The Sun.
London, England, 1869-09-14 00:00:00

LAW AND POLICE.

A LONG TRIAL.—At the Middlesex Sessions, a builder,
named Holden, was charged with stealing eighteen scaffold
poles, and was acquitted. The noticeable feature in the
case was the length of time the trial has been pending. At
the first trial the jury were unable to agree. At the
second they returned a verdict of Not Guilty, but other
charges were brought forward, and the case adjourned—
a very simple one—has consequently extended from the
beginning of July to September.
A DEXTEROUS ROBBERY.—A man, named Baldwin,
was on Monday brought up at Clerken well Police Court
charged with an ingenious robbery. He went to the
Chartered Gas Company's works in Goswell-road about
ton at night, when the premises were in charge of the
night watchman. He asked for a person who worked
there, giving a correct name. The watchman,
who told him to go to the other premises in
Pear-tree•street, wax persuaded to go also and
chew the way, and in order to do so left Baldwin in
the doorway for a few moments while he went for
his hat and the key. In that brief interval, no doubt, a
confederate entered, and was locked in when the watch-
man went with Baldwin. The watcuman was induced
to delay his return in order to assist in the disposal of a
pot of beer ; but on regaining his post the front door was
found open, and the safe of the counting-house plundered
of £162. The prisoner was remanded.
AN UNNATURAL SON.—At Hereford Police-court, a
farmer, named Williams, occupying a sixty-acre farm, at
a rent of £l2O a year, was summoned for refusing to con-
tribute to the support of his mother. The defendant said
he thought he did enough towards maintaining her by
paying the poor rate; The magistrate thought diffe-
rently, and made an order for payment of 2s. 6d. weekly
and costs.

A CLEVER CAPTURE.—On Sunday a robbery of plate
and jewellery took place at Bath. The cook of a lady,
named M`Limont, carried off nearly £2OO worth of pro-
perty during the absence of her mistress at church. The
matter was placed in the hands of Superintendent
Morgan, who effected a speedy capture of the thieves. He
traced the cook and an accomplice to Bedminster, and
found a quantity of the stolen property among their lug-
gage. The prisoners were brought before the magistrate
and remanded.
ASSAULT ON A GAMEKEEPER.—At the Warwick Police-
court, several young men were charged with wounding
one of Lord Warwick's gamekeepers. The injured man
had given evidence against two men convicted of night
poaching, and he was attacked in consequence. The bench
committed the prisoners for trial, and fixed the bail at
£lOO each.

Liverpool has generally been considered to have
a bad pre-eminence in the country for drunkenness and
for the number of public-houses it has in proportion to the
population. According to the latest statistics it has a
public•house for every 209 persons. Whether Walsall is a
town less given to drunkenness than Liverpool I can't say;
but, according to Mr. Kirton, the public-houses, in pro-
portion to the population, are there very nearly twice as
numerous as they are in Liverpool, there being one for
every 122 of the population. This proportion is enormous.
It means that every 49 of the adult population of Wallsall
support a public-house.

ANECDOTE or DEAN SWIFT. —One day three
raw freshmen, who had just joined Old Trinity, and were
personally unacquainted with the dean, were out fora stroll
to see the lions. Seeing a venerable-looking old gentleman
in the park approaching them, they agreed to quiz him. On
meeting him one of them, taking off his hat, accosted Lim
with " Good morning, rather Abraham." " Good morn-
ing, Father Isaac," said another. Then, " Good, morning,
Father Jacob," followed up the third. The old gentleman
regarded them for a moment, and replied, "I am neither
Abraham, Isaac, nor Jacob ; but I am Saul, the son of
Kish, who went out to seek his father's asses ; and lo ! I
have found them," and passed on. What was the conster-
nation of the "asses" when the next day they discovered
in the dean of their college the old man who had turned
the tables upon them.
VISIT OF THE PRINCE AND THE PRINCESS OF
WALES TO CIIESTEB.—The Mayor of Chester, having
received an intimation that his Royal Highness the Prince
of Wales would open the new Town Hall on or about the
14th of next month, has convened a meeting of his fellow-
citizens, to take into consideration the best mode of
giving a suitable reception to the Prince. The first
resolution submitted to the meeting referred to the
appointing of a general committee, which will be
subdivided into other committees, who will carry
out the programme proposed. This will include the gene-
ral decoration and illumination of the old city, a torch-
light procession, the reception at the railway station, and
other matters. The Mayor will give a banquet and grand
ball, and has headed a subscription list for the enter-
tainment of the people with a donation of .1-::;0). This fund
has reached already nearly £2,000, which was subscribed
at the meeting, and probably double that sum will be
forthcoming. A huge bonfire and fireworks on the
Roodee, and a treat to all the school children and oid people,
are among the suggestions made. The speakers at the
meeting were the Mayor, Sheriff, the Dean, Canon
Blomßeld, Mr. I. Walker (town clerk), and others.
Many of the principal citizens, and not a few of tl9
working clams, Attended, the Meetin bOing a WM 03114.
SittStl9 9hQ.