The Sun.
London, England, 1859-11-23 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE, Nov. 22.

BOW-STREET. MORE EVILS OF THE
BUILDERS' DISFUTE.—Henry Billington, who de-
scribed himself as a carpenter, was brought before
Mr. Jardine on a charge of creating a disturbance,
and causing a mob to assemble, in King-street,
Westminster.

Charles Robjohn, a builder, residing in Isling-
ton, deposed—l was one of the witnesses examined
for the prosecution on the appeal against the de-
cision of the magistrate, in the case of the
man charged with intimidating Messrs: Piper's
workmen. The appeal was heard this day,
at the Sessions House, at WestthinAer,
I left the court with some friends, and wentalong
King-street, towards the Horse Guards, when the
prisoner and some others beset us, calling out in a.
dreadful and menacing manner, " Yah, Rob-
john," and " Piper:". I walked on to the end
• of King-street, though I could scarcely get along
for the crowd pressing round me, and seeing how
it stood, I hailed a cab. But the reosb:wap, halloo-
ing and shouting so much that the calla }t could
not get near, the horse being frightenedb?the mob.
The prisoner several times ealled out with great
violdnce of manner, and excited the mob. I re-
ceived a blow from. somebody. It was not very
important, but it was very annoying.
Mr. Jardine—What do you mean by saying that
he excited the mob? I suppose they used the same
sort of expressions you spoke of ?
Witness—Yes, sir, and whenever they left.off he
began again, and set them on again. At the cor-
ner of Whitehall I saw a constable and complained
to him. He said if I would point out any of the
ringleaders he would take them into custody, and
having observed the prisoner as one of the ring-
leaders, I did point him oat, and the constable took
him. We then went back to the station house in
K ing-street.
Mr. Jardine—Did the mob then disperse ?
Witness—The greater portion did, bat some fol-
hwed us back to the station .house.

Mr. O'Brien, clerk to the court—Had the pr
soner anything to do with the trial ?
Witness—Not that I am aware of.

James Luke Mason, a joiner, who was with the
complainant, corroborated his evidence, and added
that some other violent and insulting expressions
(which he mentiona) were used by the prisoner
and others in a rough and boisterous manner.
There were several hundred perscns assembled.
ifs name was mentioned, and he was asked, "What
is your number ?"

Police Thresh, 202 A, deposed—At about half-
past two o'clock this afternoon I was on duty in
Whitehall, and saw a crowd of 200 or 300 people
in Rind-street, following the complainant, and
shouting at him. ,Fle calld a cab, but the cabman
could not get near him, for his horse being fright-
en( d, started off in a contrary direction. There was
a gnat di,turbance, such as was calcu!ated to cause
'alarm, not only to the persons followed and hooted,
but also to other persons who might be passing by.
The traffic was completely stopped. The prifoner
having been pointed out to me as a ringleader, 1
took him in charge.
Mr. Jardine (to the prisoner)—Well, what do you
say to this ?

The Prisoner—Well, sir, the fact is, a friend of
mine, who was formerly at Piper's, came to me in
a public-house where I was sitting, and said,
" There they are, coming out, let us just go and give
'cm a rowing." So, having worked there many
years, I did go out, not thinking any harm. But
neversuid any more than " ltlohn" and " Vim"

and never went off the pavement to get near him.
.1 never prevented him from getting into the cab ;
on the contrary, I said it was the best thing he
could do_ to get out of the row.
Mr. .Tardine—The creating of
.such a riot—
The Prisoner—l did not do it, sir. It was not
me.

Mr. Jardine--Why, you did so by your own
showing. You say that you went out to " row"
them, and that you called out "Robjohn" and
" Piper." I say it amounts to a riot, and I regard
it as a most serious offence. Calling out after and
around persons who are going about their ordinary
business, or who have been giving evidence in a
court of justice, is an offence which will be treated
with very great severity by a higher court if I
send it before them. I shall not say one word about
that at present, but I shall remand you for a few
days, and in the meanwhile I hope some of those
who were with you will also be brought before me.
The Prisoner—Won't you allow me bail, Gover-
nor ? (A laugh.)
Mr. Jardine—No.

The prisoner was then removed by the gaoler.

THE BREBERY INQUIRY A 2' NORWICH

NORWICH, Nov. 22.
The magistrates assembled this morning for the
purpose of proceeding with the charge preferred
against Mr. A. J. Collins of conspiring, with Mr. H.
Croxford and others, to corrupt Mr. Joel Fox, a
member of the Town Council, by offering him £5OO
to vote for eight Tory aldermen on the 9th inst.
, Mr. Power, Q.C., appeared for the, prosecution,
and Mr. Sergeant Ballantine for the defence.
The inquiry appeared to excite undiminished in-
terest.

