The Sun.
London, England, 1867-08-16 00:00:00

BOIV-STREET.

SELLING SPIRITS WITHOUT LICENSE.—H. Roberts,
a barber, in Rodney-road, New Kent-road, was
charged with selling gin without a licence.
Au excise officer said that on Monday, May 12,
he went to defendant's shop to get shaved and his
hair brushed. After being shaved, he went to wipe
his face on a round towel hanging behind the door,
and there noticed a small glass upon a shelf. Re-
turning to the chair where he had sat to be
shaved, he waited for defendant to cut his hair.
Having gone for the purpose of ascertaining
whether the defendant was selling gin, he was just
" hesitating about asking for some" when the
defendant " saved him the trouble " by saying—
" Could you do a drop of gin ?" Witness said
" Yes," and he fetched a bottle from a cupboard
and poured out a glass of gin, which witness drank.
Witness then handed him 6d., and received 4d.
change. He had previously paid 2d. for being
shaved and having his hair brushed. As he
handed witness the gin defendant said—" This is
a little on the quiet, you know."
Mr. Peake, supervisor of excise, said the de-
fendant had no license to sell spirits. The traffic
was carried on every Sunday morning when the
public-houses were shut. In some cases there was
a pretence that the gin was given to the customers.
Sir Thomas Henry said there was an old rhyme
ending " I'll shave you and give you some drink ;"
but the meaning depended upon where the stop was
put.
Mr. Parke said attention had been drawn to the
defendant's shop by an anonymous letter addressed
to the Superintendent of Police, and by him handed
over to the Excise.
Defendant at first flatly denied the whole thing.
After a little hesitation he admitted that he some-
times got in a little gin overnight to accommodate
one or two very old customers, but he never took
any money for it. He received it from there over-
night. lie had no recollection of seeing the officer.
Sir Thomas Henry said that if he made a practice
of supplying people with gin on the Sunday, even
though he bought it over-night, and even though he
obtained the money from the customer first, he

would find it a very dangerous trade.
The defendant said if h 3 had done wrong he
would not do it again, and he hoped the magistrate
would excuse it.
Sir Thomas Henry had no power to excuse it.
All he could do was to mitigate the penalty, which
was £5O, to one-fourth (£l2 10s).
Mary Shole, a wardrobe dealer, in Harriet-street,
Lower Marsh, was summoned on a similar charge,
but did not appear.

Inspector Edmonds, of the L Division of
Police, said he visited the defendant's shop on

the 19th day of May, and found her there
with three women and two men. She was in the
act of pouring some gin from a glass into a bottle.
One of the women handed her 2d., and took the
bottle, saying, " Do you call this half a quartern ?"
lie took the bottle from her, and now produced it,

still containing the gin. Defendant said, " Mr.
Edmonds, you have been here a great many times.
Look over it this once, and it shall not occur again."
He also found three bottles, one containing a quart
and another one and a half pints of gin, and one a
pint and a half of rum, and a stone jar containing
six pints of rum. Defendant had long been suspected
of selling spirits on Sunday morning, and he had
several times visited the house, but had until this
occasion discovered nothing. Ile believed that the
person who usually kept watch and gave the alarm
was out of the way, and that was why he was ena-
bled to surprise defendant and her customers. One
of the men was lying drunk on the floor. Defend-
ant said to him, " You know I have lost my girl,"
which was true. He did not think she would
attend ; she was a very stubborn woman.
Sergeant Hart, L 1, who had accompanied the
inspector on the occasion, corroborated his evidence.
Sir Thomas Henry imposed the mitigated penalty
of £l2 10s.

young women out of their present miserable condi-
tion, but if they were sent to an institution they
would not remain there.
The prisoners promised they would do so, and
they were remanded to find a home for them.
ASSAULT.—WiIIiam Charles Morrison, of No. 4,
Rupert-street, photographer, was fined 40s. for
assaulting Police-constable Newby, 160 C, by
striking him in the eye.

(art .1*
caturT

HER MAJESTY, &c•

OSBORNE, Aug. 15.

The Queen drove out yesterday afternoon, accom-
panied by Princess Louise and Prince Leopold, and
her Majesty walked in the grounds this morning
with Princess Louise.

Prince Leopold and Princess Beatrice also went
out.

The Earl and Countess of Hardwicke arrived at
Osborne yesterday, and had the honour of dining
with the Queen and the 'loyal Family. Sir Thomas
and the lion. Lady Biddt4h had also the honour
of being invited.