The Sun.
London, England, 1860-10-12 00:00:00

31IDDLESEX SESSIONS- (THIS DAY.)

LICENSING DAY.
The Middlesex magistrates.sat to• day for the purpose of
hearing the opposition to the renewal of the licenses to
Cremorne• gardens, the Alhambra Palace, and the Boar and
Castle, Oxford-street.

TIIE ALHAMBRA PALACE.
Mr. E. T. Smith, by petition, applied for a renewal of the
license to the Alhambra Palace. •
The application was opposed by the lessees of the Hay-
market, Adelphi, Lyceum, and several other theatres.
The license was, after counsel for the opposing parties
had been heard, granted unanimously.
CREMORNE-GARDENS.
Mr. Sergeant Ballantine applied, on the part of Mr. T. B.
Simpson, for a renewal of the license to Cremorne-gardens.
Petitions from the vestry had been presented against the
application, and a strong effort was to have been made, but
he supposed that discretion had prevailed ; and he was in-
formed that although the petition had not been withdrawn it
was not the intention of the Chelsea vestry to appear by
counsel to resist his application. The conduct of the vestry,
he thought, was highly censurable—he would say bigotted ;
but, from what had come to his knowledge, the principle
mover in the affair was a person of some influence of the
name of Babbitts—(laughter)--" Roaring Rabbitts,"—
(loud laughter)—as he was called in the neighbourhood.
This single individual had, it appeared, a great objection
to thousands of people amusing themselves as they thought
proper, and had got up the movement to ruin Mr. Simpson,
by withholding from him a license for Cremorne-gardens,
after he had expended many thousand pounds on the ime
provement of the property, which was now one of the most
favourite resorts of the pleasure-seekers of the metropolis.
The manner in which Mr. Simpson had conducted the
gardens was praised by everybody, and it was rather too
bad that because a few straightlaced persons disapproved of
harmless amusements his client should be put to the an-
noyance of having opposition raised year after year to
his application for a renewal of his license. He did hope on
the present occasion the bench would unanimously grant
Mr. Simpson that which he asked, and thus mark in the
strongest manner their disapproval of the movement that •
had been attempted to be got up against him.
The Bench, immediately the learned counsel resumed his
seat, granted the removal of the license unanimously:
THE BOAR AND CASTLE, OXFORD-STREET.
This was an application on the part of Mr. Chas. Morton
for a license for the Boar and Castle Tavern, Oxford. street.
The opponents to the application were the lessees of the
different theatres near the spot—Mr. E. Weston, of the
Music Hall, Holborn ; Mr, Hart, of the Raglan Music
Hall ; and several others.

Mr. Ballantine said he had now to apply on the part of
Mr. C. Morton for a license for the premises known as the
Boar and Castle, situate in Oxford-street. Mr. Morton, as
it was probably well known to all the magistrates on the
bench, was the gentleman who originally conceived the
idea, by way of improving the tastes of the mul-
titude for music, of erecting a splendid hall, in
which none but music of the highest order should
be heard, and the admission was fixed so low
that all had the opportunity of availing themselves of the
entertainment. The result of the bold venture had been a
great and undisputed success, so much so that within the
last few years the number of music halls that had started
up in imitation of the Canterbury Hall was very great.
Not content with cultivating a taste for music, Mr. Morton
had made another bold experiment with respect to the-sister
art, painting, and with the same success. It was true( Mr.
Morton had not had so many imitators in that, the reason
for which was apparent. He thought the bench Would
agree with him that it was, to use the mildest term, most
ungracious that those very persons who had with profit
followed the example Mr. Morton had nobly set them,
should now come forward and oppose his application for a
license to the premises in Oxford-street. He had no doubt
but that the bench would unanimously assent to the appli-
cation of Mr. Morton, to whom the public were under a
deep debt of gratitude.

Mr. Robinson, on the part of the opponents to the grant-
ing of the license, said—The license asked for was not
needed by the neighbourhood. The house was surrounded
by theatres, music halls, and public-houses, and if Mr.
Morton was allowed to erect the concert-room which he
proposed upon the ground now occupied as stables at the
back of the premises, the greatest inconvenience to the foot
traffic in the street would be occasioned. The premises for
which the license was required were not yet built, and. he
thought there would be plenty of time for Mr. Morton to
make his application after he had completed his building
operations.

The Chairman (Mr. H. Pownall) said there was nothing
singular in Mr. Morton making the application before the
concert-room was built. All the licenses that had been
granted to the most important of them had been given
before they were constructed.
Mr. Woodwark, a magistrate, asked whether Mr. Mor-
ton had disposed of his interest in the Canterbury Hall.

Mr. Sergeant Ballantine said Mr. Morton had still some
pecuniary interest in that place, but he had nothing what-
ever to do with the management.

The license was granted unanimously.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE ( THIS DA I.)

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.
DARING ROBBERY OF A COLONEL'S WATCH.—James
Atkins, described as a commercial traveller, was charged
with stealing a valuable gold watch, the property of Col.
George Macan, of the Indian army, under the folloWing
very daring circumstances :

Col. George Macan, of the Indian army, and residing at
14, St. James's-square, said—l was coming out of the
opera last night, and going up the colonnade, when I felt
a hand at my waistcoat-pocket, in which I had my watch,
and on looking down found the chain hanging down and
the watch gone. At the same time that I felt the hand
I saw the prisoner just making his escape. I seized his
cloak, but he managed to break away from me and to gat
among the crowd. I ran after him calling " Stop thief,"
and he turned the corner of the arcade and ran down.
Charles-street, still being under the arcade, but being
checked there, he ran back into the Ilaymatket,
and his foot slipping he fell to the ground, and before he
could get up I came up to him and underneath him was
my watch, which I possessed myself of. The glass was
broken and the handle also, it having been wrenched from
the chain. It is of the value of about 15 guineas, but ori-
ginally cost me 40. A gentleman was kind enough to as•
silt me till a constable came up. I never lost sight of the
prisoner.

Fish, 331 A, said—Seeing a crowd assembled I went up,
and the gentleman said the prisoner had taken his watch
from his pocket. The prisoner said he was himself run-
ning after the thief to stop him, and hoped I would not
take him into custody.
The depositions having been read over, the prisoner was
committed for trial.