At the outset of the proceedings,
Mr. Sergeant Ballantine said—l have an appli
cation to make to the bench, and I make it under
the impression that it is extremely desirable that it
should be acceded to, although of course I must
leave the matter entirely in your hands.. You are
aware that other informations have been laid against
different persons, in addition to those which were
laid when I was before you last. Summonses, I
understand, havealso been granted. I hardly know
who the parties are, but they arc on the opposite
side of politics. lam instructed in the whole of
these cases, and I certainly came down with the im-
pression that the summonses against the Messrs.
Wilde and others would have been heard to-day at
the conclusion of the present case. I understand
that some application was made yesterday to the
bench. I scarcely know the exact purport of it, but
the result was, that the summonses in relation to
all the other parties have been adjourned, and I
am told that the adjournment is to Dec. S. Now,
I should be very glad if the bench could allow, con-
sistently with their public duty, that the case of
Collins should follow the same course as the other two
cases, and should also be adjourned till that day.
There can be no very serious inconvenience, because
it matters are to be gone into at all, the time of the
magistrates would not be further taken up, as
Collins's case, as you know, is substantially con-
cluded, whatever determination may be arrived
at. You are also aware that very grave matters
of law arose on the last occasion, and that very
eminent counsel have been consulted on all sides.
Of course I cannot advise a witness what to do, or
what course to pursue ; it is his duty to obtain in-
struction and advice from other quarters, and I have
no doubt that every one concerned in this matter
have taken the very best opinion he was able as to
the course which he should adopt. This, however,
can only have been done hastily and recently, and,
considering the nature of the case—considering the
interest which it excites, and the important charac-
ter of the proceedings—considering, also, that a
delay till the. Bth December will not affect the
period when this matter will be tried, seeing that
the judges at the ensuing winter assizes will have
no jurisdiction, as the assize is simply for the de-
livery of the gaol, and will not be applicable to bail
cases, I venture to ask that this case should be ad-
jonined to the day to which the others were ad-
journed without my knowledge and sanction. I
cannot help- thinking that no harm will be done to
anybody, but ,that, on the contrary, much benefit
will arise from the postponement, as it will give
every man time to reflect.

Mr. Power—l am sorry lam obliged to oppose
the application of my friend with reference to the
cases to which he has alluded, in which there were
cross summonses. My learned friend urges that it
will be a convenient course that, as some cases are
postponed till the Bth of December, they should all
come On on that day, but this case is so perfectly
distinct from the others as to have no relation to
the matters out of which they arise—that is, the
gelleral election. This case arises altogether upon
a distinct matter, and has reference to the late
municipal election. Again, I cannot see what good
eau arise from postponement. - Let me direct the
attention of the Bench to the position in which the
matter stood upon the last occasion. Upon that
occasion two of the principal witnesses, on the
part of" the prosecution, declined to answer' cer-
tain questions, on the ground that those ques-
tions had a tendency to criminate them, or, to
use their own language, on the ground that
the effect might be that tlfey would be impli-
cated in the transaction. Now, as I understand
it, the feeling of the magistrates was thaf it
would be well to take a higher opinion as to
whether this Bench was not bound to commit
those witnesses. I understood the feeling of this
Court was that the highest opinion possible should
be taken in reference to the matter, and that the ma-
gistrates felt bound to take the opinion of the law
officers of the Crown. Whether that has been done,
and whether that opinion has been received, I don't
know ; but, if so, the course proper to be taken is
for the magistrates, having received instruction as
to the law, to act upon it. I must protest against
this case being mixed up with others with which it
has no connexion. Those cases in which there have
been cross -summonses relate to elections for mem-
bers of Parliament, but this relates only to an at-
tempt to bribe a town councillor in reference to his
vote. Should it be the opinion of the magistrates
that the law, under the circumstances, ought to be
carried into effect, and that those witnesses or either
of them should be committed for refusing to answer
a question, I have not the least wish to aggravate
the circumstances under which the committal may
take place ; and I should be happy to accede to any
suggestion that the opinion of the Court of Queen's
!Bench should be taken as to whether that commit-
tal; in point of law, should stand. We have no
wish to press hardly upon any one here, but we
have felt that we have a public duty to discharge,
and we must not allow any proceedings which
would have the effect of impeding the operations of
justice,in this case. -
Mr. 'Sergeant Ballantine—l shall not go into the
question of what the decision of the Bench may be
on the matter, for I think when that decision is known
it will I*quitCtime to consider it and to act upon
it. I do not anticipate at all what my learned
friend •seems to have anticipated, nor have I made
the appliCation with that view. I. have made it
simply because I believe it would be for the advan-
tage and convenience of all parties that these mat-
ters should be decided together. and also because,
in my absence, the case which I should have pro-
secuted to-day has bees postponed. It is quite true
that the cases are not of the same nature, but, Is
everybody knows, these cases are very much mixed
up together; and I venture to ask, on the pact
of my client, for a postponement, which, at any
rate, can do no harm to any person. One mat-
ter, which will not, I tun sure, have been forgotten,
is the extreme haste with which the case was
gone into at first. There was an absence of any
time fol. preparation, and from the beginning to the
end the matter has been very hastily proceeded
with. I for one should be glad of time to consider
the matter, and I think it would not affect the ends
of justice at all if the case were postponed till the.
Sth of December. I believe the postponement will
not interfere with. any subsequent investigation,
for, as I said before, that investigation cannot take
place till the spring, whether the preliminary in-
quiry be comp] ted now or a fortnight hence. The
application, coming from a person who stands in
the light of a defendant, and who has had very
little time to consider the course to adopt, comes, it
is true, rather as a matter of indulgence to be con-
ceded by the bench, but I think that it may, with-
out violating any principle, be fairly granted. We
have not put this request on any legal right, but as
a matter of indulgence. There aro many parties
involvod in the inquiry who ought, I think, to have
the indulgence, and I believe the bench will not be
sorry to give an opportunity--
The Mayor—The adjournment, you will remem-
ber, was made at the instance of the magistrates
for a special purpose.
Mr. Sergeant Ballantine—l am quite aware of
that, and I not say that I have any legal ground
on which to make my application ; but, before von
retire, allow me to say that if this case is proceeded
with to-day I shall apply to have the other case—
that against the Messrs. Wilde and others--stand
in its order, and ask that what has been done in
uty absence may not he persisted in.
The magistrates retired to consult in private. On
their return, at the 'xpiration of half an hour,
The Mayor said—The magistrates, considering
that this is a criminal case, and not seeing that the
ends of justice will be frustrated by the indulgence
asked on the part of the defendant, aro of opinion
that the postponement solicited should be allowed.
Mr. Power—Till when, sir ?
The Mayor—Till the Bth of December.
Opinions vary as to whether the case, together
with the summonses referring to Parliamentary
matters, will really be proceeded with on the day
Tllo general impression seems to be that

