The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-24 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER SESSIONS.

Yesterday the adjourned quarter sessions for the
city and liberties of Westminster was held at the
Court-house, Broad Sanctuary. The Court was
much crowded, in consequence of its being imagined
that this would be the last sessions which would be
held in the Broad Sanctuary, on account of the
junction of the sessions for Westminster and Middle-
sex at Hicks's Hall, Clerkenwell-green, under the
new Prisons Act.

TREASURY PROSECUTIONS.--Two most respectable-
looking men, who carried on extensive business as
tradesmen in the Vauxhall-road, named Thomas
Meadows and Robert Hill, were indicted for violently
assaulting 'William Robert Anstell, a constable of the
B division of the metropolitan police force.
The prosecution, which was instituted at the in-
stance of the Treasury, was conducted by Mr.
Adolphus, Mr. Bodkin, and Mr. Doane ; and Mr.
Clarkson, with whom was Mr. Wylde, appeared for
the defence. Perhaps there were fewer cases ever tried
in this Court in which the evidence, which extended
from half-past ten until near seven o'clock, was more
contradictory. _ _

Mr. BODKIN, in stating the case for the prosecu-
tion, said this was a case of sufficient moment to call
for the intervention of a Treasury, or special Govern-
ment prosecution, instead of leaving it to the ordinary
and less certain course. On the evening of the 13th
of May last, the two prisoners, accompanied by Mrs.
Meadows, were passing along Vauxhall-bridge-road,
Meadows being, at the time, in a very drunken and
excited state, when they overtook the constable, An-
stell, who was on duty at the time. Some months
previous to this Meadows had a dispute with the con-
stable, since which time he entertained an angry feel-
ing towards Austell. Hill, who was perfectly sober,
requested the constable to take Meadows, but he re-
plied it was contrary to his duty to do so, all he was
allowed to do with a drunken man was to see him to
the station-house. Meadows, upon this, contrary to
the entreaties and endeavours of his wife, rushed at
Anstell, knocked him down, and, while lying on the
ground, kicked him violently in a vital part of his
person, and otherwise inflicted severe injuries upon
him. After considerable exertion, the constable got
upon his feet, and other policemen arriving, they
tried to take him to the station-house, but such was
his violence, kicking and biting all around him, that
they had to send for an additional reinforcement from
the station-house. They then placed him on a truck,
after strapping all his limbs, and wheeled him to the
lock-up, where he struck several of those around him.
The Learned Counsel then called about twenty--
five witnesses, amongst whom were nine policemen,
in support of his statement. After which,
Mr. CLARKSON addressed the jury, and stated that
it was his client, Hill, who had here most right to
complain. The object in mixing him up in the in-
dictment was to prevent Meadows from having the
advantage of his evidence as a witness. He thought
the jury and the country could not sufficiently
strongly mark their reprehension of the system of
dignifying every little common assault into a Go-
vernment prosecution. Besides, they should recollect
the vast expense which it entailed upon the country,
by all the unnecessary and cumbrous machinery of
Treasury solicitors, first-rate counsel, &c. In the
present instance the conduct of the police had been
gross and brutal in the extreme ; they had dragged
the unfortunate man along the gravelled way on his
face, like a dead dog, instead of rendering him that
assistance which his helpless condition, and the en-
treaties of Mrs. Meadows, would suggest to the mind
of any man of ordinary feeling. As for Mr.
Meadows assaulting the policeman in the manner
described by Mr. Bodkin, it was preposterous, for he
was a diminutive man, while the constable stood
about six feet high.
Evidence was then called in support of his state-
ment, and in refutation of the witness for the pro-
secution.

The merits of both sides may be best guessed
at by the verdict of the jury, which was one of Ac-
quittal in favour of Hill, and of Guilty with respect
to Meadows.
The COURT sentenced the latter to two months' im-
prigonment, with hard labour.

The names of no less than twenty persons ap-
peared in the calendar for trial to-day, upon an in-
dictment charging them with having committed a
violent assault upon Henry Maynard on the 26th of
July. The facts of the case, which have been
already before the public, arose out of an attempt
on the part of one of the steam-boat companies
which ply upon the river to pull down the pier
established by a rival company, for the purpose of
landing their passengers, adjacent to Temple-bar,
and which attempt caused considerable excitement
and alarm in the neighbourhood, in consequence of
the conduct of a gang of long-shore-men who were
engaged in the attempt.
Owing to the pressure of other business, and the
number of witnesses likely to be examined on both
sides, it was deemed advisable to postpne the hearing
until the 12th of September, the last day of sessional
sittings in Westminster Court-house.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
(YESTERDAY.)
CLERKENWELL.

