The Sun.
London, England, 1844-07-29 00:00:00

UNION-HALL.

Henry Shillingswo;th, a butcher in St. George's
Market, was charged with wantonly and cruelly cutting
off the tail of a pig, denominated the " Learned Pig,"
which has been for some time exhibited about the town
in a caravan.

William Manley stated that he was a showman, and
was the owner of a very extraordinary pig, whicli he
exhibited, and which was the chief maintenance of his
family. On Thursday last, he sent his little daughter
to give the animal an airing after a long confinement in
the van, and, as she led it with a chain to its neck round
St. George's Market, on passing the defendant's
slaughter-house, he cut its tail off with a large knife.
The complainant here exhibited the tail, which appeared
to have been sliced off close to the poor pig's haunches.
The complainant added that the defendant acknow-
ledged to a man named Randall that he committed the
act, saying that he was urged to it by a Mr. Bennett,
who defied him to touch the pig's tail.
Mr. TRAILL asked the defendant what he had to say
in answer to the charge, which was one that exhibited
great cruelty towards a poor dumb animal ? The
defendant said that, as he was going into the slaughter-
house, the pig was in his way ; he happened to have a
knife in his hand, and, intending to strike it with the
blunt edge of it, he, by mistake, struck it with the sharp
edge, and cut off its tail. Be declared that he had no
intention to maim the pig, and that it was quite an
accident.

Mr. TRAILL asked the complainant's daughter whether
she believed the defendant had cut off the pig's tail acci-
dentally ? The witness replied in the negative : that
she was leading the• pig along gently, with the chain
round its neck, and just as she was passing the alaugh•
ter-house the defendant ran to the pig, and stooping
down, cut off its tail.
Mr. 'TRAILL--What did he do then ? Witness—He
burst out laughing when he saw the tail on the ground.
The pig began to squeak most.terribly. I was frightened,
and ran off to my father, and told him what had hap-
pened.
Mr. TRAILL—Did you say anything to the defendant
when he acted with such brutality? Witness—Yes. I
exclaimed, " Ah, you have cut off poor Toby's tail, and
you'll catch it from my father."—(Laughter.) I took
Toby with me, squeaking all the way and bleeding, but
I left his tail behind me on the ground, and it was after-
wards brought home by a little boy.
The defendant called a Mr. Bennett for the purpose of
proving that the pig's tail was accidentally cut off, but
this attempt to disprove the charge completely failed.
Mr. TRAILL asked the complainant what value he put
upon the pig ? The showman replied that it was inva-
luable to him ; that it was capable of performing many
curious tricks, an:l was a source of considerable profit to
him_by its exhibition.

Mr.-Meru—Your pig .was distinguished by its intel-
lectual qualifications, therefore it won't suffer much by
the loss of its tail. You can exhibit as usual,can't you ?
Showman—The pig is so disfigured by the want of a
tail that I am afraid he won't be so popular with the
public as he Was before.—(Laughter.)
Mr. TRAILL—What are . the tricks he performs ?
Showman—He would tell the hour of the day by the
cards—would tell young women's fortunes, and intimate
by the cards the number of children they are likely to
have when married, and (Laughter.)
Mr. TRAILL—That will do. I have heard quite
enough of Tuby, the learned pig. The. act committed
by the defendant was cruel in the extreme, and deserves
severe reprehension.

