The Sun.
London, England, 1858-02-18 00:00:00

BOW-STREET.

The summonses taken out by Mr. Bodkin, counsel
for the Crown (under Lord Campbell's act for the
more effectual suppression of the sale of obscene
representations) were heard before Mr. Henry.
In the first case the defendant, Sidney Powell,
who was charged with having in his possession a
number of stereoscopio slides of an indecent
character, contended that they were for academie
and artistic purposes. He had been for many years
connected with artists, and had sought their advice
as to what really constituted au indelicate picture.
These were single forms, and could nut tie more
objectionable than the exposure of living models in
our schools of art. However, he had no wish to
deal in them if they were Considered. improper.
Mr. Henry said there was no analogy whatever
in'the two instances. These were representations
of low, vulgar obscenity—attitudes which only the
coarsest minds could suggest. They were clearly
within the meaning of the act, and must be
destroyed.

Mr. Bodkin requested that his worship's order
might stand over for a week, in case the authorities
should .hink proper to ludiet the defe❑dant, in
which case the slides produced would be required
as evidence.

In the two other cases, the defendants (Mr. Bush
and Mr. Hillier were charged with selling obscene
pipes, tobacco-stoppers, pouches, tt.c7 , of which an
immense stock had been seized by the police.
Mr. Lewis, jun., who appeared for both defend-
ants, contended that the act did not apply to the
sAle of pipes, "pictures, prints, and drawings," and
such "representations" being expressly specified.
Moreover, the whole of the property had passed
through the Customs (having been imported from
France), and if objectionable, why were they not
detained

The same tlecision as in the former case was pro
nouneed.

Mr. Ben Caunt, the celebrated pugilist, and
landlord of the Coach and Horses public house, in
St. Martin's-lane, attended before Mr. Henry, in
consequence of the receipt of a paper purporting to
be a summons from this court.

Mr. Caunt stated that ho had received through
the post the paper he now produced, requiring him
to appear to answer a charge of conspiring with
Pierri, Orsini, and Allsop, to assassinate the Em-
peror of the French, and also of keeping secreted
in his house a quantity of combustibles intended to
he used in the attempt. He was fully prepared to
answer the charge, and to produce the articles al-
luded to, which were only squib cases, left at his
house for safe keeping by a firework maker.
Mr. Henry assured the applicant that the docu-
ment he had received did not emanate from this
court. A summons would have been served by the
officer of the court and not by post. The whole
matter was a hoax.

Applicant thanked his worship and withdrew.

WESTMINSTER.--MARTIAL INDIGNATION.—
William Harper, a private in the Ist battalion of
Grenadier Guards, was charged with seriously
wounding and injuring Thomas Crouch, antther
soldier.

It appeared from the evidence of Police-con-
strble Powle, 228 B, that late on the previous
night he was on duty in York-street, Westminster,
when he obserred the prisoner, another soldier,
and two women, all of whom had been drinking
freely, coming towards him. They were then
joined by Crouch, who was in plain c!othes, and
who pretended that he wanted to enlist into their
corps. This led to some wrangling amongst the
party, to put an end to which witness told the pri-
soner and his companion in regimentals, that
Crouch was already a solder heLngiLg to the 2d
battalion of theta. regiment. Tire prisoper repu-
diated the notion of a five-feet-five man having any-
thing to do with what he designated " the dandy
regiment,' and to illustrate his superior physical
power, caught Crouch round the wait, and,
lifting him up, dashed him down on the ground, by
which he was senougly wounded on the forehead,
and became insensible. He was iutexicated.

A. certificate having beon produced showing that
Crouch was unable to attend owing to the it.jury
he had received, the accused was remanded for a
week.

BRITISH SUBJECTS AND FRENCH PASSPORTS.--
Two applications were made by parties wishing to
go to France, under the new regulations at the
Foreign-office, which, with reference to British
subjects or foreigners na uralised, st de that
"Passports are granted to persons who are either
known to the Secretary of State, or recommended
to him by some person known to him, upon the
application of any banking firm established. in
London or any part of the United Kingdom, or
upon the recommendation of the mayor or chief
magistrate of any corporate town in the United
Kingdom, or any magistrate or justice of the
peace.'

Mr. Poynter, having had the respectability of
the parties desirous of ob'aiming the passports
clearly proved, gave them the required recommen-
dation, tht form relating to which had to be made
out by the clerk of the nowt, but stated that there
must be some misconception respecting the matter.
Ho should have much pleasure in giving the re-
quired recommendation to any one whom he knew,
but he must positively decline to do it as a matter
of general rule. Tho Court, he apprehended, would
be crowded with applicants from the Foreign-
office for such recommendations, and he must de-
cline to make them part of the Court, because
they were not a matter of police-court business,
and would occupy time which should be devoted
to it. Applicants might go to other magistrates
besides those sitting at the police-courts of the
metropolis.

MARYLEBONE. PURCHASING EXCURSION
TICKETS.—CAUTION TO THE PUBLIC. James
M'Aulin, described as a cabinetmaker, living in
Baldwin-street, City-road, was charged before Mr.
Broughton, by Inspector Matthews, of the London
and North-Western Railway Police, with having,
under the following circumstances, attempted to
defraud the company,
Evidence went to show that on Saturday last
there was an excursion train from Liverpool to
London, the passengers having the privilege, for
the low charge of 12s. Gd. for the double journey,
of returning to Liverpool yesterday, at ten in the
morning. Pedt iau, a detective officer of the com-
pany, saw the defendant and another man in cot:-
versation together, and knowing the illegal trail,
which was ieing carried on with regard to the sal,
of excursion ticket, he kept close watch upon the
defendant, whose companion hastily left hiw, and
he observed him go on to the platf ,rna. Tee in_
spector received from him a return ticket, and he
took his seat in a first-class carriage. Pe'rian
then catee up and communicated his suspicions to
Mr. Matthews, in reply to whose questions defend-
ant admitted that he had not come up from Liver-
pool, and alleged that tie had perchased the ticket
for is. 6tl. of a man by whom he was accosted at
the entrance gate. Re was ti en given into cus-
tody for attempting to defraud the company of
375. Gd., the amount of fare by first-class to Liver-
pool.

