The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-24 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE—Dec. 22.

MANSION-HOUSE.—As usual at this period,
there were a good many applicants for assistance;
but although this is rendered with Ito niggardly or
parsimonious hand, the public may rest assured
that every care is taken to prevent imposition, and
that while professional impostors stand very little
chance of abusing the generosity of the public, no
real case of distress is neglected, and every gen-
tleman connected with the court appears to feel
sincere pleasure in relieving such cases in a kind
and liberal spirit.
Among the applicants for relief on Saturday was
a very well-dressed woman, apparently about 35
years old, who made a rather extraordinary state-
ment.
The applicant, who was evidently a woman of
education, stated that she was the wife of
a brewer in a large way of business, but ho
had left her, and had professed to make a settlement
upon her when he did so, but she had been un-
able to obtain any money under it, and when she.
applied to the solicitors who had prepared the deed

upon the subject, they only laughed at herd She
had ascertained that her husband was living with
another woman, and she imagined that they were
cohabiting together, but she had since ascertained
that they were married at Chertsey Church.
The applicant here handed to the alderman a
marriage certificate, and several letters which she
said were written by persons of high condition who
had been acquainted with her family, but she
earnestly requested that no names might be
mentioned.

She then went on to say that she had endeavoured
to institute proceedings against he: husband for
bigamy, but one solicitor to whom she applied would
not undertake the case unless she paid clown £5O,
and another required £3O, and as she was utterly
unable to pay either of these sums, she could not do
anything in the matter.
Mr. Goodman, the chief clerk,told the applicant
that she did not require the assistance of a solicitor
at all. The offence was felony, and if she applied to
any magistrate of the county of Surrey, and satis-
fied him that the charge was well founded by the
production of the certificates of the two marriages,
or otherwise, he would at once grant a warrant for
her husband's apprehension.
The applicant said she had learned that her hus-
band had settled £250 a year upon the person who
was living with him as his wife, in anticipation of
any legal proceedings being taken against him, and
she believed that he had also made arrangements,
the moment he became aware that any charge had
been prepared aglinst him, to leave the country.
Alderman Ro,e told her the magistrate who
granted the warrant would take care to have it
executed before her husband could have an oppor-
tunity of getting away.
The applicant thanked the alderman for the in-
formation she had received, but said that the prin-
cipal object she now had in view was to ask for
some temporary assistance, as she really was in a
state of utter destitution.

Alderman Rose inquired how she had been ob-
taining a livelihood down to the present time.
She replied that since her husband had deserted
her she had supported herself by giving Shak-
sperian readings in different parts of the country.
Alderman Rose, after putting some further ques-
tions to the' applicant, directed that 10s. should be
given to her to enable her to proceed to Chertsey,
and make inquiries relating to her husband's
marriage.

WORSHIP-STREET.—Edward Alston, a news-
vendor and dealer in periodicals, carrying on busi-
ness at 12, Finsbury-street, Chiswell•street, in the
parish of St. Leonard, Shoreditch, was summoned
before Mr. Knox for unlawfully exorcising his
worldly labour, business, and work of ordinary call-
ing (the same not being a work of necessity or
charity), by selling, on the 9th day of December
instant, being a Sunday, to Alexander Henderson,
a book of songs, contrary to the statute.
Mr. Beard prosecuted; and the defendant, who
could not appear, but was represented by his father,
had no legal adviser.

