The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-23 00:00:00

THE DEAN AND CHAPTER OF ELY V. BLISS.

This case was set down in the paper to be spoken to ; bu
Counsel on both sides not being present, it was not pro
ceeded with.

NEEDHAM V. NEEDHAM.

In this case Colonel Needham appeared before his L9rd-
ship, stating that he had a petition to discharge au order of
the Court.

Mr. Coomt said he had received late last night a heav3-
brief in support of the motion, but he was not then in a situ-
ation to proceed with it.
The LORD CHANcEr.Lon said, that under those circum-
stances, the case had better stand over.

➢lr. CALVEIT objected to the postponement of the motion.
It had been standing in the paper ever since January, and it
was in substance the same as -three others which had been
refused with costs.

Col. Needham said all the costs up to that time had been
paid, and the order which had been obtained was not of the
slightest use, except to keep him in prison.
Mr. CALVERT said the use which had been made of the or-
der was to discharge the defendant out of prison.
The case was at length postponed, on an understanding
that it should be taken out of the paper.

VICE-CHANCELLOR'S COURT May 22.
(Before the VICE-CHANCELLOR of ENGLAND.)
His HONOUR commenced sitting at ten o'clock, and pro-
ceeded to hear motions, none of which presented any peculiar
feature of interest.

(Before Vice-Chancellor WIGRAM.)
CHAMBERLAIN v. THE CHEATER AND BIRKENHEAD RAILWAY

COMPANY.

In this case, which was heard before the commencement of
the vacation, his Honour, this morning, by consent, ordered
the motion to stand over, with liberty to the plaintiff to bring
an action against the defendants.

COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH, May 22.
Their Lordships took their seats at ten o'clock.
Nothing of importance came before the Court up to the
time of our going to press.

COURT OF EXCHEQUER, May 22.
(Sittings in Banco.)
Their Lordships sat at ten o'clock, and disposed of some
motions.

STEW V. JONES.
Mr. PASTILEY showed cause against a rule nisi, which had
been obtained to set aside the verdict had in this case, or to
enter a nonsuit. It was an action for use and occupation of
a certain house by the defendant, Walter Jones, who was one
of two devizees, under a certain will, and had under that will
conveyed a moiety of five houses to the plaintiff. Jones, it
appeared, had still remained in possession of one of the houses,
after the conveyance, and the action for use and occupation
was then brought against him by the plaintiff: The case was
tried before the under-sheriff of the county of Chester, who
had some doubts as to whether the relation of landlord and
tenant was proved to exist between the parties, and ac-
cordingly reserved this point. The ground on which the
rule nisi had been moved for was this doubt set forth on the
under-sheriff's notes.

The COURT was of opinion that there was no (Tension to
raise the question of the relation of landlord and tenant be-
tween the parties, and that the rule could not be made abso-
lute. The Court then proceeded with the cases set down in
the peremptory paper.

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, May 22.
The Lord Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Coltman, and Mr.
Justice Cresswell, took their seats on the Bench shortly after
ten o'clock.

