The Sun.
London, England, 1833-11-20 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION-HO iiSE.
An elderly man named Lawrence, a watchmaker,
who some time ago, after several watches had been
left with him for repair, " bolted" from his shop in
Widegatc-alley, was brought before the LORD
MAYOR, charged with having applied some of the
articles thus intrusted to him to his own purposes.
One of the complainants stated that in April,
1831, he had left his watch at the prisoner's shop
to be repaired, but although about 250 application,
had been made for the watch, which witness de-
clared he would be satisfied if he received, even un-
repaired, it was not forthcoming. In the course of
the witness's visits to the shop he met with many
other customers in a similar predicament. At last
the prisoner got up early one morning and disap-
peared, and it appeared that he had forgotten ever
since that any watch at all had been left with him.

The LORD MAYOR asked the prisoner where the
complainant's watch was ? Lawrence put his hand
upon his brows and said that he really was not in
such a state at present as to be able to answer. H's
memory was hurt by his confinement in the station-
house in the Waterloo-road, where he had been
kept from Saturday night till yesterday morning in
a place where there was such a congregation of
villanous smells as to interfere completely with his
power of recollection.
The LORD MAYOR asked the policeman who had
the prisoner in custody, how it happened that the
unfortunate man was detained in the station-house
from Saturday till Tuesday, and whether the ac-
commodation was so very indifferent? The police-
man (a metropolitan) stated that the prisoner had
been in the first instance brought to Queen•square
office on Monday, and that, when the Magistrate
decided that the case was a city one, it was too late
to bring him on the same day to the Mansion-house.
As for the station-house, a woman was employed to
mop it up every day, and make it nice, and the
police could not prevent the existence of a nuisance
in the lock-up room.

The LORD MAYOR—Bur, prisoner, you have had
time to recollect, since 1831, something about the
watch ? Lawrence (shaking his head)—No, my
Lord, that station-house has put every thing out of
.my mind. If I had the watch I unfortunately lost
it, I believe, for I had a distress in my house.
The LORD MAYOR—Then I shall remand you
for a few days, and I dare say your memory will
come back.

A gentleman then stepped forward, and said that
he had a charge against the prisoner.
Lawrence—What ! against me ? (Laughter.)
Complainant—My name is Williams. I gave you
a watch to repair for me, which cost seven guineas.
Lawrence—Wait a while. (He then put on his
spectacles, and eyeing the complainant, he said,
No, I know nothing about you," amidst general
laughter.)
Complainant—You were to have it ready in three
days for me. _ _ _

Lawrence—Don't know you.
Complainant—My Lord, I got up one morning
at half-past six, and went to his shop, full sure that
I should get my property; but he cut and run at
six, and my watch along with him.
The LORD MAYOR—Yes; you were half an hour
too !ate.

Complainant—He pretends, my Lord, that he
knows nothing of my watch. It was a hunter, my
Lord.

The LORD MAYOR—I see that it was.—(Laugh-
ter.)—ltemanded.
A lady appeared before his Lordship, accompanied
by a Solicitor and other gentlemen, for the purpose
of passing through the form of giving up the sum
of 6001, or property of that value, by signing a
certain instrument, which for ever takes away the
power over such property from the person who per
forms what is thus required very properly by the
law. It is in conformity with the legal practice for the
magistrate to ask the consigner previously to the
signing of the bond, the execution of which often
makes one beggar or more, whether the property is
given up without coercion or reluctance.
The LORD MAYOR put the question to which she
replied in rathera round-about way.
The LORD MAYOR—Do you freely sign this paper
by which you give up 6001. ? The Lady—l do,
for the benefit of my husband and myself.
The LORD MAYOR—I have no doubt that every
thing fair is intended; but I know too much of the
important nature of these things to let them pass
without a scrupulous examination. You are here
called upon to sign a paper which takes away from
you the power over 6001., which appears is to be
laid out in furniture.

The Lady—lt is for.s4ur mutual advantage, and
I do not hesitate to sign it.
The gentlemen who were in attendance with the
lady assured his Lordship that she consented with-
out being at all urged to it,'
The LORD MAYOR—How do I know. but her
husband has creditors who may come down upon
the furniture the day after it is purchased and seize
it ? I really cannot listen to this application under
suck circumstances as here appear to every one.
The solicitor seemed much disappointed at the
determination of his Lordship, and declared that
nothing was to be apprehended from the execution
of the bond.

The LORD MAYOR was trustee to many ladies,
and, upon one occasion, a lady was about to ruin
herself by signing what she did not understand. It
occurred to her, however, that it would be proper to
ask her trustee whether she should do as was re-
quired, and then it turned out that if she had con-
sented all her property would have gone. His
Lordship said that he must, with such experience,
act cautiously.
A notorious beggar-woman was brought up, along
with her two children, whom she had regularly
trained up in that " art and mystery," charged with
having resolutely persisted in dunning the passengers,
and with having abused and struck the officers who
interfered with her vocation.

The ottice;s said that the defendant had plied for
a long time about the town, and was what might
be called a desperate vagrant. The children, who
were almost babies, assisted her in a very extraor-
dinary way, an instance of which occurred as they
were going to the Compter. The mother, in order
to raise a feeling against the police, threw herself on
the ground, and the two children screamed an

John Jones, alias InWants, and James Egan (the
former of whom is a reputed thief), were charged
with contemplating a felony in the premises of Mr.
Burgess; a builder, in Wardour-street.
Mr. CONANT committed Egan for one month for
being on the premises with intent to commit a fe-
lony ; the other he discharged.

Q U.EE2V-SQUARE.
Yesterday Joseph Barnes, a painter and glazier
out of work, was placed at the bar before Messrs.
BURRELL and WHITE, charged with violently as,
saulting several police constables of the L division.
The Magistrates ordered him to pay a fine of
405., and, in default of payment, he was committed
for fourteen days to the House of Correction.