The Sun.
London, England, 1834-10-16 00:00:00

at all times ready to execute their functions, and to ful-
fil their trust, by voting for representatives in Parlia-
ment. We are doubtful whether, without sufficient
cause shown, any elector who withheld his vote ought
not to be subject to a penalty. A law of Athens
punished every citizen who stood neuter in a civil con-
flict, and that, moreover, when the arbitrant of arms,
not of opinion, was to decide. A penalty, so directed
would tend, at least, to stigmatise as disgraceful that
indifference to public affairs which, when widely preva-
lent, never can be otherwise than injurious in a free
country, and a melancholy symptom of the decline of
national spirit. If no such thing as a distress-warrant
were known to the law of England, or if the honest
pride of voting were a more powerful agent in the re-
covery of a debt for Crown or parish than the dread of
seeing one's furniture sold by auction, something might
be said for this harsh innovation upon the usages of a free
people. The question is not whether the tax shall be
paid, or left unpaid. It is merely a question of punc-
tuality? whether the tax shall be paid a few weeks
sooner or later, for its ultimate recovery is well enough
secured already, and better by the old and acknow-
ledged law, than by this new-fangled political process.
We ask, would it be no misfortune to the State if,
through the crabbed and obtrusive intermixture of fiscal
obligations with politieal functions, half the kingdom
—as there is no difficulty in supposing—were to be
disfranchised on the same day, and that day six months
a dissolution of Parliament were to be desirable ? It
is clear, and we do not deny, that some test may be
necessary to prove the continued possession of a cer-
tain class of qualifications, but we are sure that proof
of having paid a man's taxes, when by a hundred tricks
of the tax-collectors, the payment might be most inno-
cently and unavoidably (on his part) delayed, is one
of the harshest, most ill-judged, and unconstitutional.
Why was such a thing never thought of before in Eng-
land ? Times.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

GUILDHALL.

Yesterday a young man named Robert Stocks, porter to
Mr. J. W. Liggins, a silk manufacturer in Wood-street,
was brought before Mr. Alderman BIRCH for re-examina-
tion, on suspicion of having robbed his master's premises of
silk purses, India-rubber braces, and a gold watch, of the
value of about 150/. ; a check for 1,1001., and bills of ex-
change for about 550/.

Mr. Liggins went out of town on Saturday, and enjoined
the prisoner to sleep on the premises, for the protection of
the property. The warehouse was locked up and left about
eight o'clock in the evening, and the prisoner ought to have
returned for the night about ten o'clock. About six o'clock
in the morning on Sunday the prisoner acquainted Mr.
Bousfield, who resides near the spot, that he had not re-
turned to the premises till one o'clock in the morning ; that
his candle went out as soon as he got in, and he therefore
went to bed in the dark ; and that he had just discovered
some thieves had entered while he was absent, and carried
off the contents of the cash-box, and some silk purses. At
eight o'clock the prisoner called in Henman, a patrol, and
told him the same story, and said he had not brought home
any person to sleep with him. Henman soon traced that
this was untrue, and the prisoner ultimately admitted that
he was playing at bagatelle in the neighbourhood with two
other porters employed in Wood-street ; that he took them
home to sleep with him on account of the lateness of the
hour ; that when they entered the house at one 'clock they
at once discovered the robbery, and he alleged that he was
too frightened to alarm Mr. Bousfield, though he was so
near at hand. This prevarication caused him to be appre-
hended.

The two porters who were with him were questioned,
and corroborated the prisoner's latter statement. As soon
as the prisoner saw the state of the warehouse inner door,
he exclaimed that the place had been robbed. Upon find-
ing a little leather bag on a stool in the counting-house the
prisoner said a gold watch had been stolen ; and upon find-
ing the desk open he said the cash-box had been pillaged.
One of them being rather intoxicated fell asleep, but the
other and the prisoner remained awake talking of the rob-
bery. The prisoner was pale with fright, but still was
calmer than might be expected.
The premises were entered by skeleton keys apparently,
and it seemed singular that a person should be prepared
with these, and yet unprepared with any instrument to
wrench open the desk and cash-box, for which purpose a
pair of scissars were used ; but no part of the property was
traced, nor did any other circumstances transpire to connect
the prisoner with the robbery.
On searching the lodgings of the prisoner's sweetheart,
Jemima Marsden, of Collier-street, Pentonville, some un-
finished silk purses belonging to Mr. Liggins were found.
Mr. Liggins said_ the prisoner used to give out the work
to the women, and knowing his attachment to Jemima, he,
to keep the prisoner out of temptation, forbade him to give
her any employment. Upon one occasion, however, he
consented to give her a job, but he was surprised to find on
the following week that more work had been given to her
without his leave, and that she had been paid ten shillings.
Upon remonstrating with the prisoner he shed tears, said he
would never do so any more, and declared that he had not
wronged him. Mr. L. was satisfied Jemima could not have
done the work, as she had earned 13s. at cotton winding
that week, but he passed the thing over, and the silk purses
now found at her lodgings were those which she had been
paid for, as if they were finished and returned. A much
larger quantity of silk had been given to her to work them
up than was necessary.
Jemima was in attendance to give some explanation, but
she was not called.

