The Sun.
London, England, 1832-09-20 00:00:00

THAMES POLICE.

Yesterday Captain Benjamin Rogers Pike, master
of the Alexander Henry, of Bideford, now lying in
the London-dock, was brought before Mr. BALLAN-
TINE, charged with a series of cruel assaults on
Edward Plummer, his apprentice, on the high seas.
The complainant said, that from the beginning to
the end of the last voyage, from Cork to Messina
and Palermo, arid from thence to London, he had
been subject to the most barbarous treatment. He
was frequently beaten with a rope, and knocked
down for the most trivial faults. On leaving Pa-
lermo he was ejected from his berth in the after part
of the ship, and compelled to sleep between a cask
and the bulk-head, forward, and without any ham-
mock, and only two blankets and a rug to sleep on
arid cover him. One day he was ordered to cook a
fowl in a saucepan, and make some broth with it,
but it had not been thoroughly cleansed, some oil
having got into it from the lamps which he had been
cleaning in the galley. The Captain called him aft,
and, with a two-and-a-half inch rope, flagged
him most severely, until his back was covered with
black and blue marks. While he was being flogged
the Captain set the Newfoundland dog upon him,
and his leg was lacerated by the animal and bitten in
three places. The marks on his legs were still visible.
On another occasion he was ordered to make a
tapioca pudding, which shrunk, in consequence of
being placed before the fire, and the Captain accused
him of eating part of it, and flogged him in a most
unmerciful manner, and his back was for some time
afterwards covered with sores. He had been started
and knocked down on several other occasions.

Three seamen of the vessel, named Hunter,•Wil-
loughby, and Jones, who, until the Magistrate ex-
horted them to speak the truth, did not seem
inclined to state what they knew, deposed to the
severe treatment of the boy, and confirmed his story.
Captain Pike in reply to the charge said, the
complainant was a very dirty boy, and never got the
meals ready in proper time. He had certainly ad-
ministered proper correction on the complaints of
the very men who had now come forward as wit-
nesses, and who were all perjured, but he had never
treated him with undue sev rity, or given him more
than a dozen at a time with the rope's end.

Mr. BALLANTINE said the witnesses had mot come
forward with any bad feeling against the Captain,
and did not seem inclined to say much against him.
The Cwtain said the boy was addicted to drink-
ing, and he had seen him drunk. He had taken
every care of him, taught him his catechism in the
cabin, and intended to make an officer of him if he
had behaved himself.

The sailors declared they had never seen the boy
drunk.

Mr. BALLANTINE said, he would take care that
the boy's indentures should be cancelled, for the
defendant was not a fit person to have charge of him
any more.

Captain Pike said he would not give up the in-
dentures, or part with the boy.
Mr. BALLANTINE said he would compel him to do
that, and it was his duty to call upon the defendant
to find bail, to answer the charge at the Admiralty
Sessions. He would, however, before doing that,
allow the parties to talk together, as it was uncer-
tain when the sessions would be held. He would
suffer no extortion to be practised ; and Mr. Evans,
the principal surveyor, who had heard the case,
would fix the amount of compensation.
Capt. Pike said he would come to no arrangement.
Mr. BALLANTINE said he might do as he pleased,
hut if he did nor, he must find bad.

The pries then retired.
Soon afterwards Mr. Evans said he had proposed
2/., which the friends of the boy had reluctantly con-
sented to receive.

Mr. BALLANTINE said, he thought 20s. and the
expenses were sufficient; 2/. was too much.
Mr. Evans said that the parties first wanted 5/.
of the Captain.
Mr. BALLANTINE—Oh, nonsense, that's too much.
I shall not allow it.

The '2os. and the expenses were then paid by
the Captain, and the boy's mother took charge of
her son.

John Pike, the mate of the Alexander Henry,
and brother of the Captain, was next put to the bar,
charged with asiaulting the boy Edward Plummer,
who said he had been repeatedly beaten by the
mate, and on one occasion it had been raining very
hard, and as he had no clothes to keep him warm,
he went below to dry himself. The ma'e came to
the fore-scuttle, called him up, and flogged him
across the back with a rope, though he had hardly
any things on.
Willoughby, a seaman, said the mate was always
at the boy, slapping and beating him. He did not
flog him and " have done with it," but he knocked
him about twenty times a day.

Tire defendant said he had never ill-used the boy.
He had only beaten him for neglect.
Mr. BALLANTINE said that he had no right to beat
the bay at all. The mate's situation did not autho-
rise him to do so, or to give him a single blow. He
might give the lad ss. and pay for the warrant, and
he should then discharge the case.
After the above cases were disposed of, Jones, a
seaman, applied for a warrant against Captain Pike,
for knocking him down wi.h the log board, which
was granted.
QUEEN- S QUARE.

Yesterday Samuel Johnson, alias John Rowe,
was brought up in custody, and placed at the bar be-
fore Mr. GREGORIE, charged with attempting to rob
the house of Mr. Batts, of 9, Pall-mall East, under
the following circumstances:—
Police-sergeant Goodyear, of the A division, No.
5, stated that he was on duty between eleven and
twelve o'clock on the previous evening, when he
observed the prisoner and two other men at the door
of Mr. Batts's house, in Pall-mall East; they ap-
peared to him to be trying to open the door, and he
watched them for a short time ; being convinced
that their intention was to enter the house, he got
as near to them as he could, but as soon as they saw
him they all ran away. Witness ran after the pri-
soner, and called out, " Stop thief," and he at last
secured him. During the time the prisoner was
running he threw something away, and after he had
taken him to the station house he went back, and
found that what the prisoner had thrown away were
skeleton keys. On searching him, he found some
more skeleton keys, 3s. 61, a silver watch and gold
seals, and two silk pocket-handkerchiefs.
Edward Briggs, under-butler at the University
Club-house, stated that he heard the cry of " Stop
thief," and saw the prisoner running away, and also
saw him throw something away.
The prisoner, on being called upon for his de-
fence, declared that the constable had sworn falsely.
Mr. GREGORIE inquired if any of the constables
knew the prisoner.
Handley, the officer, said that he had known the
prisoner for about two years, and had frequently
seen him in the company of thieves.
Mr. GREGORIE was perfectly satisfied with the
evidence, and should commit him to the House of
Correction for three months, to be kept to hard la-
bour as a rogue and vagabond.