On being asked what he had to say, he admitted

that he was wrong in buying the ticket, and ex
pressed his regret that he had done to.
He was fined 205., or seven days' imprisonment.
CHARGE OF FRAUD AGA.L.NST A RECRUIT.--
Henry Drummond, a cestermoner, wa charged
with having defrauded Henry B.`ar wotrA of iii.
Toe complainant, who belongs to phi Rifle Bri-
gade, stated that he went into a fried-fish shop in
Bell-street, Lisson-grove, and there enlisted the
prisoner, to whom he gave a shilling. Re after-
wardssaidhewould have nothing to do withsoldier-
ing, and as he refused to restore the money he was
given into custidy,
Police constable 241 D said t: at the prisoner ad-
mitted to him that he taken the shilling, adding,
"But the old men must not think he is going to
nail me for all that."

The prisoner, when asked by Mr. Broughton,
what he had to say, 'replied, " I did not mean to
take the money. It was no fault of mine, for he
slipped the shilling. into my hand. I offered to
give it him back."
Complainant said that hundreds of idle fellows
were pursuing a stuailar system of fraud, and get-
ting clear off with their shillings.
The prisoner here said he would be a soldier,
and upon that assurance he was discharged. He
then left the court with the complainant.
ROBBERY BY A FuNrALE. —A young woman, named
Anne Mead, who described herself as a shoebinder,
was charged with having on the previous day, be-
tween 5 and 6 o'clock, stolen from the doorway of
Mr. Johnson, draper, &c., Edgware-road, a roll of
flannel containing upwards of 40 yards, and valued
at about 2/. 2s.

Some evidence in support of the charge was gone
into, and as the attendance of another witness was
necessary in he case, the prisoner was remanded
till Wednesday next.

WORSHIP-STREET.- DoG-STEILING.—W'm
Plater and William Taylor, the former describing
himself as a weaver, and the other as a spinner,
were finally charged before Mr. D'Eyncourt with
stealing a valuable Newfoundland dog, the property
of A. C. Pierre.

The dog, a very fine animal, was produced in
court by the prosecutor, who stated that its pecu-
liar excellence consisted of rate qualities as $ .
theatrical, or performing dog. He greatly prized
it, and the favourite was kept in his yard un-
chained.

Thomas Dupree, a servant of the prosecutor,
stated that at eleven o'clock on the morning of the -
10th instant, he saw the animal safe on the pre- ,
mises, but missing it shortly afterwatds, and mak-
ing inquiries, went in pursuit of the two men, and
came up with the prisoners. Plater was whistling
to the dog, who closely followed him, and throw'
down a piece of prepared liver. Taylor vies
slightly in advance. When given into custody they
cowed all knowledge of each other.
Inspector Langdon, N division, said he had
Taylor in custody at this court in April, 1851, for
a similar offrnce, with another man whom he be-
lieved to be Plater. Th•-tt man was committed for
trial, and Taylor fined 101., or three months' ler
prisoument in default.
Both prisoners reserved their defence, and were
fully committed for trial.

CHARGE OF MANSLAUGHTER IN A WORKHOUSE.'''
James Moulton, a powerful looking young fellow,
a pauper belonging to Sr. Olive's Workhouse,
Southwark, was brought before Mr. Burnham for
final examination, oharged with causing the death
of William, an elderly man, an inmate of the same
workhouse.

It appeared from the evidence of another pauper
that about six o'clock, on the e'vening of Saturday:
the 6th, the prisoner, deceased, and several others:
were in the Old Man's Hall, and the prisoner teasel
him by c tiling him " Yorkee," a name he did not
ilk!. Th© prisoner, however, continued to bother
him, and at last the old man got into a passion:
and attempted to strike him. The prisoner pre-
vented him, and struck him a blow which caused
him to fall. He recovered himself shortly after'
wards, when they all went into the supper rooms
and then the 'deceased fell down in a fit, and neve
recovered. He died on the following Thursday!
Mr. J. I. Macintosh, the medical officer ofd •
Olave's Union, said that on Saturday night, O.
6th inst., he was called to see the deceased in the
infirmary. Ile was insensible, and suffering froi,
compression of the brain. He attended him until
Thursday afternoon, the 11th inst., when he dieu•
Witness had since made a postimortem examine'
tion of the body, and he found a large quantity.ol
coagulated blood on the right side of the brell3l
which was sufficient to cause death. Witness ht:
no doubt it was caused either by a blow or a fall
Police-constable 223 M said he took the prisoner
into custody, and on the way to the station-Wl°
he said that the deceased struck him first.
Mr. Raynor, the master of the workhouse, saki.,
that the deoeaed was a very quarrelsome man, add
he had had considerable difficulty with him. T", 19
.
prisoner knew his temper, and ought not to hev"
annoyed him. Since the last examination an
quest had been held at the vestry-room, and a Ye'
•
diet of manslaughter returned.
The defendant, who denied striking the &Wad,
but said they both fell down together, was fullY
committed to Newgate for trial for the /1012-
slaughter-