The Sun.
London, England, 1856-07-04 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.-July 3.

GUILDHALL.—Ann Molony, a girl 12 years old,
was charged with stealing 50Ibs. of coals from a barge
in the Whiteiriar,dock.

The officer, in answer to the alderman, said that num-
bers of children went down the steps at Rackfriars-
bridge at low water, and along the embankment., until
they got to where the coal barges were moored, when
they commenced stealing from them whatever they could.
Alderman Lawrence said the temptation that was held
out to these poor children to commit these depredations
was very culpable. The Gas Company: made use of the
river as a yard, for which they paid no rent, and yet they
thought it too much to go to the expense of a watchman
to protect their own property, but called upon the autho-
rities to protect it for them. He thought that they were
expecting too much.
A gentleman from the Gas Company said it was their
intention to place a watchman on duty during low water.
Alderman Lawrence said he hoped they would, and
that would effectually protect them, for none of the chil
dren would come there then, but the same promise bad
been made before, and not kept. He was shocked to
see little children, not co high as the dock, brought there
for similar offences, which never could have been com-
mitted if ordinary precaution had been taken. As re-
garded the present charge he should dismiss it.
The prisoner was then discharged.

BOW-STREET.—Dennis Collins, an Irish vagabond
of the worst grade, was charged with being drunk, and
creating a disturbance at the door of St. Giles's work-
house, at half-past 11 o'clock on Wednesday night.
The charge was preferred by Phi lips, the porter, who
stated that defendant was in the habit of coming to the
workhouse nightly, and demanding admission as a casual
pauper, always discharging himself the next morning.
It was not desirable to allow the,place t 3 be used as a
common lodging-house, and consequently he had re-
peatedly offered to admit defendant, although a strong
able-bodied man, as a regular inmate ; but he
invariably declined, stating that he should have
to work, which he objected to, while he could be sup-
ported by his children. The fact was, his young chil-
dren were sent into the streets to beg all day, and the
defendant waited for them at the corners of streets and
byways, ready to grasp all their earnings in this way.
He allowed the children a penny each for themselves,
and spent the remainder in drink ; and the children
had of ten confessed that they were flogged severely if
they did not procure enough of money to satisfy his
wants. On the night in question he had left them at
the door of the workhouse at 9 o'clock, desiring them to
wait until he returned ; but he did not return till nearly
12, and the❑ he was refused admission, being drunk.
Tile defendant then made the children lay down with
him in front of the workhouse door, doubtless to excite
compassion ; but a constable was sent for, and he was
given into custody.
Mr. Jardine having called one of the children into
the witness-box, asked him if it was true his father sent
him out to beg ?
The child, a decent looking boy, attired in filthy rags,
and himself extremely dirty, admitted that his father
was in the habit of beating him if he could not get
enough by begging.
The prisoner denied this, and said he could get as
much work as he liked at Battersea bridge if his worship
would let him go. He worked bard at stone•breaking.
Mr. Jardine committed him to prison for a month.
desiring the child to come to the court or tell one of the
officers if the father sent him out begging again.
MARLBORO UGH STREET. Henry Fidler was
charged with stealing a dog, the property of T. Baring,
Esq., M.P., of 41, Upper Grosvenor-street.
George Brown, of Hales•mews, coachman, saw the
prisoner come out of the Duke's Head mews with a dog
covered over with a coat. He asked the prisoner what
he had got, to which the prisoner replied if he (witness)
wanted anything of him he should soon have it.
Witness lilted up the coat and saw the dog. A man who
was with the prisoner said, " Let him go, it's only a
lark, we wanted some beer."
Richard Martin, one of the stable helpers in the ser-
vice of Mr. Baring, said the dog was his master's pro-
perty.
The prisoner was committed to hard labour for three
months.

Mr. J. Scott, the proprietor of the oyster•rooms in
Coventry-street, and licensed victualler, with Michael
Hopmore and Charles Freeman, his waiters, were charged
with assaulting and resisting the police in the discharge
of their duty.
Maria Mills, of No. 7, Greek-street, Soho, deposed
that that morning, between 12 and 1 o'clock, she went
into the oyster rooms, when the prisoner Freeman turned
her out into the street, and then seized her by the back
of the neck, and pushed her forward a considerable dis-
tance, at a rapid speed, which forced herupon the ground.
Her face was cut, and she was very much injured. A
police constable came up and said, " I shall take you
into custody." The prisoner Freeman went back to the
oyster-rooms, where he was secured, but not before Mr.
Scott and the other prisoner, Ilopmore, had made some
resistance to the officer.