The Court was occupied with hearing a motion for a new
trial, upon payment of costs, in the case of " Pariente v.
Pennell," which possessed no public interest.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
(YESTERDAY.)
MANSION-HO U
In consequence of the accident which occurred on
Sunday last, at London-bridge, by the upsetting of a
boat crowded with children, some of whom were
drowned, the Lord Mayor gave directions that the offi-
cers of the Watermen's Company should attend at the
Justice-room to answer for what his Lordship considered
to be the gross neglect of their duty, exemplified in a
particular manner by that calamity.
Mr: Banyon, the clerk to the Watermen's Company,
and one of the beadles of the Company, having ap-
peared,
The LORD bfAvon said he lamente I to find that in
consequence of the very great irregularity of those who
were allowed to exercise power on the river (he meant
the Watermen's Company), and the inactivity of their
officers, persons were permitted to ply with boats unfit
fur use, and that one of the consequences of such neglet t
or oversight was the loss, on Sunday, of the lives of
seven children.
The beadle here remarked that no more than three
lives were supposed to have been lost.
The Lorin MAYOR said that those were known to
have been drowned; but the general belief was that
seven perished. He desired to be informed why persons
were permitted to crowd their boats to such dangerous
excess? lle had received many letters calling his at-
tention to the state of the river, and the extraordinary
latitude which the watermen took in the neighbourhood
of London-bridge, by which human life was constantly
endangered. If proper regulations were adopted and
carried into effect, disasters of the kind would not be
heard of.
The beadle said that he attended the stairs at London-
bridge when directed to perform that duty, but when-
ever he appeared, the conduct of the watermen and
others who were in the habit of working on the river,
was unexceptionable. If any misconduct took place, the
difficulty occurred as to the person upon whom to
charge it.
The LORD MAYOR said it was quite evident that the
moment the beadle of the Watermen's Company with-
drew from the place from which he could observe what
was passing, the objectionable course was resumed, and
boats, some of which were wholly unfit for use, were
crowded with, children, who paid a penny each for the
amusement which, in the case of Sunday last, had been
converted into so awful a calamity:
Mr. Banyon said, that at the present time the Water-
men's Company was altogether powerless. They could
do nothing against persons who under such circum-
stances conveyed multitudes in boats which were not li-
censed. There u ere rules before the Court of Alder-
men, which if passed by that body. would enable the
Waternien's Company to exercise the necessary authority.
For two years and a half they had been before that
Court. Under the existing regulations, the Company
could not punish any e-xcept the owners of boats, and in
the case to which his Lordship had especially alluded,
the person who took the children on board was a lad 17
or 18 years of age, and not the owner, and the boat it-
self was not licensed.
The LORD MAYOR—It is quite absurd to say that be
cause a boat is not licensed no responsibility attaches to
the individual who crowds it with passengers, or that
the owner is the only person of whom the law can take
hold. That would indeed be giving an immunity to all
unprivileged persons, and would operate as a premium
upon the absence of those very qualifications required
by law. If any doubt be entertained by the Company
as to their power in such a case as this, which. so
strongly appeals to our sympathies, why are not such
cases referred to the Lord Mayor? Wby a,se not the
boats which are found conveying crowds of children
seized, and taken in carts to the Green-yard? I can
tell you that I am willing to take the responsibility upon
myself, and I shall most certainly give orders calculated
to put an end to the inactive and negligent course by
which such shocking disasters are occasioned. If the
Watermen's Company cannot act in such cases, of what
use are they?-Mr. Banyon said the Company had
at one time a bye-law, which it was considered
gave them the power of effectually remedying
the evil of which his Lordship complained, but
a conviction under it had been quashed in the Court of
Queen's Bench, and it was thus shown to be unavailable.
The rules at present before the Court of Aldermen, how-
ever, would supply the existing defect, by enabling the
Watermen's Company to punish, without the obligation
to ascertain either name or number. At present nothing
could be dune without legal proofs.
The LORD MAYOR—The rules before the Court of
Aldermen are to a different effect from that which you
state. There is no difficulty in this matter at all. You
have a right to presume that the man in the boat who
exercises authority is the owner. Bring him here, I
shall treat him as the owner.
Mr. Banyon said the person who managed the boat
• that was swamped was a mere lad, who could not be the
owner.
The LORD MAYOR stated that he could easily get at
the owner through means of the boy, and that it was
monstrous to.say that on an occasion of such public
consequence, involving human life so fearfully, there
was no present power of interfering.
Mr. Banyon—With respect to the practice of taking
numbers of children on board, that, my Lord, can be
prevented with the assistance of the police. There are
,but three places in the City from which they can embark.
The LORD MAYOR—SO, we are to employ the police to
do your duty ! No, no. The Watermen's Company must
do, their duty. Pray 'what proceedings have been
• adopted to regulate the size of the wherries on the river?
Mr. Banyon—We have a scale, and, according to the
measurement, they are bound to carry no more than a
certain number. The boat which was unfortunately
swamped on Sunday last, was, as I said before, not li-
censed, but if it were licensed, it would not, according to MARYLEBONE.
our scale, be allowed to carry more than four persons. . The cases brought before the magistrate this morning were
The LORD MAYOR—And she had on board fourteen of the most trivial character, and contained not one feature to
poor children. lam convinced that not only are boats interest the general reader.
of the kind overloaded, but that boats ply on the river UNION-HALL.
which are not recognised by the Act. Mary Bowles, the daughter of a person holding a situation
Mr. Banyon—The boats which ply on the river about in the Bank of England, was charged with attempting to
the City, are, I assure your Lordship, capable in every re-
commit suicide.
spect. The old ones are almost entirely annihilated. There
theOllicethnet praecediang gentleman,t on observing the
on proceeding along
are few at all in existence. The beats used above bridge defendant-r‘osaldic had
along,a anden
ion
attracted
crying very much, in the di-
for amusement are certainly most dangerous, but we rection of the Surrey Canal. When she arrived at the bridge
have no power over them at all. The Watermen's Com- she turned down to the left, leading to the Canal, and was
pany are most anxious to suppress so fatal an evil as that about divesting henelf of her cloak and bonnet, when he
to which your Lordship's attention has been called, but went up and prevented her from precipitating herself into
they have no power at all except that under the 38th the water. On questioning her she talked in a very incohe-
section of the Act. rent manner, and as she seemed bent on self-destruction he
The LORD MAYOR—In my opinion the wisest wav took her to the station,house and gave her into custody. _
will be to take all power out of their hands. It is cer= In answer to the Magistrate, the unfortunate wofmoratut said
tainly beyond the shadow of a doubt that they do not that herdfaater,%heldhbereelloin the Bka.nk of
On Englandfurther questioningy
attend to the duty which has, amongst the obligations her, it aanppeared, from. hera. aanilsWeeers, that she was labouring
that influence it, the protection of the lives of our fellow under the delusion that her son had committed some offence
creatures. They are bound to seize the beats which for which he was transported. And this idea was so strongly
they find are not licensed, otherwise any person may do impressed on her mind, that she was induced to lay violent
what he pleases with a boat, provided he do not have it ,hands on herself.
licensed. The consequeac sof neglect or inactivity
Mr. CormoirAst felt averse to discharge the poor woman
affairs of life and death are too serious 0 be wade
further inquiries were made respecting her) 14d she WAS
' mere I etc wrclipgly directed to remain iu custody. •

