The Sun.
London, England, 1866-11-07 00:00:00

THAMES.

Fungous DRlVlNG.—Frederick Prole, a green grocer, of
No. 6, Market-place, Wandsworth, was brought before Mr.
Paget, charged with furiously driving his horse and cart
this morning, at half-past one o'clock, in High-street,
W hi techapel.
The prisoner was intoxicated and driving at a reckless
pace. He ran into a cab and broke the back pannel. The
driver of the cab seized the prisoner's horse and attempted
to stop him. The prisoner made a blow at the cabman
with the butt end of his whip, but it was parried. The
prisoner was then given into custody. He urged in his
defence that he was upon the cab before he was aware
of it. _ .

Mr Paget said the prisoner had endangered people's lives
by his furious driving, and fined him 405., which was paid.
The cabman was left to his remedy by action.
FOWL STEALING.-Six wretched-looking boys, named
George Patmore, Thomas Cooper, George Walker, Edward
Sargeant, Charles Barrett, and William Boland, were
brought up on remand before Mr. Paget, charged with
stealing five fowls from a fowl-house in the garden of
Charles Jones, Victory Cottage, Bromley, Middlesex.
George Smith, cowkeeper and dairyman, of Catherine-
street, Limohouse-fields, was charged with feloniously re-
ceiving two of the fowls, he well knowing them to be
stolou.
The case against the boys was complete, and three of
the stolen fowls were found on two of them. Boland, one
of the prisoners, said that two of the fowls were sold to
Smith in his cow-barn, and he was confirmed on oath by
two other boys accomplices. The fowls were not found
on the premises of Smith, and the evidence of the boys
received no corroboration whatever. Mr. Stoddart, soli-
citor, who defended Smith, said he was a man of un-
blemished character, and there were persons who had
known him from 13 to 20 years in attendance to speak iu
his favour.

Mr. Paget would give no opinion on the case of the
cowkeeper Smith, but as the evidence of the accomplices
was not confirmed he should discharge him. He sentenced
the boys, who were all under 14 years of age, to one
months' imprisonment and hard labour. The learned
magistrate threw a letter from him which had been handed
to him through Mr. Stoddart and Mr. Pyer, the chief clerk,
by Smith's wife, and said it was highly improper to send
written communications to any magistrate or judge re-
specting a case to come before them. The communication
was a most improper one.
Mr. Stoddart—lt was handed to you by Mr. Pyor.
Mr. Pyer—lt was put into my hand by you, sir, and
seeing it addressed to the magistrate, I gave it to him.

Mr: Paget said Mr. Pyer was quite blameless in the
matter.

Mr. Stoddart—l have been 40 years in the profession
and should be very sorry to do anything irregular.

Mr. Paget—A lawyer of your experience, Mr. Stoddart,
should have ascertained what the letter contained before
it was handed to the bench. You should have asked ycur
client's wife what it was about. Ignorant persons, who
don't know any better, often send in their communications
to a judge or a magistrate, and it is most decidedly impro-
per ; but for a gentleman of your experience to do so is
doubly flagrant.
Mr. Stoddart did not know the contents of the letter.
Mr. Paget—l believe you did not.