to pay
twenty shillings for the assault and also the cost of
the bonnet, and in default to be committed for four-
teen days.