Mr. Theobald, the City Marshal, who is superintending,
the investigation, praying for time to make further inqui-
ries, the prisoner was remanded till Tuesday.

THAMES POLICE.

FORTUNE-TELLING.—EXTRAORDINARY DELUSION.—
Yesterday Ellen Morgan, a young woman very shabbily
attired, of plausible manners and address, who has for some
time imposed on the unwary by pretending to be gifted with
a knowledge of futurity, was brought before Mr. BALLAN-
TINE, charged with obtaining several sums of money and
some property from Miss Catherine Mather, a young lady
aged nineteen years, the daughter of Mr. Thomas Mather,
a respectable hosier and haberdasher, residing in High-
street, Shadwell, under pretence of disclosing to her the
knowledge of future events. An old woman, named Ellen
Lynch, was also put to the bar as parliceps criminis.
Miss Mather, a girl of very interesting appearance,
stated, that on Friday morning last the prisoner came into
the shop, and asked her if she had any broken glass for sale.
She said she had not, and the prisoner then asked her if
she would have her fortune told, and began telling her some
rubbish across the counter respecting events which she said
would befal her. The prisoner went on for some time, when
she (witness) said she was afraid her father would come in,
and begged she would call another time and tell her her
fortune. The prisoner said it was to be told then, or the
planet would not be auspicious, and requested her to go
down into the kitchen. Witness spoke to the servant, and
complied with her request. Soon afterwards she joined the
prisoner in the kitchen, and she told her to cross her hand
three times with the largest piece of silver she had. She
took half-a-crown from her pocket, and did as she was
ordered. The prisoner took the money, and said, "it
would have been all the better if the piece of money had
been larger," and then made two knots in witness's hand-
kerchief, and directed her to cross each knot with three
shillings, which she did. The prisoner said the money was
for the planet, and she would return it again. The prisoner
then told her she would go and consult the planet, and left
the house. About half an hour afterwards the prisoner re-
turned, and said she must have five shillings more, and a
shirt, silk handkerchief, and a pair of stockings, threatening
if she did not give them she would acquaint her father with
what had happened. She was frightened, and gave her five
shillings belonging to herself, and the articles named, which
belonged to her father. The prisoner on this occasion said
that witness had been put in the planet, and she could not
be got out again without money, but that everything would
be returned at seven o'clock on Saturday evening, when the
planet would be finished. On the same evening she saw
the prisoner walking up and down the High-street in front
of the house, but she did not speak to her at that time.
On Saturday the prisoner, in company with the other
woman Lynch, met the servant, and sent her to say she
must have eight shillings more for the planet, which she
was to return in the evening. She saw no more of the
prisoner
on that day. On Sunday the prisoner again made
her appearance opposite the house ; witness opened the
door, and the woman said she must have 10s. more to put
on the planet.
Mr. BALLANTINE-Why this was a very avaricious
planet ; did you give her the money ? The Witness—
yes, Sir, I did ; I was afraid she would tell my father.
The witness then proceeded to state that after she gave the
prisoner the 10s., she said she must have 41. more and a
pair of black stockings, and she would not go without it.
She gave her the 4s. and a pair of black worsted stockings
out of her father's shop. She said she would return them
by half-past nine o'clock that night, but she did not keep
her word. On Monday the prisoner stopped the servant
and asked for ten shillings more, which she sent her by the
servant, when the prisoner said that would completely
finish the matter. On the same evening witness was stand-
ing at the door of her sister's house, a corn-chandler's,
190, Ratclif-highway, when the prisoner demanded 35.,
which she gave her. She then said she must have another
ten shillings. Witness told her she had not got it, and the
prisoner intimated that she could take it out of her sister's