The Sun.
London, England, 1844-10-05 00:00:00

UNION-HALL.

Thomas Smith. John Humphries, and Edward Carroh
were charged with committing a very daring highwa
robbery. _ _ _ _ _

It appeared that as a Mr. Bark was proceeding home
about eight o'clock on Saturday night se'nnight, in
walking along the Kent-road he was accosted by Smith,
who pressed his conversation and continued to walk by
his side. When they got to the dead wall of a rnad-
hothe in New-street three men came along, one of whom
placed a stick between complainant's legs and
tripped him up, and he fell heavily, strik-
ing his head against the kerb-stone. While
he was down his pockets were turned inside out, and
when he came to his senses he found that his head was
cut, and that he had been robbed of his watch.

A little boy, who h-td witnessed the outrage, said
that he saw one of the men trip up the complainant, and
that while he was lying on the ground, he saw them all
rifling his pockets, and afterwards saw them running
away ; that Smith was engaged in the transaction as
well as the others.

A material witness being absent, the prisoners were
remanded.

CROYDON.

A young woman, named Mary Anne Johnson, was
brought before Mr. Sutherland, at the Town-hall, on
Thursday, to answer the charge, as it appeared upon
the police-sheet, of having unlawfully disposed.of her
two children, one aged four years and the' other twelve
months.

The circumstances, as they were detailed to the
Bench, were of rather a singular character. It ap-
pears that the accused is a young woman of indiffe-
rent character, and the children in question were ille-
gitimate. In the early part of the present year the
prisoner was taken, with her children, into the Croy-
don union workhouse, where she remained for three or
four months, when she left and went to live with her
mother, who resides at Croydon, taking the children
with her. She stayed with her mother for a short
time, and then, without giving any notice of such
being her intention, she suddenly left Croydon with
her children, and nothing was heard of her until a
few days ago, when she returned home, apparently in
great distress of mind, and without her children. her
mother, of course, questioned her closely upon the
subject, and, in consequence of the extraordinary
story she told respecting the children, and other cir-
cumstances that transpired, the police felt it their
duty to interfere in the matter, and Ferridge, a pol ice-
constable of the P division, proceeded to make in-
quiries, the result of which induced him to take the
step of apprehending the prisoner upon the above
charge.
Evidence having been adduced to show that the
prisoner had gone away from Croydon with her
children in the manner described, and that she re-
turned without them,
Mr. SUTHERLAND inquired what account the pri-
soner herself gave of the transaction ?
Ferridge, the constable, said that the prisoner's
story was that she had gone from Croydon into Kent,
and that when near Gravesend, being very much dis-
tressed, and neither she or her infants having had any
food for three days, she laid down with her chil-
dren by the side of the road, and upon their going
to sleep she went away from them for a short time,
and on her return they were gone, and she did not
know what had become of them.

The prisoner's mother confirmed the statement of
the constable, and said that the only account her
daughter gave of the loss of her children was, that she
had left them in the way described, and that she
could not tell where they were.
Mr. SUTHERLAND inquired whether the police had
received any information of children, answering the
description of those belonging to the prisoner, being
found deserted in the neighbourhood referred to by
the prisoner?
Inspector Collier said that no such information had
been received, and the fate of the children was com-
pletely involved in mystery.
The prisoner was then asked whether she wished to
say anything in answer to the charge, and she re-
peated the statement she had made to her mother.

Mr. SUTHERLAND said there were some suspicious
circumstances in the matter, and it was a case which
certainly called for inquiry. He should, therefore,
remand the prisoner, in order that the police might
have an opportunity to go into Kent and set on foot
the necessary investigation.

THE GOVERNMENT MEDICAL BILL.—LIVEEPOOT.;
WEDNESDAY EVENING.-A numerous meeting of the
members of the medical and surgical professions in this
town was held to-day, at two o'clock, in the Medical
Institution, Mount Pleasant, for the purpose of taking
into consideration the Bill introduced into Parliament, at
the close of the last session, by Sir Junes Graham, " for
the better regulation of medical practice throughout
the United Kingdom." Dr. Jeffreys was unanimously
voted to the chair. Amongst the speakers were the
chairman, Dr. Freckleton, Sir Arnold Knight, Dr.
Sutherland, Mr. Stubbs, and Mr. Beconer. Several re-
solutions were passed approving of the principle of the
Bill, and regretting that no provision had been included
in it to restrict irregular practice. A memorial to Go-
vernment, founded upon the resolutions, was also ag,reed
to, and a committee appointed to watch the progress of
the meuure in the next session of Parliament. The
meeting then separated.
RENTS.—The value of money having decreased
(and will so continue), it is but just that landlords of
every description reduce their rents. Any landlord
charging more than a fair rent is virtually picking the
pocket of his tenant.