The Sun.
London, England, 1833-12-25 00:00:00

MARLBORO UGH- STREET.

EXTRAORDINARY SCENE. —Peter Burnet, a ra-
ther meanly attired person, residing at No. 44,
Silver-street, Golden-square, yesterday attended at
this office to prefer a charge of assault against his
wife. The case was throughout in every respect a
most extraordinary one. The complainant, who is
one of the healing art, married the defendant about
two years since. In about eight months after their
marriage he was surprised one day by his wife bring-
ing home a child, which she declared was her own,
and which was not then above a month old. lie

interrogated her, and she then stated that it eras his
child, but had fallen short of the general period,
two months. He had never at any time been ab-
sent from his wife, and accordingly desired to know
where the child had been born. She then told him
rather an improbable tale of a person, that while
she was going home with her work (she being en-
gaged in the hair trade, and knowing the situation
that she was in) she became very ill, and, feeling
that it was high time she was domiciled, she betook
herself to the house of some person whom she
knew, residing at Brompton, and there, soon after
her arrival, gave birth to the child. She returned

home a few hours afterwards, and did not make ;;;
mention of the circumstance, as she had left the
child with her friend. She allowed her ss. a week
to maintain it for three weeks, and then the nurse
dropped the child on the step of a door, and it was
taken to the workhouse, where she (defendant)
afterwards discovered it, and brought it home. The
husband did not much like this story, and unhappi-
ness constantly ensued. On Saturday night last
she became much infuriated at something that oc-

curred, and threatened to cut her own throat and
the child's, with a razor which she held in her
hand. She also assaulted her husband, as we un-
derstood, with the pestle. It was for the assault
that a warrant had been obtained by the husband.
The defendant, a very ordinary woman, of about
thirty years of age, with a poor sickly-looking dimi-
nutive child in her arms, said that her husband
struck her first. He had taken to gambling, and
sat up all night playing at cards. He had also, she
regretted to say, taken much to the .company of
women. She then proceeded to detail the unfortu-
nate result of the latter to herself in a manlier
which would be unfit to sully our pages with. She
then went through the uncommon history of the
child, and the trouble she had taken in going to
different workhouses to find it after it had been i

dropped. She was exasperated on Saturday night

and drank some whisky, and she really: did not
know what she did.
Mr. CONANT—WouId it not have been better for
you, when you found yourself ill, to have gone home
instead of into a person's house, knowing, as you
did, the situation you were in ? Defendant—His
relatives had said unkind things about my being
proper for him, and I did not like to rake the child
home as its birth was so recent after marriage.
Mr. CONANT— Sh e may have acted imprudently
relative to this child, and that which she has stated
(alluding to one particular circumstance) does not
put you in a much better light. I think, as you
yourself are not blameless, that you may as well
make the best of a bad bargain ; forget what is past
on each side, and go home comfortably together.
Defendant--Do, dear Peter ; dear, do make it up.
Complainant—No, that will ruin me; I've lost
two or three patients through her already. My as-
sistant was present on Saturday.
Mr. Simpson, a gentleman whose habiliments
would have been worth a premium to a tallow-
chandler, next appeared under the dignified title of
an assistant. He saw the affray. He thought that
defendant, when in a passion, would run against the
bayonets of a regiment of soldiers, she was so vio-
lent. Then came a redeeming clause, she was so
forgiving.
Complainant—She has injured me considerably.
Defendant—Oh, Peter, I have loved you too
well, my dear.

Complainant—l wish for a separation.
Defendant—Peter, my dear, my love, pray for-
give me; pray take me home with you. I implore
you, my dear Peter, on my knees.—(At this instant
she suited the action to the word, and knelt to her
liege lord and master.)
Mr. CONANT— You had better endeavour to ar-
range it.

Defendant—Oh, Peter, pray do consent, my
dear. Pray do take me back again.—(Again her
knees saluted the ground; nor could her entreaties
move the husband, who was obdurate.)
The husband only earned 30s. a week, and could
not allow her more than 7s.

Mr. CONANT consulted with T. HALLS, Esq.,
who was with him on the Bench, and advised them

.o go out.

This was ultimately done, and we believe an
allowance for the wife was agreed on. It was not
stated what complainant allowed his assistant out of
his liberal income.

QUEEN-SQUARE.
STARVATION AND DESTITUTION.—Yesterday
youth, named William Martin, was brought up in
custody before Mr. BURRELL, charged with break-
ing a gas-lamp in William-street, Waterloo-road,
Lambeth, the property of the Phoenix Gas Light
Company.
Police constable Sutton, of the L division, No.
92, about twelve o'clock on the previous night saw
the prisoner in William-street deliberately break one
of the gas-lamps. He said that he had no home,
was nearly starving, and wanted to be sent to prison.
Prisoner—l declare to God that I have only had
one penny loaf to eat fur the last four days, and that
I am nearly starved to death.
Mr. BURRELL ordered him to be committed for
one month to the House of Correction.

On his being taken into the outer office he burst
into tears, and appeared quite faint, when one of
the constables sent for some bread, cheese, arid beer,
which he devoured most voraciously.
KEEPING CHRISTMAS.—Henry Hawton, of No. I,
Salisbury,place, Lock's-fields, was charged with
being drunk, and backing his master's cart through
the shop window of Mr. Cole, hatter, Bridge-street.
Defendant—l am willing to pay 2a. a week until
the damage is paid.
Mr. BURRELL—That you must arrange with
your master. Mr. Cole will proceed against him
for the damage. You are discharged on paying five
shillings for drunkenness.

The defendant paid the fine, heartily sick of the
modern custom of keeping Christmas.

HAT T ON- GARDEN.

FORTUNE TELLING.— Yesterday Thomas Oxley,
an elderly man, attired in a suit of black, and of
very sage appearance, and Thomas Oxley, his son,
a youth about 18 years of age, were brought before
Mr. LAING, by Mrs. Burrows, a respectable-looking
female, fast approaching fifty, residing in Milton-
street, St. Luke's, charged with having obtained a
sum of money from her on pretence of telling her
fort une.

The prisoners did not deny the charge.
The elder prisoner resorted to the above means
of supporting his family in consequence of having
been disappointed at the termination of a lawsuit.
Mr. LAING committed the father for three
months and the son for one month to the House of
Correction.