The Sun.
London, England, 1834-10-25 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION-HOUSE.

Ellen Roach, a young woman about 24 years of age, was
charged with attempting to kill her mother, under the fol-
lowing extraordinary and di stressing circumstances :—lt
appears that the prisoner was only liberated the preced-
ing evening from the Comptcr, where she had been con-
fined for two months for a similar offence for which she was
placed at the bar this morning, and the moment she got her
liberty she proceeded to her mother, a poor but industrious
woman, residing in Thames-street, declaring that she would
never rest satisfied until she ,washed her hands in her mo-
ther's blood, and destroyed herself. The neighbours be-
came alarmed, and ran to tho spot to prevent, if possible,
the loss of life. She then snatched up a large saucepan,
which was standing near her, and dashed it through six
panes of glass. An officer laving arrived, took her into
custody, when be conveyed her back to the domicile she
had so lately quitted. _ _ _

The LORD ...MAYOR oraerod her to be consned in the
same prison as before for two months.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

TIIE CHIMNEY SWEEPER'S ACT.—Yesterday the office
and the avenues leading to it, as well as the publie-house
opposite, were completely surrounded by a body of persons
who, from their dingy and sable appearance, followed, if not
the honourable, at least the ancient, calling of chimney
sweepers, but who, since the schoolmaster has been abroad,
are better known by the name of the members of the
Chummey's Society. They were summoned to answer the
information of an informer of the name of John Staples, ap-
pointed by the great masters of the aforesaid ancient fra-
ternity, for calling out " Sweep."
The first who answered was a most diminutive man of the
name of Abraham Lewis.

Mr. Fitzpatrick, the chief clerk, read the information,
and asked the defendant what he had to say to it ? De-
fendant—Vy, your Vurship, according to this ere hact of
Parliament I suppose I vas guilty, for I vas the one vich
called out " Sveep," but if I did not do it, vy my four chil-
dren would starve.

Mr. CHAMBERS (to Mr. Conant)—What do you say,
Sir ? The Act gives the Magistrates the power to inflict
any sum under 40s.

Mr. CONANT—What time was it ? Staples—lt was
about ten o'clock in the morning. -
Mr. CHAMBERS—I thought the Act was passed to pre-
vent children going out at an early hour in the morning,
and did not interfere with those 'who followed their occupa-
tion in the middle of the day. Staples—Calling out " Sweep"
is an offence at any time.

Mr. CHAMBER;—When was the offence committed?
Staples—On the 18th of October, in Greek-street. I fol-
lowed, and heard the defendant call out " Sv.eep."
Dcfendant—Vy, your Vurshilj, if I arn't allowed to call
out "Sveep," vy my four childer would starve.
Mr. CHAMBERS—AS this is your first offence you are
fined 15., and 3s. 6d. costs.

Defendant—Vy, your most onerable Vurships, I and the
old whoman arnt got 4s. 6d. between us ; ye couldn't raise
it is ve have vas spouted.
Mr. Fitzpatrick—The Magistrates will give a you a week
to pay the. fine and costs ia.
Mr. CONANT—HaIf of the fine I think goes to the Over-
seers of the poor.

Mr. Fitzpatrick—No, Sir, the penalty goes to the King.
The Defendant was then informed that unless he paid
the fine he would be committed for seven days to prison.
Defendant—Vy, your Vurships, that is very hard to send
me to prison when the young'en vich vas out vith me is fif-
teenyears of age, and the beet caun't call him a chicken.

Mr. CONANT—The Magistrates must act upon the pro-
visions of the Act.

Defendant—l arnt worth a penny. I could not pay for
my share of a " dodger" over the vay.
The next member of the unfoxtunate fraternity was Henry
Richards, who, in a stentorian voice, exclaimed. " Vas I
guilty I vould say so, but Gemmen, I arnt bawled out
Sveep' since that are precious Hact of Parliament has
passed. But I say, Gemmen, if ye marnt call out Sveep'
we may say with the feller in the play Hothello's hoccupa-
tion's gone.'"

" I told you," observed one of the community in a low
tone to a companion in tribulation who was standing behind
the Defendant, 4 that Harry vas the cove vich could tell
the Beak vat is vat."

" I know that," replied the listener, " for he has as much
gab as a Lord Chancellor."
Staples deposed that he was employed by the master
chimney sweepers to see that the clauses of the Act were
carried into operation. On the 16th instant he was in
King-street, Soho. About eight o'clock in the morning he
saw the defendant, and heard him several times cry out
" Soot O!"

Mr. CONANT observed that the defendant calling out
while following his occupation made no difference as to the
offence.

Mr. CHAMBERS—He might have called out " Suttee"
if he thought proper, instead of " Soot 0 !"
" Bless my eyes," exclaimed one, " his Lordship is for
us, for did you not hear him say we can call out " Suttee ?"
" You are a fool," observed another of the members, " I
will tell you all about it, for I knows something about
Jography. The Suttees are a people at the bottom of the
vorld, who has no hacts of Parliament preventing them
calling out their hoccupation as we poor coves has, and his
Lordship means if ye vere placed in the situation as they
are, ve might call out Soot 0' if ve
The defendant, in reply to the charge, said he-had a wife
and three children depending on his labour.
Mr. CONANT said he certainly did not think that the Act
intended to take cognizance of such cases as those which
were before them.

Mr. CHAMBERS—It is imperative, and while it is a law
We must act on it.

The defendant was then fined one shilling arid costs.
Defendant—l cannot pay it.
William Car was the next person against whom an in-
dictment was laid, who pleaded not guilty.
Staples deposed that about ten o'clock on the 18th he
was in London-street, and saw the defendant come out of a
house with some soot in a bag. He followed him into
Howland-street, and there heard him cry " sweep " several
times.

Defendant—lf Ido not go about and cry out, vy the old
gal and young uns will starve. Bless your eyes your Wur-
ship, I ave only earnt ls. 3d. in three days.
Mr. CONANT—If you call out you commit, according to
a recent Act of Parliament, an offence.
Defendant—Lord bless you, your Wurshup, I never
heard of this ere concarn before, although I have been these
twenty good years a sweep. Without calling out " sveep"
I don't know how to get the old one and the kids a bit of
wittels.

Mr. CONANT—The law says you must not call out
" sweep."
Defendant—Bless my eyes, we are living in fine times.
There is the new Poor Law Hact, and that prevents us
getting a mouthful of grub from the parish, while this ere
hact prevents us earning a mouthful.
The defendant, as in the other two cases, was fined a
shilling and costs, and allowed a week to pay it in.
The parties then retired to the outside of the Office,
and proceeded to discuss the clauses of the Bill, in the
course of which one of the party said, " Supposing I was
passing the Lord Chancellor's house, and his vig by some
means got on the fire and set the chimley in a blaze, and I
happened to see the sparks come out, could I call out
" Sweep," so to let his Lordship know I was ready to go
up, without being pulled up ? Now that is the thing I
vants to know." " Call out, you fool ? No ; even if a
Lord Chancellor vas to say I implore you on my knees.'
don't call out or assist unless he promises to abolis this ere
hact for us." While the fraternity were discussing this
point the informers came out, on which the body corporate
ran after and assailed them with hisses and groans.