REPORTERS AT POLICE-COURTS.---A change has
been made within the last few days in the interior
arrangements of the Clerkenwell Police-court, pro-
ductive of great inconvenience to the reporters for the
morning newspapers who attend them. The box
which had been designed and constructed for the ac-
commodation of reporters, and which has been ex-
clusively occupied by them since the erection of the
court, is now, by direction of the magistrates, only
used by police officers. A seat at the rear of the box
has been placed for the reporters, and this is the only
part of the court, except the body, which they are
permitted to occupy. At other Police-courts, the
Thames, for instance, reporters are allowed to sit at
the table when they find it more convenient, although
there is a box for their especial accommodation, the
very same as that from which the reporters have been
expelled at Clerkenwell. But no such privilege is
allowed at Clerkenwell--they have been forbidden

even to lay their hats upon the table, a convenience
denied to no other persons. Owing to a defect in the
construction of the court, the difficulty of hearing is
very great, and one of the magistrates, at least, com-
plains of the defect almost every day he sits ; but re-
porters are now placed at a greater distance from the
applicant, the witness, the prisoner, and the rases'
trate, than before. The applicant and witness are at
one side of the 'court, the reporters' seat by the oppo-
site wall. In addition to the inconvenience of dis-
tance, the new seat has been placed directly between
the gaoler's door and the magistrates' fire-place, s°
that there is a current of air constantly rushing flw-11,
the cell-yard, which, in cold weather, will be most
prejudicial to the comfort, if not to the health, of those
who sit there. The reporters, in the first instance,
remonstrated with the chief clerk on the subject, but
finding it fruitless, memorialised the Secretary °I
State. The subjoined answer has been returned t°
the application :
" Whitehall, Aug. 22, 1844.
" Gentlemen,—l am directed by Secretary Sir
James Graham to acknowledge the receipt of ycnt
letter of the 17th inst , complaining that an alteration
which has been recently made in the position of the
reporters' box at the Clerkenwell Police-court causes
inconvenience to the reporters in the discharge of their
duties. And I am to inform you that Sir James
Graham is desirous that every opportunity should he
given for affording to the public accurate information
of the proceedings at the Police-courts.
" Sir James Graham has made a full inquiry 0f
the magistrates respecting the alteration, and WI
the report which he has received, it appears that the
change has been made with a view to the conve-
nience of the public and of those engaged in the con-
duct of business in the Court; he directs me, there
fore, to inform you, that under the circumstances, he
must decline issuing any instructions to disturb the
existing arrangements.—l am, Gentlemen, your off"
dient servant, " 11. MANNERS SUTTON-
" To the Reporters, &c."
IVORSHIP-STREET.
Two men, named John Hunt and James Waterloo+
the former a journeyman locksmith, and the latter e
weaver, were placed at the bar, before Mr. Brough.
ton, charged on suspicion of having stolen a lalr
quantity of jewellery and other articles, the pro
r
of Mr. Joseph Burns, landlord of the Black
public-house, in School-house-lane, Mile-end. '
The prosecutor stated that the prisoners were,
members of a Society called " The Old Friend
a
the meetings of which were held at his house, and
they both attended there at a general meeting of the
members on the previous night. On going upstairst
soon after the company had dispersed, he found the
the door of his bed-room, which was situated inuor
diately over the club-room, had been broken open'
and that a quantity of jewellery, consisting of thr/
gold brooches, several rings, seals, breast-pins,
other articles, had been abstracted from the differeni
compartments of three chests of drawers, the whole
of which had been forced with some iron instriti
rnent. In consequence of the equivocal conduct
of
the prisoners during the evening, he immediatei!
suspected that they were implicated in the robber!'
and caused them to be taken into custody.
Mr. BROUGHTON inquired if anything was knotylle
as to the habits and general character of tb
prisoners ?
Sergeant Barker said that he knew nothing tilts
all prejudicial to the character of Waterloo, but 00
Hunt had been known to the police for some time
as a suspected person.
Mr. BROUGHTON said that there was no evidenAes
to inculpate the prisoner Waterloo; but he ec,n'''
dered the conduct of Hunt was so full of suspictli
that lie should certainly remand him for furtl"
in quiry.
The prisoner, -Waterloo, was discharged, and
ail
other prisoner was ordered to find substantial
for his appearance on Wednesday next.