The prisoner begged that his watch and money
might be given up to him, as it was his own money.
Mr. GREGORIE—No, I shall not let you have it;
the watch arid seals, with the two handkerchiefs, I
shall order to be sold, arid the proceeds given to the
governor of the prison to pay for your keep during
the time you are confined.
Prisoner—This is hard, indeed; I never heard of

A RKET.—Sept. 18.
Per lb.

d. to d.
6 7
6 7
6 7
0 0

CHELTENHAM
Per Bushel. s. d. to s. d.
Wheat
Barley 4 0 5 6 Mutton
Oats 4 0 4 3 Veal
Beans
Pease 5 0 7 0 Lamb 0 0
flay 3/. lOs to 3/. 15s. Od. per ton.

BULL M A RK ET,—Sept. 18.
Wheat, Old —s. 503. 635. ......N ow —s. 50s. 60s.
Foreign —s. 545. 60s. ln bond... —s. —s. —s.
Oats, Poland —s. 20a. 9.2 e. Old
Small or Feed.... —a. 18s. 20s
Foreign —s. 15s. 16s —s. —a. —6.
Barley, Norf. & Suf ... —8 335. 365. Line. & %Vold —s. 36s 38a.
Foreign —s. —a. —a.
Beans 30s. 33s 31s. Foreign —a. 328. 345.
Pease, White.... —s. 365. 38s. Grey —a. 30s. 345.
fares
Rapeseed, in bond none.

DUMFRIES MA
s. d. s.d.,

RKETS.—Sept. 12.

Wheat, Imp. Bush...-6
oto7ll Butter, 16oz
Barley ........... 4 0 4 6 Eggs, dozen
Oats ........ . 2 2 2 6 Beef, per lb.
Flour, 141 h. '3 0 3 4 Mutton
Oatmeal
Potatoes, cwt..... 1 8 2 0 Ouartern Loaf

s. d.
0 0 to 0 0
00 00
04 0
04 0
04 0w
07 00

USEFUL HINTS TO PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
—lt is a curious fact in the history of sounds, that the
loudest noises perish almost on the spot where they are
produced, whereas musical tones will be heard at a great
distance. Thus, if we approach within a mile or two of
a town or village in which a fair is held, we may hear
very faintly the clamour of the multitude, but most dis-
tinctly the organs and other musical instruments which
are played for their amusement. If a Cremona violin, e
real Am iti, be played by the side of a modern fiddle, the
litter will sound much the louder of the two; but the
sweet, brilliant tone of the Amati will be heard at a dis'
fence to which the other cannot reach. Doctor YouNa,
on the authority of DERHAN, states that at Gibraltar the
human voice was heard at the distance of ten miles. It
is a well-known fact, that the human voice may be heard
to a greater distance thin that of any other animal. Those
orators who are heard in large assemblies most distinctly',
and at the greatest distance, are those who, by modulating
the voice, render it most musical. Loud speakers are
seldom heard to advantage. BURKE'S voice is said to have
been a sort of lofty cry, which tended, as much as the
formality of his discourses in the House of Commons, to
send the members to their dinner. CHATHAM'S lowest
whisper was distinctly heard ; " his middle tones were
sweet, rich, and beautifully varied," says a writer, describ-
ing that great orator ; " when he raised his voice to its
highest pitch, the House was completely filled with the
vo:ume of sound; and the effect was awful, except when
he wished to cheer and estimate, and then he had spirit'
stirring notes, which were perfectly irresistible. The
terrible, however, was his peculiar power. Then the
whole House sunk before him ; still he was dignified, ea`l
wonderful as was his eloquence it was attended with thle
important effect, that it possessed every one with a convl°:
don that there was something in him finer than his words:,
that the man was infinitely greater than the orator.
i
KEAN, the loss of whose powers as the first tragedian °f
his day, must be imputed to his unrestrained love of the'
mil:ration, possessed a voice in the highest degree musical'
Every one who has witnessed his celebrated scene Wit,
Lady ANNE, will remember the peculiarly touching and
'
.:
persuasive notes which he elicits on that occasion, from
the natural harmonies of his vocal organs. Thus also, 11
Othello, how pathetic were the tones in which he bewaile"
his fate when the treacherous logo had fully instilled the
poison of jealousy into his ear! Again, what a savage?
piercing voice was there when lie exclaimed, as Shyloclo
" Oh, if I can catch him once upon the hip." 311:i
GARDNER very accurately describes KEAN'S UnriValle
-0!
Npozrrie.in giving vocal expression to anger.-21/usic of

BIRTHS.
Lt Bal.

I °ma' .g

15th inst.

On the al lards, near Croydon, Mrs. Tht
Carter, of a son.
On the 18th inst. the lady of Edward Scard, Esq., surgeon,
Bernard-street, Russell_square, of a daughter.