the object of the postponement is to enable the par-
ties concerned to gain time, with a view to a com-
promise. It does not seem probable that the whole
truth will be known in reference to bribery in
Norwich until, the appointment of a Royal Com-
mission.

THE VICTORIA CROW.

(From the Gazette of last evening.)

WAR-OFFICE; Nov. 21.
The Queen has been graciously pleased to signify her
intention to confer the decoration of the Victoria Cross on
the undermentioned officer' mil-commissioned officer, and
private, of her Majesty's 32d Regiment of Foot, whose
claims to the same have been submitted for her Majesty's
approval, on account of acts of bravery performed by them
at Lucknow, 'in India, as recorded against their several
names, viz. :

Lieutenant (now Brevet-Major) Samuel Hill Lawrence,
32d Regiment—For distinguished bravery in a sortie on the
7th of July, 1857, made, as reported by Major Wilson, late
Deputy-Assistant Adjutant-General of the Lucknow Gar-
rison, "for the purpose of examining a house strongly held
by the enemy, in order to discover whether or not a mine
was being driven from it." Major Wilson states that he
saw the attack, and was an eye-witness to the great per-
sonal gallantry of Major Lawrence on the occasion, he being
the first to mount the ladder, and enter the window of the
house, in effecting which ho had his pistol knocked out of
his hand by one of the enemy; also for distinguished bravery
in a sortie, on 26th Sept., 1857, in charging with two of his
men, in advance of his company, and capturing a 9. pounder
gun.

- Corporal William Oxenham, 32d Regiment—For distin-
guished gullantry in saving the life of Mr. Capper, of the
Bengal Civil Service, by extricating him from the ruins of
a verandah which had fallen on him, Corporal Oxenham
being for ten minutes exposed to a heavy fire, while doing so.
Private William Dowling, 32d Regiment—For distin-
guished gallantry on. the 4th July, 1857, in going out with
two other men, since dead, and spiking two of the enemy's
guns. Ho killed a Soubadar of the enemy by one of the
guns. Also, for distinguished gallantry on the 9th of the
same month, in going out again with three men, since dead,
to spike one of the enemy's guns. He had to retire, the
spike being too small, but was exposed to the same danger.
Also, for distinguished bravery, on the 27th September,
1857, in spiking an 18-pounder gun during a sortie, he
being at the same time under a most heavyfire from the
enemy.

FROM TILE' GAZETTE OF LAST NIGII4T

ST. JAMES'S PALACE, Nov. 18.
The Queen has been pleased to appoint Major-General
Sir Henry John William Bentinck, K.C.8., to be one of
the Grooms-in-Waiting in Ordinary to her Majesty, in the
room of General Sir Frederick Stovin, K.C.8., resigned.