The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-19 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION-HOUSE.—A respectably-dressed, careworn-
lookintr, middle-aged woman, named Soden, applied to the
Lord Mayor for his advice and assistance under most dis-
tressing and pitiable circumstances. She stated that she
bad for many years been married to a man by whom she had
bad eleven children, cf whom seven, nrying in age from
17 to three years, were yet living. Her husband had for
some years held a respectable situation as clerk in a mer-
chant's office, and once they were happy enough together,
but recently his behaviour had changed towards her, and
about a fortnight ago he quitted her and her children,
leaving them entirely destitute. She had not herself seen
him since, but a friend of hers met him one day at
the Crystal Palace, accompanied by a woman with
whom he had formed an illicit connection, and with
whom he was now, doubtless, living. After that applicant
received a letter from him in which he told her she must
get on as well as she could fur a time, as_ he hoped to see
her again some day and be comfortable with her again.
Owing to his desertion, she was in the deepest distress, with-
out the means of getting a single meal fer her children—
one of whom was very ill ; and for any assistance or advice
which the Lord Mayor might be able to give her she should
be truly grateful.
The Lord Mayer said her husband mnst indeed be a vil-
lain if her statement were true ; and the best thing she
could do would be to apply to the parish authorities, who
would make search after him, and find him it possible.
With regard to her immediate necessities, inquiry should
be made, and she should be relieved from the poor-box If
the result substantiated her statement. • _ _

His lordship forthwith despatched Mr. Sewell, one of the
clerks of the court, to 15, Sugar-baker's-yard, Mitre-street,
Aldgate, where the poor woman lives, to make the requisite
investigation ; and that gentleman, upon his return, re-
ported that he had found the statement of Mrs. Soden to be
in all respects but too true. Her husband had forsaken
her and left her entirely destittre ; and although it was
impossible for any place to be more neat and clean, or for
children to be kept more tidy, there was not an atom of
food in the house when he went, and one poor child, about
14 years old, was seriously ill and reduced to a skeleton
apparently from starvation, while the other six children
were wan mid attenuated from the want of food. Some
bread and cheese which was sent for they eagerly
devoured, and it was perfectly clear that, unless they bad
been relieved, none of them could have lived much
longer. To meet pressing emergencies, he (Mr. Sewell)
had given Mrs. Soden a sovereign, and had also communi-
cated with the guardians of the City of London Union, who
had met the case in the kindest manner, and had promised
to take steps to remove the child, who was so ill, into the
country, that she might have the benefit of pure air, quie-
tude, and attention, and also to lose no time in looking after
Mrs. Seden's husband.

The Lord Mayor sail the case was indeed a pitiable one,
as the woman, Mrs. Soden, appeared to be a most respect-
able woman, and was suffering, with her seven children,
solely from the misconduct of a brutal husband. It was to
be hoped that her sad condition would shortly improve, and
that her husband wou'd soon he hunts(' up by the parish
authorities.
Thos. :Tracey, a tall, powerfully-built, brutal-looking
fellow, wes ebtuged with being (hunk and disorderly.
• Robinson, police-constable 630, deposed that on Tuesday
evening he i•ow the prisoner in Harrow-alley, drunk and
creating a disturbance ; upon which he went up to endea-
vour to quiet him, when the prisoner stuck at him with a
knife which he was flourishing in kis hand, and witness had
great difficulty in escaping the blow. He did, however,
succeed i❑ doing so, and, with the assistance of some by-
stander.,, wrested away the knife train the prisoner, whom
be conveyed to the station4ous::,. The prisoner was a most
dote: mined ruffian. He had once been sentenced to seven
years' transportation fir breaking a man's jawbone, and
since that time be had ben convicted of assaulting a police-
man. He was a complete terror to the neighbourhood in
which be lived.

A witness who assisted the policeman deposed that before
the lest witness came up he saw the prisoner flourishing a
knife in his hand, cud heard him say he would stick the
first policeman that came in his way.
Lord Mayor—Well, prisoner, what have you got to say
to this ?

Prisoner—Well, I had bad a little drink and kicked up a
little row; but 1 didn't mean any harm, and I hops you
won't give me much this time.
Lord Mayor—l am sorry to say I cannot give you enough,
for you are an unmitigated ruffian, anal if you bad not been
prevented I daresay you would have stabbed the policeman.
Prisoner—No • God forbid. I am sure I didn't mean that.
Lord Mayor—Why, you have been-trausported for seven
years fur breaking a man's jaw.
Prisoner—Yes, but that MS a long while ago.
Lord Mayor—Long enough, I'm afraid, for you to have
forgotten the puniilunent you received. You must go to
prison for 21 d.lys, ou bread and water, for being drunk
and disorderly.
Florence ill‘Carthy, labourer, was then charged with
being drunk and disorderly, and also with stabbing John
Chubb, a City policeman, in Rose-alley, Bishopsgatc-street.
The officer wc::t'up_to the prislner, who was creating a
disturbance, for the put pose of quieting him, alien the pri-
soner struck at him with something brigh', but he could not
tell what. The blvv was aimed at his face, and as he drew
back to avoid it the instrument struck his finger and cut it.
The prisoner must have thrown the weapon away before he
was secured, as it was not found upon his being searched.
The prisoner, who admitted that he was drunk, but said
he knew nothing about the assanit, was Hatched to 21
days' imprisonment with hard labour.