C. Stark, 299 A, stated that he saw the assault com-
mitted upon the first witness, and when she and the man
Freeman fell together upon the ground, he spoke to the
latter, and said, "1 must take you into custody." Free-
man walked on to bis master's, when some words arose,
,aua Mr. Scott disputed his right to enter the house to
take any Person into custody. The waiters made all
the resistance they could, but subsequently witness took
Mr. Scott, as well as the waiters to the station house.
The prisoner Freeman said he was never taken into
custody in the street, and the officer did not even put
his hand upon him.
Mr. Scott said that the conduct of the police-constable
was very violent, for he came into his house and dragged
him from the desk while he was counting out his money.
There was at that time about 601. in the till, and he
had no person to leave in care of the place. He cer-
tainly thought that the officer had no power to take him
under the circumstances, but if there was any want of
discretion on his own part the officer bad excited him
by coming so unceremoniously into the house with his
raised truncheon in his hand.
Several witnesses were examined at great length, and
from all the testimony adiuced Mr. Beadon said the case
of resisting the police had not been clearly established,
and consequently he must dismiss the prisoners, for ho
did not believe that the officer had really taken the man
Freeman into custody in the street, at the same time it
must be understood that the police, in certain cases,
might enter houses by force, if prisoners were secreted
or taken from them.
The three prisoners were then dis Charged. •
It appeared subsequently that the female, Mills, had
been turned out of the house for using foul language.

SOUTHWARK.—Dr. Challice, the medical officer,
with Mr. O'Brien, the inspector, and Mr. Riches, the
clerk to the Board of Works of Bermondsey, attended
before Mr. A'Beckett to prefer complaints against the
owners of several houses, occupied by very poor tenants,
iu Bermondsey, for having them in such a filthy state as
to be iejurious to the health of the neighbourhood.
The first case taken was against the owner of No. 8,
Suffolk-place, a c10:43 court, occupied by a number of
poor persons. Dr. Challice said he visited the house in.
question on the 30th of June, and found the cesspool
overflowing and filthy matter running about the yard.
Soil was actually under the floor of a back room, which
was inhabited ; and such was the filthy state of the
place that unless the evil was immediately remedied dis-
ease would make its appearance. He considered it dan-
gerous to the health of the neighbourhood.
The defendant's agent promised to remove the nui-
sance, and his worship made the requisite order, with
12e, costs.
The owner of Nos. 9 and 10 in the same.place was
charged with a similar offence.
Dr. Challice said that the District Board of Works
were contemplating great improvements in that locality,
still it was the duty of the owners to remove the filth
accumulating about the houses, to prevent cholera from
visiting the spot again. He was happy, however, to say
that at present Bermondsey was in a very healthy condi-
tion, he believed chiefly owing to the exertions of the
Improvement Commissioners and the new Board of
Works.

The defendant in this instance promised to do all that
was required, and orders were made out with 143. 6,4,

costs.
The owaer of 49, Grange:malk, an old and dilapidated
building, was next summoned for having it in a filthy
condition.
Dr. Challice said there wore eight families resiling
therein, consisting of sixty s9uls, and the cesspools
were overflowing.

The owner of the house said he had put down drains,
but the tenants stopped them up by throwing down
4rickbats, old kettles, and rags, which no amount of
water would carry away. They were shocking bad
tenants, and he wanted to get rid of them, but they
would not go. The last time he tried to get them out
they armed themselves with, pokers and otber missiles.
He wanted to know whether his worship would grant
him summonses to Eject them ; he believed the Court
had power to do 80.

Mr. A'Beckett said he had no power to assist him, as
the County Courts took cognisance of these proceedings.
He should advise him to apply to the County Court of
the district at once.

The defendant said that was an expensive proceeding,
and extremely tedious. It would be six weeks before
anything could be done. He wanted to get rid of the
tenants at once, as the house was decidedly overcrowded,
and disease was liable to break out among them.
Mr. A'Beckett told him that if the house was over-
crowded the authorities would assist him immediately.
Dr. Challice observed that if the owner would apply
to the board they would be happy to assist him under
these circumstances.

The defendant said that as soon as ho got the tenants
out he should put the premises in proper repair, with
everything requisite for the use of respectable tenants,
The summons was adjourned, to give the owner an
opportunity of applying to the district Board of Works.

LAMBETH.—Mr. Elliott had an interview with the
Rev. Mr. Findlay, the clergyman at Atherton, who has
taken so much interest in the case of the blind IMO),
Thomas Scholfield. In consideration of the difficulty
attendant on obtaining, at his age (22 years), his ad-
mission into the asylum, they concluded that the best
way of assisting him would be to expend a portion of
the fund contributed in his behalf in placing him for a
short time with a person qualified to teach him that
branch of the basket-making trade which he is anxious
to learn, and then to furnish him will a little stock in
trade to enable him, as he wishes, to earn a
i livellbo.(1
f(a. hiA-Jse f. Ii 4f, e..g tiLs bh,iTti !krAtiaii
little fund, it is proposed to place it in the savings bat k
as a provision in ewe of sickness. The sum subscribed
on his behalf amounts to about 601., and Mr. Elliott
will be happy to receive further contributions.