The Sun.
London, England, 1834-07-02 00:00:00

___ COURT OF REQUESTS, JULY 1.

THE SPORTING DUSTMAN.
The defendant in this action was one Robert Green, fami-
liarly known- in the -classic purlieus of Duck-lane as the
" Sporting Dustman," and the plaintiff was John. Gunn, called
by courtesy, a dog " fancier," (i. e. a personage who fancies
other people's dogs), and breeder of sporting dogs.
The sum claimed on the part of the plaintiff was 13s. 6d.,
the alleged expense of the keep of a bull terrier, baptized by
the frequenters of the Westminster Pit " Saucy Dick," the
items whereof appeared duly set forth on a slip of greasy paper,
and their perusal caused some merriment in Court. The bill
appeared to be as follows :
_ _

Mr. Rob. Grin

To Mr. John Gunn.
s. d.
To a half pound Stick 0 21/4
To pade for three Swets 1 6
To 1/2 Gallin best Hale
To two pound Stick 1 2
To stror for Kindle
To pade for cotching 1,4 hunder rats 8 0

• 13 6
These- heterogenous items the plaintiff proceeded to explain,
by informing the Court that Mr. Green was a staunch patron
of those manly British sports rat killing and badger-drawing,
and having a favourite bull-terrier, he backed him for three
" Sufferins" to kill fifty rats within a stated time.
The plaintiff modestly hinted that he had been selected to
train the defendant's dog in consequence of a participation he
claimed in the renown of the " Dog Billy," of immortal rat-
killing memory ; he having by his judicious instructions, as
was admitted on all hands, proved mainly instrumental in
creating the celebrity of that canine hero. His pupil, however,
according to Mr. Gunn, " cotched a wilent cowld," which, in
spite of his skill and science, settled in the " hanimal's vitals,"
and " Saucy Dick" was in a few days "gathered to his
fathers."

" My vorthy gemmen (said Mr. Green, in defence) it aint
the wally of this here amount, bet it is the natur on it wot I
looks at.—Vy, he's charged me here for sitch bits of beef-steak
and ale, jest as if my dog had been a living human being, which
its werry well known to any on'em as is regular " fly" in
sporting matters, that nobody never gives dogs nothing to eat
ven he has a job of sporting for 'em to do. The vay is to keep
'em short, and bring down their flesh so as to make'm the more
wicious ven they comes into haction. My dog never drink't
no ale, pound that, but I'll bet the long odds as Gunn and
his o pal' drink't it themselves."
. .

The plaintiff resented this imputation, and asserted that ale
and beefsteaks formed part of his system of training. The
meat, he affirmed, was boiled in the ale, and the dog had half
a pint of the broth per diem, which diet just afforded to bring
him into 'condition, and to increase his rat-killing capabilities.
In conclusion, the plaintiff observed that he was surprised at
Mr. Green's present objection ; because, in all their previous
.transactions, he had always found Mr. Green to be a "gentle-
man," and always conducted himself as " sitch."
Mr. Green was not proof against this last appeal, but pro-
fessed his willingness to submit the matter to any of the sport-
ing " gentlemen ;" when, if it was adjudged to be a fair
charge, " he'd not be the man whO wouldn't do the thing
that's right." .

The Plaintiff having consented to refer the matter to arbi.
ration, the affair was allowed to stand over.

HOP INTELLIGENCE.