QUEEN-SQUARE.
George Smith, alias Samuel Beeeington, was chill!
with having on two occasions fraudulently.obtainc"
the enlistment money as a recruit, he having c°11;
cealed the fact of his being a discharged soldier fr°—
the 2d Life Guards.
Prisoner enlisted with Sergeant Greaton of the
Grenadier Guards, on Friday, and in answer to ther
interrogatories of whether he had ever been a soldi%
or discharged on any prior enlistment, replied in tbn,
negative. It was subsequently ascertained thal..fe
had been dismissed for bad conduct from the 2d Pifit
Guards, and he was brought before the Magistrate ,h
this Court on Saturday. On reference to the 3SIO
section of the Mutiny Act, Mr. Burrell felt 01110
doubt upon the interpretation to be put upcm.thtl3 0
words of the clause, and dismissed the man wt. ted
caution. On Wednesday the prisoner
with Sergeant Philips, of the East India Company._
service, and was brought to this Court yesterday
,ti°
be sworn in. He had answered the several questio:
put to recruits in the outer office, and was taken Id
again Kilts
before the Magistrate to be attested, when some
.„
the officers of the Court recognised him as the an
who had been charged on Saturday. The fellow 41
first stoutly denied it, but finding that there
three or four persons ready to swear to his identity"'
admitted the fact, and added that he was now dir

posed to make a gcod soldier.
Mr. BURRELL, on turning to the latter part of of
section in the Mutiny Act, before referred to, wa •
opinion that the concealment of his having been
ras
tig
soldier before the justice at the time of his co
for attestation was clearly an offence, and comm;
defendant for one month as a rogue and vagabogn•
MAI?YLEBONE.
tip
ASSAULT ON TOLL-COLLECTORS.—YesterwA-/ ju
Henry Dawes, a veterinary surgeon, residingo.
Stephen's-mews, Fitzroy-square, and John Uri .
wood, a man in his service, were charged before
Rawlinson with the following violent assault
Thomas Staples, a toll-collector, at the HamPsof
turnpike, deposed that on the previous Wedge ty
the defendants, who were in a gig, drove UP
gate, when Mr. Dawes asked for change fora sh" 0-01
Complainant gave him a sixpence and three Pea, be
pieces, expecting of course that the shilling voll sea
handed to him. He, however, did not receive it,
Mr. Dawes was in the act of driving on when —o it)
plainant laid hold of the horse, and asked for the eid
to which he was entitled. Mr. Dawes then deljuo,
that he had had ninepence from him (compla?,1,808
and logged him with considerable violence with
whip. He (Mr. Dawes) then knocked him done('
did also the servant, who in addition thereto kle

him as he lay on the ground. sad
William Easum, another toll-collector at the le
gate, stated that on geeing the way in which St41)00
was treated he spoke to Mr. Dawes, telling hiol
he was acting wrong, when he (Mr. Dawes) inflict
a flogging upon him ; he was also struck IT
servant. hitt 118
Mr. Dawes, in answer to the charge, said ti a •
gave Staples 6d., and received from him 3d. %/led,
ticket. He (Staples) seized the horse by the tiolif
and used language of a most disgusting descriPoo
and he then got out of the gig and knocked os
down. His servant used no more force thattfroto
necessary towards Staples to remove his hand
the reins.
The defendants entered into security for thel,,Hoi
pearance at the sessions, in the event of their '-
indicted.

CHICKEN MANUFACTORY.—Nature is gettdl' SW
t°'
perfluous. We rather think she will soon be votca °
ooh
fashion, and dispensed with. There's a chap just oc4efor
publication office hatching chickens in a big b 0,14,, ,Rtrca',
day, having a thousand eggs always doing. .I.'"littla,'
ble of attending them is slight ; the heat costs veil they
and the chickens crack their shells and walk up t„°,r, °C,
dough and water like wood-choppers to their aqiiveli:
sailors to their grog. They are clean, strong, an"hroer
grow fast, and rarely die (not being draggled tr ca:
the grass) ; and whoever has a hatching mach and
have " Spring Chickens" every week in the year, p)
small expense. If we could only invent a maeh'l3r-fiba
eggs, now, hens would be done with.—Neu Y0rh,_10,01..„,-