WESTMINSTER.— Tun Maur or COLLECTING
George Ray,
(litil bl•
Ie
ct;'TOLLS
atO ttre CElleSleAa-
-1181L-IpneGribel'o—n-bi urge, spprare ftv e
Mr. Paynter to an adjourned 511M111013F, charged with un-
law fully exacting toll there.
Giih„,„ at entieu for cempleinant, Mr. Poole, 87,
Westboutne-street, Pimlico, and. Mr. Davies, from the
Board of Works, appeared for the defendant.
Mr. Gillirm said that his client bad a post-chaise by the
direction of the railway authorities of the West-end or
Pimlico terminus for the convenience of a superior class of
travellers. The Bridge Act specified " That all post-chaises
should on their return empty be free from toll," notwith-
standing which the defendant had in his capncity of collectar,
exacted the sum of 2d. from Mr. Poole's driver. It would
be said, he had no doubt, that the carriage in question was
not a " post-chsi,T," for, according to defendant's defini-
tion of what was a " pos!-chaise," it could not be "unless
the man in charge of It wore breeches and top boots, and
role the horse." Altbough Mr. Poole's man did not do
this, there was nu doubt but that the vehicle for which a
toll was charged was a "post-chaise." It was so considered
by the Excise, who took peat-chaise duty for it.
Joseph Hayden, the driver, having proved that the de-
fendant exacted the toll,
Mr. Poole said he had stables close to the Pimlico station,
and paid post-horse duty. He did not take fares as was
done by cabs. lie- was told by the Excise that his was a
" post-chaise."

Cross-examined—Had no number on his carriage. None
was required. Ho was privileged to run from the railway.
He paid_duty on the I&lt July to enable him to keep a
" post-chaise." There was no difference in appearance
between his and a private carriage. Did not ply as a cabman
without paying for a ciinnan's license. Did not stand on
the rank fur hire like a cab.
By Mr. Paynter —Pays El 17s. 61 per quarter duty to
the Excise. Cabs pay Is. duty per day.
Mr. S. T. Talbot, supeyintendent-of the West-end Rail-
way, said that being most anxious to get a superior class of
carriage for West-Jai travellers, the complainant was pri-
vileged to come to the station. Such advantages were
afforded the public at the Crystal' Palace, East Croydon,
Brighton, and other parts on the line. Complainant's car-
riage did not go to the platform. If wanted, it was at
hand. Witness had made inquiries at the Excise, and
found complainant required another ticket or plate to be
' produced under the pest-horse regulations. He witnessed
a demand made upon complainant's man for toll by the de-
fendant. lie (the driver) produced his license, but the toll
was still demanded, on the ground that the carriage he wag
driving was not a post- chaiee, as he was not riding on tits
horse's hack; A Middlesex magistrate had complained of
toll being taken for his post-chaise, and. when the toll-col-
lector found he was a magistrate he gave the incite), bael
Defendant, in reply to the charge, said that errvir%yl.
igh
tk..14 set. ixntgsut
gentle-
man'; servant going over the bridge in
sish
ayitwascomplainant's aocast-rcrhiaagiese: fcoromthpelraciuw,aa;.tiicr,:tail.ie:l2ai.l.g°ott.it"o
as a c;tbnian, en'! the e hago cry much of Ins

,
c:.,n,t.c:.
Mr. Payntpr remarked that complainant must mind he
did nut take up a job on Lis acturn.
Mr. Gilliam ()bier vtd that he did take care,
as he would
be liable to a penalty of .E:2O.
Mr. Gilliam contended that his client was exempt, ai Le
started with jobs from hisstables to the statism, and re-
turned
The biting was made with complainant as
ie iirrl emptypo,e d
upon, as, When the driver claimed exemption
job- roaster, and there was no probability of the toll-collect°,
)
he always produced his post-chaise lieens.
, a, i
enttled to ceitain part-
afnolt.,wifasso and the
in claiming them. He
Mr. Paynter observed that t_hne
.question-Was whether teals
lyre
ga se 8 a,
tphoes tc-ocmh api
complainant
aedi
then referred to several Acts of Parliament, and after some
lengthened remarks Upon theni, gave it as his opinion that
it was a post-chaise.

DAnitant was fined ls. and costs.
Notice of appeAl ral given by Mr. Davis.