Mr. Beard said that the proceedings in question
were framed under the Act of 29th Charles 11., and
empowered a magistrate to inflict a penalty cer-
tainly not of great amount, the maximum being
only bs. for each offence ; and as it was assuredly
not a work of necessity or charity to sell a " Music-
hall Song-book" on the Sabbath-day, the defendant
was, on proof of his having done so, clearly liable.
It appeared that this process was obtained by the
complainant under the following peculiar circum-
stances :—About a fortnight since Henderson, who
is a photographic artist, occupying a portion of
premises in King 'William-street, City, and where
Mr. Magrath, a tradesman, resides, the present
defendant's father being foreman to the latter, was
summoned before the Lord Mayor for pursuing his
calling on the Sabbath-day and fined for so doing.
Something like an animus, therefore, in consequence
of this, seemed to actuate the photographist when
he effected the purchase of a song book at the shop
of defendant, and it was the source of a distinct
intimation by the magistrate that he would not
countenance such a feeling.
Mr. Beard upon this observed that fines were
always imposed in the City courts under the sta-
tute in question; indeed, the magistrates there had
stated 'that they were bound to inflict the penalty.
Defendant at once admitted the sale of the song-
book, but protested that another should not be
bought out of his shop even by Prince Albert, if
that person required one.
Mr.tnox—lt is my intention to mark, by inflict-
ing the minimum penalty upon the defendant, the
opinion I have respecting such prosecutions. News-
papers are sold in shops throughout London on a
Sunday, and such an article as the present is kept
by many of those tradesmen. lam de6ermined to
discourage all steps of the kind now before me, and
not, allow this court to be made au are...for a
" Corsican Brothers" quarrel. The decisions in
the City courts will not influence me. With
respect to the amount of fine, I simply, having
consulted the statute, order the defendant to pay
ls., and say nothing about costs.
Mr. Beard—The prosecution, sir, is for the sake
of advancing public morality. I trust you will
not allow my client to be out of pocket by it,
which he must be by being deprived of his costs.
Perhaps your opinion is that the act in question
is one that should not be recognised.
Mr. Knox—l say nothing of that. It is not for
me, a humble instrument of -the law, to seek to
overrule the legislature. The decision in the case
has been given.
The matter then dropped.
_ _

William Morris, a youth, was charged before
Mr. Knox with assaulting his father, residing in
Winbourne-street, New North-road.

Complainant—l find it a most painful act to
appear against my own son, sir, but his conduct is
so very bad that it beoomes my duty. He has an
excellent situation in Cheapside, lives at home
with us, and in fact has all he can wish for, yet at
times he is unbearable.

Defendant—And you are always drunk.
Mr. Knox—What was your son's offence on the
occasion in question?
Complainant—He threw a table knife at me,
which struck my forehead and cut it. I went for
a police-constable and had him locked up, but he
was bailed out.

Defendant—l had not any knife ; you owed me
a shilling, and because I asked for it you seized me
by the hair and dragged me about. I tried to get
from you, and my ring accidentally cut your head.
Brothers and sisters are turned Out of doors by you,
and it is impossible to live in quiet.
N 524—1 saw the youth strike his mother several
times with a rolling pin. There was a most dis-
graceful disturbance.
Mr. Knox—Wky do you :ire at home, led ?
Defendant (bursting into tears)—l will leave the
house, sir, and go for a soldier.

•
Mr. Knox—Nay, I don't say that you should do
that; you have a good situation; but understand
this, and never forget itt—not any possible excuse
can exist for a son striking a parent. It is a lamenta-
ble state of things when scenes of this description
occur in a family. I am not altogether satisfied
with the complaint against you being entirely un-
provoked, under which fact you excitedly did some
injury to your father. Ido trust however not with
a knife.
Defendant—lndeed, indeed, no, sir.

„ Mr. Knox—l shall have you and your father
bound over to keep the peace for six months.

SOUTHWARK.—EIIen Keelor, a middle-aged
Irish woman, was brought up for further examina-
tion, charged with attempting to murder Hannah
Buckley, by striking her on her head with a fire-
shovel, whereby her life was in danger.
Mr. Edwin, for the complainant, said that his
client was in a very bad state from the injuries re-
ceived, and although she was just able to attend this
court, he did not think she was in a fit state to give
evidence. It appeared that the complainant was a
domestic servant, and on the evening of the sth
instant she was on a visit to her mother, a poor
hard working woman, living in Bell's-place, Ber-
mondsey. While walking out with her sister they
were stepped by Mr. Layard's procession coming
from the Saint Helena Tavern, and, as they
were looking on, the prisoner, who had a
spite against her, struck her several times,
and then ran away. About half an hour
after that, as his client was going home past
the prisoner's house, she rushed out with the fire
shovel in her hands, and struck the complainant
several blows on the head with it, nearly murder-
ing her. Her screams forassicstoannyceeybedrohuotetr veral
neighbours out, and she was
Ser-
geant Howland, 19 M. was soon on the spot, and
finding the prisoner had barricaded herself in her
house, he was compelled to burst the door open to
take her into custody. The complainant was after-
wards taken to the hospital, where she remained
nearly a fortnight, and had now attended at great
risk to give evidence.
The magistrate said that it did not appear to hint
that she was yet in a fit state; in fact, he thought
she was considerably worse. He directed the offi-
cer to convey her to the hospital, and ascertain her
real state.
sergeant Howland, 19 M, conveyed her to the
hospital, and in a short time returned to the court,
and informed his worship that the authorities had
detained her.