The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-14 00:00:00

POLICE CO3IMITTEE-GUILDHALL.

OBSTRUCTING THE ROADWAY.
This morning, two costermongers, named Cue and
Mellers, appeared to answer a summons for causing an ob-
struction of the roadway near Lime-street.
From the evidence of Oliver, the police-constable, it ap-
peared that on the day in question he arrived at the Fen-
church-street end of Lime-street, when he found the two
men obstructing the road with a truck, heavily laden with
oysters. He told them to turn back or else take
other steps to prevent the stoppage of the traffic,
but they obstinately refused to do so for some time,
but ultimately they msved on for a short distance, and then
left their barrow and entered a public house, and remained
there some time. The barrow again created an obstruction,
when it was removed by the police, and the two men sum-
moned to answer for the offence.

The Alderman, to Illellers—What have you to say to the
statement of the policeman?
Menai—All I can say, my lord, is, that all he's said's
false. I never refused to drag away the barrow, but
there was a waggon afore me, and we were filled up with
oysters, and couldn't move as quick as the policeman wished.
He might as well have ordered the waggon, which had
horses pulling it, to move on, and then we shouldn't have
stopped up the thoroughfare. The policeman told us to
drag on the pavement; but what would you have done, my
lord, if we had ? Why, you would have fined us 403.
If your honour had been dragging the truck—(lauhgter)—
you would have just done as we did. That's the naked
truth, your honour. (Laughter.)
Alderman—Well, I think it would have been the more
humane course to have ordered the waggons on.
Mellers—ln course it would. (Laughter.)
Policeman—There were four waggons before the barrow,
and I thought it was easier for the men to move their barrow,
as it was not so very heavy. I ascertained the weight when
I was taking it to the zreenyarri.
Mellers—Not heavy ! Woat do ybu 'man by that? Why
the weight of the oysters was about 6 cwt. You know the
weizht ; why you were lugging it down St. Dunstan's- hill—
that's the reason you were so fast. Try it up hill, my friend,
and I'll warrant you won't go as quick. (Laughter.) He's
making the moat of it, your honour. (Laughter.)
Alderman—The policeman has done nothing but his duty,
but as it appears there were some waggons in the street, and
it is just possible they may have been the cause of the ob-
struction, I shall dismiss the summons this time.
Mellers—Thanks, your honour; 1 am obliged to you.
(Laughter.) Mellers having given a known wink to his
friend, and he having made one of his best bows to the pre-
siding alderman, they both left the court, congratulating each
other on the justice of the decision.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE-(THIS DAY.

BOW-STREET.—A DRUNKEN "COMMERCIAL."—A
stylishly-attired man, who gave the name of Chas. Richards,
was placed at the bar before Mr. Hall, charged with assault-
int; Selena Clerk.

The complainant, a very respectable young woman, said
—Last night about half-past six I was proceeding along the
Strand, taking home my work, when I observed the defen-
dant making very rapidly towards me. As he approached
he pointed his walking stick towards my eye, and thinking
be intended to do me a serious injury, I held up my cloak
to protect my face. Immediately after I felt his stick strike
me violently on the chest, an 6 I then discovered it had
passed completely through my cloak, and had it not glanced
off from coming in contact with my arm, it would most un-
doubtedly have deprived me of the sight of my eye. I could
not see a policeman at the time, so I followed the defendant
for some distance, bathe ran off, ;and I followed the direction
be bad taken. On arriving near Temple-bar I found him
in custody of the police for assaulting another young woman.
I informed the policeman of his conduct towards me, and he
then conveyed him to the station, and I there preferred a
charge of assault against him.
Samuel Dean said—l saw the defendant on Waterloo-
bridge, last evening. He was very drunk. His clothes
were ill a very disordered state, and as he walked along he
assaulted several females. I followed him into the Strand,
with the intention of giving him in charge, but before I
could doso I saw him attempt to poke his stick into the eye
of the first witness. - He ran ofl, and before I came up with_
him found him in custotlY,of a police-constable for assaulting
another female by pushing his littnd dawn her bosom. Clerk
then came up, and having informed the constable of his
conduct towards her, the defendant was conveyed to the
station.
Mr. Hall, to the prisoner—What are you ?
Prisoner—A commercial traveller. lam exceedingly
sorry for my misconduct, and I am willing to make any
reparation that may be required.
Mr. Hall—Your conduct is disgraceful in the extreme.
It is a great mercy you did not deprive the poor girl of her
eye, and I am inclined to believe that if your employers
knew of your behaviour, it would lower their estimation of
you. They would think you a very improper parson to
represent a respectable firm. Drunkenness of itself is bad
enough, but coupled with such conduct as you have been
guilty of, must Lot to he allowed to go unpunished. I fine
you 405., or three weeks' imprisonment.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.—REGULAR SMASHERS.
Allen, describing herself as a charwoman, and
who refused her address, and Mary Smith, who gave an
address which was found to be false, were charged, the
former with ut t, ring a counterfeit half- crown, and the latter
with uttering a counterfeit half-crown and a shilling, to Mr.
John Tolbeaux, tobacconist, of 287, Euston-road.
From the evidence it appeared that Allen went into the
shop of the prosecutor, and, having asked for a cigar and
some tobacco, tendered in payment a counterfeit half-
crown. The prosecutor at once detected it to be bad, and
gave her into custody, at which the prisoner pretended to
be very much surpthed.
The prisoner Allen, in answer to Mr. Bingham, said she
bad no lodgings. She did anything.
In the case of the prisoner Smith, a bloated-looking
woman, it appeared she had gone into the shop a few
minutes previous 'to the last prisoner and successfully passed
a counterfeit half-crown (evidently from its bearing the same
date, and from its general appearance, made in the same
mould)in payment for a cigar and some snuff; and while
the prosecutor was going to the station to charge Allen,
she (Smith) had the audactiy to return and attempt a
similar fraud, but this time tendering a counterfeit shilling,
and from the fact that the prisoner bad asked for nearly the
same kind of articles and that the coins were exactly similar,
there is little doubt they were acting in concert.
Tricker, the officer who took Smith into custody, said, on
asking her where she got the shilling from, she replied,
" That's my business."
The prisoners were remanded for the attendance of the
Migt eolicitoc.