Policeman (v♦ho seemed amazed)—l have not the
money.
Mr. GREENWOOD—Then you will go to prison for
21 days.
He was then locked up, but the fine was paid soon
after, and he was set at liberty. His discharge from the
force will follow as a necessary consequence of convic-
tion before a magistrate.

Mary Anne Milling, a woman of the town, was charged
with violently assaultingßridget Allen of N 0.24, Church-
street, St. Giles's.

•
The prisoner was quarrelling with a poor woman
named Sullivan, who is largely pregnant, on the previ-
ous evening. - The complainant interftred, and begged
the prisoner not to touch Mrs. Sullivan, on account
of her delicate condition. The prisoner exc'aimed with an
oath,' " If she had twenty within her, I would trample
them out of her," and rushed towards Mary Sullivan.
The complainant attempted to push her back, whereupon
the prisoner seized her by the hair of the head, dragged
her towards the kennel, and there threw her on the
kerb-stone with so much violence that the unfortunate
woman's collar-bone was broken. She was removed to

the University Hospital, and conveyed from thence to the
Court this morning. She appeared to be suffering much
pain.

Mr. GREENWOOD fined the prisoner 51., or two months'
im_prisonment.
There was no other charge before the magistrate of the
least interest. One case of violent assault was postponed as
the complainant was unable to . attend, having received a
fracture of the collar bone. She. was in consequence removed
to the London University Hospital, but it is not apprehended
that any dangerous consequences will ensue. The name of
the injured person is Bridget Allen, and all the parties con-
nected with the affair live in Church-street, St. Giles's.
QUEEN-SQUARE.

Two young men named Yates and Taylor, were charged
with throwing atones at the police and obstructing them in
the execution of their duty.
It appeared that about seven o'clock last evening a drunken
man named Luke was creating a disturbance and fighting in
St. Ann's-street. 147 B, whilst assisting in conveying Luke
to the station house, was struck on the back with a stone;
on turning round to ascertain by whom it was thrown, he saw
Yates in the act of throwing some missile at another constable,
and he immediately took him into custody. Taylor endea-
voured to set him at liberty.
The defendants denied that they threw stones or obstructed
the police.
Yates was fined 20s. or 14 days. Taylor ss. or a week's
imprisonment.
A middle-aged man, named Thomas Smith, whose clothes
were a mere bundle of loathsome rags, and who wore a beard
of about six months' growth, was charged with begging.
Hescote, 175 B, a constable in private clothes, deposed
that about seven o'clock last night he saw defendant in New-
road, Chelsea, soliciting alms of every respectably dressed
person that passed. Witness followed him for about three-
quarters of an hour, and saw him stand opposite several
kitchen windows in Sloane-street. He was in such a filthy
state, that many persons said he ought to be removed from
the streets. His mode of begging was very singu-
lar. When endeavouring to excite the commisseration
of benevolent persons, he would stoop down and pretend to
pick something out of the gutter, which he would either eat
or pretend to do so, and this artifice frequently induced
people to relieve him, who no doubt thought that he was in
an abject state of distress. He had been in custody before on
a similar charge, when he was committed for a month.
Deferfdant—No, it was for fourteen days.
The defendant denied that he was a beggar, stated that he
obtained his living by selling fruit in the summer, and by
emplo3rment, when he could obtain it, in the winter.
Mr. nom), however, disbelieved his statement, and told
him that as fourteen days had not had the effect of driving
him from his old courses, he would send him this time for
twenty-one days. _ _