( From the Maidstone gazette.)
MAIDSTONE.—.The forward bine is still much infested viith
honey-dew and lice. Hot dry weather, it is expected, will
however enable them to get through these annoyances. In
other grounds the weak bine will probably do but little. Many
of the young hops are much fire-blasted.
YALDING.—Several hundred acres in this parish are very
weak and short of bine. In other grounds the bines are not
yet tied to poles, and in the best the bine remains at a stand
still. The plants generally have been several times eaten off
by the flea, and the succeeding shoots are naturally weakly, so
that they may be expected to do but little.
BEARSTLAD.—In some of the good grounds in this parish
the binc has been able to rally through the attack of vermin,
and now promises some hops. This has occurred where the
grounds have been well stirred. Others, however, ar scanty
and weak.
BOXLEY.--A small piece of new two years old hop ground
belonging to Colonel Best, which we noticed early in the
spring, looks uncommonly well. It ought to be told, how.
ever, that no expense has been spared upon it. Other grounds
fall very short of this. Some will be unproductive.
MARDEN.—The hops in this neighbourhood are still look-
ing unfavourably, as the lice and honey-dew are very pre-
valent. The leaves are turning yellow, and, in some in-
stances, black. Without great alteration we cannot calcu-
late upon half a crop. There are, however, some excep-
tions, where the bine grows rapidly, and is taking the be-
nefit of the Midsummer shoot, which is almost free from
vermin. Some of the backward bines continue to make
progress up the pole. They are rather full of lice, but have
no fly to injure them materially.
TieEnuasT.—The hops in Ticehurst and places adjacent
are not lookinc, so well as last week. There is an increase
of fly, lice, anehoney-dew, yet there are some strong grounds
not so much affected. Opinion exists that the duty will not
pay 100,0001.

LAMBPRIIURST.—The grounds are in a very perilous state ;
in some of the gardens the bine is growing fast, and looking
favourable, while others are looking sickly. The fly has dis-
appeared generally, though the lice continue in abundance.
Many of the grounds are completely glazed with honey-dew.
Hoes AND CROPS—( From a Correspondent).—ln a journey
from Maidstone through Lenham and Charing, on to Canter-
bury, and from thence to Herne Bay, I perceive that the hop
plantations generally are much worse in appearance than they
are in this part of the county. The bine is very backward
and uneven, the heads unhealthy and spindly, most of the
grounds very foul, and in many places honey-dew prevails.
I saw but two pieces from which may be expected half a crop.
One of these was between Lenham and Charing. The other
at Bearsted.

The Legislature of the United States has enacted
that the following coins shall be of legal value by sale at the
rate of 100 cents. the dollar :—The dollars of Mexico, Peru,
Chili, and Central America, of the same weight as now
coined ; those restamped in Brazil of like weight, and. five-
franc pieces of France at 93 cents. each.

A ROBBER SHOT.—About three years since, as a
man was going over to Haldon at night, he was stopped by
a Gipsy, who attempted to rob him. The man had a pistol,
and shot the robber, who staggered forward and fell. The
other clapped spurs to his horse and rode off, giving informa-
tion at Chudleigh of the rencontre. Notwithstanding that
diligent search was made within a very brief space after the
fatal transaction, no trace could be found.on the spot, or any
corroborating circumstance to prove the correctness of the
man's assertion, who was a servant, and the whole story was
set down as a piece of rhodomantade. About three months
since an old woman, a member of one of the Gipsy tribes,
died in this city, and on her death-bed she related the cir-
cumstance, and added, that the Gipsy was buried within half
an hour after he was shot. This fact was related by the Mayor
on Thursday.— Preseern Times.

On Monday, about one o'clock, as four men be-
longing to the Trinity-house steam ballast vessel, anchored off
Woolwich Point, were pulling towards the ladder of the vessel
in order to go on board, the boat, in consequence of the strong
current running up—and which, at certain periods, is ex-
tremely dangerous alongside the vessel, in consequence of her
being anchored with three anchors fore and aft, with a strong
chain cable attached to each anchor--drifted a short distance
from the ladder, when at that moment the Adelaide steam-
boat, heavily laden with passengers, passed the ballast-vessel
at her utmost speed, the swell of which caused the boat to
drift further off. A young man on board the ballast-vessel
(son to the Captain, Mr. John Hoole) cast off a rope, for the
purpose of hauling them in, when the men leant over the boat
to catch the rope, and she immediately upset. Three of them
with great difficulty saved their lives ; and one man, named
Thomas Hodges, was drowned. The unfortunate man has
left a widow and three children, one of whom was on board
the ballast-vessel at the time; a little girl, about 7 years of
age, whose screams, on witnessing the fate of her
n"-a-nt, were
truly heart-rending. He was a fine inn, about 40 years of
age. The body has not yet been tound,