BOW- STREET.
Mr. Thomas Barri,* Chitty- Meader, landlord of the
Ship publit.t-house, in Essex-street, Strand, appeared
upon a summons to answer a complaint preferred against
him by the police, for opening his house on the 14th,
being Sunday, before the hourof one o'clock in the after-
::win. Mr. l)uncomhe appeared for the defendant.
Inspector Black, F division, stated that at a quarter
before twelve o'clock at noon he found, in a room up-
stairs, three men eating bread and cheese. There were
also fir a room-fronting the river one man and two women
sitting at the sarhe table, with a quart pot beforii them,
three parts of which was full of beer. There wa, also a
man sitting next to the window-with a glass befo te him, j .
containing a small quantity of pale ale.' He then eft the A Claims OLD HousE.--Among the various
house, having acquainted the landlady of the rcum- buildings in West-street, (formerly called Chick-lane),
stance, but the defendant Was not present.. now about to bepulled down for the Clerkenwell improve-
In his cross-examination the witness said that the meats, is a house, supposed to have been built at least
landlady told him to turn the persons out of thei house. 300 years ago, once known. as the Red Lion Tavern,
The company war ott the same floor with the kitchen, but for the past century used as. a lodging-house, and"
and he did not observe that there was a w, tiding party the known resort of thieves, and the lowest grade
in the hogs'. The premises were close to the pier, and of the frail sisterhood. It is situated on the west side
lie never saw any person in the company before.
of the Fleet River, now called the Fleet. Ditch, and,
Mr. Dubcombe said the circumstances connectt.l.l with used as a common sewer ; and from its remark-
the case. were, very brief, fur the females found in the , able, adaptation as a hiding-place, . with its various
house were no lass than a bride and her bridesmaid, who means of escape, is well deserving a visit of the curious.
,being morning from Chelsea, and t nown .
had clime thatlts - dark closets, trap-doors, sliding panels, secret re-
to the maid-servant ,of the honse, she, very naturaluy in- 1 cesses and .hiding places, no doubt rendered .it one of
vited them to. take somethot in on such a memorable oc. i the most. secure places fur robbery and murder. It was
casion, to which theY seemed nothing loth, and having I here that a chimney-sweep, named Jones, who escaped
a gone to her mistress, she rurned in a short time with I out of Newgate, about three years since, was so
something rot an exhilarating nature, of which they par- i securely, hidden, that, although it was repeatedly
took without, paying for it. . They were shortly after I searched by the police, lie was never disco-
joined.by some male friends who were acquainted with . vered, till it was divulged by one of its inmates,
the landlord, and on geeing the police enter, they went , who, by incautiously observing that he knew where-
out and walked on the pier until he returned. , ' abouts he was concealed, was taken up, and remanded
A young female, of interesting appearance, 'having from time to time, as an accessory to his escape, but who
proved the facts above stated, . . at last, tired of prison fare, and prison discipline, pointed
Mr. TWYYQED said the police were not altogether .to • out the place to obtain his own liberty. He was concealed
blame in taking notice of the circumstance, and as a suf- by parting off a portion of a cellar with brickwork well
ticient answer had been made, ho considered het could besmeared with soot and dirt, to prevent detection. This
come to no other conclusion than -to dismiss till cot-.' cell, or more properly den,, is about four feet wide by nine
I in depth; and during Jones's incarceration therein, he had
plaint. I food conveyed to him through a small aperture, by a brick
The lion. W Ross Toucliet was placed at the bar for
re-examination, charged with firing a pistol at the
or two being left out next the rafters. It was here, about
the; ,
seven years since, that a sailor was robbed, and after-
of Mr. T. Smith, proprietor of a shooting gallery, in
High Holborn, the contents of which lodged in hit loins, , wards flung naked through one of the convenient aper-
with intent to murder him. i
, ture, in (the wall, into the said sewer, for which two
and a woman were men transported for fourteen years.
A solicitor attended to conduct the proiecutiov, and
A
Mr. Clarkson, with a gentleman from the ollfica of' skull, and numerous human bones, have been round
cellars, some of which have been taken away by
the prisoner. Mr. Smith's son, who was present .on the
Messrs. Stephens and Wilkinson, appeared on behalf of in the, .
Mr. I aylor, the police medical officer. On one occasion,
r
melancholy occasion, and Mr. Collins, a jeweller and
though the premises were surrounded by seven police-
silversmith, residing in Green-terrace Clerkenwell who .officers, a thief made his escape by its communications
, ,
is step-brother of Mr. Smith, were also in attendance. with the adjoining houses, which were all let out to the
A certificate was handed to the Magistrate&inn the ' lowest charact,rs. Numerous parties daily visit the pre-
house-surgeon of St. Bartholomew's Hospital, to the raises, among whom have been many of the police and
effect that Air. Smith was going on well, but as hi could county
not yet be pronounced out of.danger, he could not attend basil magistrates.
TEE • .
STATE TRIALS.—The Judges will not
to give evidence until a future day. . all be in town until Friday, the 23d of August ;
Mr. TWYFORD, addressing Mr. Smith, jun., sal there their Lordships shortly afterwards will have a
was every reason to hope that his father would be meeting to consider the., questions propounded to
enabled, at a future day, to come forward and give them by the House of Lords, and it is generally
evidence, that the ease might be sent to the jury in a expected that judgment in the case of Mr. D.
proper form; in the meantime the prisoner shold be O'Connell, and the other traversers, will be given either
remanded for a fortnight. I ; on Thursday, the 29th, or Friday, the 30th of August.
The gentleman who attended on the part of Mr. Smith, As before stated, when the public business of Parliament
}aid it was by no means certain that Mr. Smith!would is brought to a close, both Houses will adjourn from
recover( ;;.;fficiently in a fortnight to give evidence: , time to: time until the judgment on the writ of error is
Mr. TWYFORP ;!,,j4 if 'he was not well enough by that puonounced. There will he no- formal prorogation until
that question is deeicied.—Ministerialpsper.

The Magistrate then inflicted a fine of 1/. 12s. nn the
defendant, and in default of pa)ment:committed Ilia) for
ten days.