The Sun.
London, England, 1869-05-26 00:00:00

TIIE DERBY DAY.

The attendance on Epsom Downs to-day
doubtless quite equal that on any former occasion
not excepting that of the Great Exhibition year
About eight o'clock this morning "the road" begat
to assume its usual appearance, the Elephant and
Castle, of course, being the first point at which tin
excitement began to develope itself. Here, as of
old, a number of people lia,l collected to witness the
arrival and departure of the thousands of tDC ropo-
litans who had made up their minds to enjoy them-
selves, and at the same time to take the
road in preference to the rail tray for per-
forming the journey. There was a strong
body of police at the various points to
preserve some degree of order, but the fun beguo
to deVelope itself at an early hoar, and by ten
o'clock it h,td Ir2c nne alinoat uncout rolable. The
vehicles used on the occasion by the nottAands
going to the 1) rby " were ai extraordivary as
thud ; all the old open barotiehei that had been I
up since last year by the. joblinisters were 1 rougttl
into requisition, and the cattle attached to many of
them seennil as fit to da the dist .nee out and I,om,
as they would have been to I joine 1 in the great
contest to be brought to au issue at three ,i'cicek
this afternoon. The pains that ha.l been
taken to
give them a fresh app aranc., must have been very
grt.at, but as they seemed to the holidaymakers to
be quite the thing they pursued their journey in the
highest spirits. Then came the popular vehicle of
the million for their holiday excursions- —the vans,
with thirty or forty occupants each, and seine
of these were resplendent with decorations,
so much so, that fur the day they had been
christened " The Saloon Conveyance," but the
proprietors bad not gone to the extravagance of
quite disguising the homely u-seslo which they are
put on different occasions, and the words "goods care-
fully removed" led to the most uproarious chaffing
as they came on fast and furious. Amongst the
holiday voyagers the pea shooter secure 1 to be in
general use, and in some eases for a pea the shooter
got a small bag of flour in return, to the immense
delight of the crowd of non-starters, as they were
commonly called by one swell who had been got up
regardless of expense. The itenerent vendors of
vegetables in the streets were not behind the rest of
the people on the great occasion ; they had deter-
mined todevote their " fiats" to a day's pleasure, and
as the most dashing of theta drove up to " Hele-
phant to have a wet" the laughter was enormous.
They seemed to have arranged accommodation for
about six as a rule, but how the unfortunate but
well-fed donkey was to survive the return journey
seemed a matter of the most profound
in-
difference to both mile acd female, the great
object apparently being to get to " the Downs" and
to leave the remainder of the business to the chap-
ter of accidents. Then came the well-to-do trades-
man in his cart,with the partner of his worldly toils,
proud in the enjoyment of a bran new bonnet for the
occasion, smiling by his side, although the favourite
colour of the day " yellow and black," did not suit
the complexion of all who sported it. One party
early in the morning suffered a mishap, and which
doubtless spoiled the fun of the day, for on alight-
ing at the usual resting-place the owner found that,
owing to the insecure manner iu which " the ham-
per" had been fastened to the axletree underneath
the cart or the polite attention of some one looking
about for unconsidered trifles, " the whole lot" had
gone, and their remained nothing to do but pur-
sue their journey unencumbered with the commis-
sariat department. The dashing equipages from
the west end did not begin to show until about half-
past nine, and they arrived in rapid succession ;
certainly on no former occasion have they been
exceeded either in ritunber or style. There was the
aristocratic four in-hind, the occupants of which
seemed generally to sport the cherry colour of Sir J.
Hawley and the blue and silver of Pretender. Open
landaus and barouches, occupied with ladies whose
toilette was a perfect wonder, followed ; and then
came the " advertising mediums" of cheap clarets,
cheap clothing, quack medicines, and " to persons
about to marry," who distributed their favours with
the utmost profusion. The inhabitants of the houses
on either side of the Clapham-road occupied their
fore-courts to wit.ler.zs the holiday corteje in great
numbers ; and altogether the eight of the road was
curious ani entertaining as it ev,r has been in '
previon3 ytar.s.

AC the railway titations the .cone was one of ex-
treme excitement ; at W.,terloo, the nuolbcr of
those who left by the ch.ad tiains prior to nitre
o'clock was ettotin and, although the s•rnggling
for plac,.s wits gtmcral, on the whole good tent,
prevai:ed, and the inttnenie strings of c4rriagta le t
the station in safcty. At Loudon-bridge and
Victoria the saute hct:nes were enActed. About 10
o'clock was the time fixed fur the twining of the
fabt trains, and as these were quite as numerously
patronised as the cheaper onus, the railway com-
panies, no doubt, would like the arrangement much
better did tLe races extend over a mouth at the
least.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.-7his Day.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

A Cumous ROBBEHY.—Annie Williams, an unfortunate,
was charged beLre Mr. Tyrwhitt with stealing a shilling
from the shop of Mr. Shepherd, surgeon, No. 136, Great
Portland-street-

From the evidence of Mr. Fieson, assistant to Mr. Shep-
herd, it appeared that the prisoner, who was iu a state of
intoxication, was served with two draughts awl left, and
shortly after returned and looked behind the counter. She
then went to the desk, attempted to tear up some prescrip-
tions, and took up a shilling and put it in her pocket. As
the prisone: weal not leave be sent for a constable, who
took the, prisoner to the station, and on the way she threw
away the shilling.
T. Russell, 106 E, proved that the prisoner, who was
very drunk, throw away a shilling.
The prisoner said she had no need to take a shilling, as
she had money of hor own.

Mr. Tyrwhitt said that he should have thought the
taking of two draughts would have sobered the prisoner,
but it did not appear to have done so. The prisoner had
not only taken a shilling, but she had attempted to destroy
the prescriptions. She would be remanded.