The Sun.
London, England, 1859-01-06 00:00:00

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

" GENTLEMANLY" CONDUCT.—John Mitchell, a medical
student, and Ernest Stephens, holding a public situation,
were charged with ringing bells and creating a disturbance
in Compton-stree at two o'eloek in the morning.
A solicitor appeared for the accused.
John Hurd, 108 C, said—At two o'clock that morning
he saw the two prisoners and three others in Compton-
street, and after watching them saw Mitchell go up to a
door and pull the bell. He then saw them go up to another
door, where they each pulled a bell, and as soon as they
saw him Stephens started off. He ran after him and took
him into custody, and shortly after Mitchell, having fol-
lowed to learn the fate of his companion, he was also taken
into custody.
The solicitor for the accused put some questions to the
witness, who said he had made inquiries at the houses, and
found the bells were rung and the persons disturbed. The
prisoners had been drinking, but not so much but that
Stephens could run away.

The solicitor said that Stephens held a public situation,
and he trusted the degradation- of being locked up, and a
caution, would be considered sufficient.
Mr. Bingham said he was sorry that respectable men
took pleasure in such a practice as ringing bells. It was a
cruel amusement—people might be ill, and what might be
amusement to them might be death to others. Had they
been known, he should have fined them 40s. each, but he
should order them to pay 20s. each.
A NICE FANllLY.—Rebecca Connor, a well-known beg-
gar, was brought up by Fryer, one of the Mendicity Society's
officers, charged with begging in the neighbourhood of
Regent- street.

It was stated by Fryer that the prisoner's brother was
hanged many years ago ; that three of her sons were trans-
ported—one twice; that a dittughter was also transported ;
and the prisoner, should she live long enough, bids fair to
prove herself a worthy member of the family, she having
already been convicted no fewer than 46 times by the dif-
ferent metropolitan magistrates, between the years 1835
and 1858, the list of which convictions was produced.
The worthy magistrate said it was useless giving a long
term of imprisonment to such an incorrigible beggar; he
should, therefore, try the effect of bread and water, and
commit her for seven days.

The prisoner assumes the name of Burke, Skinner, and
other aliases, and is a most determined and troublesome
mendicant.

THAMES.

AN UNMANLY SCOUNDREL.—WiIIiam Stribling, a mean
looking person, with a villanous countenance, described on
the police sheet as a shoemaker, aged 19, of No. 1, Smart-
street, Bethnal-green, was brought before Mr. Yardley,
charged with breaking a large pane of glass in the shop
window of Mr. Samuel Thornton, stationer, of No. 4,
Mount-place, Mile-end-road.

Mr. Thornton said he was in his shop yesterday evening
and heard a loud crash, which was occasioned by a large
pane of plate glass in the shop window being demolished.
He ran out of the shop into the street and saw the prisoner,
who was pointed out to him as the person who had broken
the pane of glass. He asked the prisoner what he meant
by such conduct, to which he replied, " I intended to nail
some cigars in the window." There were cigars on the
window-board. He said to the prisoner, " How dare you
do that," and the prisoner roared out, " I am starving.
Give me three months' imprisonment, and I will compen-
sate you when I come out." The value of the pane of glass
was 255.

The prisoner, in defence, said—l was in a passion when
I broke the window. Me and my wife had been quarrelling
and rowing.

Mr. Yardley—ls that any reason you should destroy the
property of a respectable tradesman ? He never inju-2ed
you.

The Prisoner—No, sir. I could not help it. I was pro
yoked by my NI le.

Mr. Yardley—You are an unmanly scoundrel to injure
this man, the prosecutor, who did not injure or molest you.
I cannot see anything more despicable than one person
injuring the property of another, and I can assure you I
never show mercy to any offender of your class. You are
married, I hear, and only 19 years of age.
The prisoner—l am not 19 yet. I was married last
Whitsun Sunday.

Mr. Yardley—ls your wife as young as you ?-
The prisoner—Younger, sir.

Mr. Yardley—A pretty way to been your married life.
A boy of 18 marries a girl younger than himself, and be-
cause she offends him dashes his fist through a pane of
glass. You are not fit to have a vile, and it will be long
before you arrive at manhood. You cannot act like a man.
A meaner offence than this can't be committed. I sentence
you to pay 255., or be imprisoned for two months, and kept
to hard labour.
The prisoner was committed.

SINGULAR DEATH OF A GREYHOUND.—A few
days ago, Mr. Bird, of Sutton, near Petworth, was out with
a favourite greyhound, when the dog started a hare and
made after it. The hare ran under some iron fencing and
made its way into the lawn, and the dog, in atterpting to
follow, ran with great violence against a piece of the wire
of the fence. The point entered just above the eye and
killed him instantly.

SIR ARCIIIBAL D ALISON ON BURNS.—The Glas-
gow St. John's Masonic Lodge held its anniversary on the
27th ult., Sir Archibald Alison in the chair. In the course
of the proceedings he craved a toast to the memory of Bro-
ther Robert Burns. They saw a whole people (he said)
prostrating themselves before the throne of his genius, pre-
parations being made in every city, every town, nay, in
every parish, to celebrate his nativity. The natives of
Scotland in every part of the world intended to hold the day
as a high festival, and there was no toast which would
awaken more enthusiastic feelings in the hearts of Scotch-
men than the one he had to propose. How had Burns, born
a ploughman, whose inspiration was derived from the fields,
the woods, the streams of his native land, gained a reputa-
tion in all countries beyond that of every other poet, but
from the very fact that he was the poet and painter of na-
ture. To us, who in this country could judge of the fidelity
of hip pictures, it was not surprising that his fame should
be so great, for they came home to our feelings ; and it
was this which made all Scotland so enthusiastic in
their praises of Burns. There was no Scotchman to be
found in all the vast extent of Queen Victoria's dominions
who did not recollect the poetry of Burns, and there were
few under whose pillow a copy of his works Ns as not to be
found. During the war in India he (the chairman) had
been assured that there were many copies of them disco-
vered in the knapsacks of the private soldiers and haver-
sacks of the officers, while not a few remembered his na-
tional hymn, " Scots wha hoe wi' Wallace bled," when
engaged in combat with the insurgent Hindoos.