The Sun.
London, England, 1850-05-02 00:00:00

ALAI?LBOROUGH•BTREET.

AN ARTFUL TRICK.— Ay, ad Hall, a lad about 15
years of age, wa• charged with iwposing,upon the bene-
volent by pretemling to be climb.
Colley, one of the Mendacity constables, stated that on
the previous atterrioon, he was in Carnaby-street, when
his attention was called to the prisoner, who had a label
tied roundt his neck on which was written, Poor dumb
boy, got no tongue." Knowing him to he a confirmed
begear, he watched him, and saw him receive several
pence from ladies and gentlemen whom he importuned
for money. The prisoner then entered a public-house
followed by witness, who saw him beg of the cus-
tomers in front of the bar, at the same time
making motions with his hands to siguity that
he had lost his tongue and could not speak. After
watching him for some time, he asked the land-
lord to lend him a spoon, arid having got hold of the
prisoner witness thrust the fiat part of the spoon down
the prisoner's throat which Lad the effect of causing him
to protrude his tongue, toes exposing the imposition.
The t•risoner, however, still pretended to be dumb, and
witness, to satisfy himself that he really was so, took
him to a surgeon's opposite, who
.applied something to
the end of his (prisoner's) tongue, which caused him to
call out in good plain gitglish, that he could speak. Wit-
ness then took him to the station-house.

Several gelid, men came forward and stated to the
magistrate that the prisoner, though so young, had been
for some years driving a profitable trade by pretending
to be dumb. They themselves had relieved him on many
occasions, and thought it the case was made public
through the medium of the press, it would put the bene-
volent public on their guard against sunk imposters.
The prisoner, in reply to the charge, admitted that
he had imposed upon the public, but he had done so in
consequence of extreme poverty, and his antipathy to
turn to thieving for a living.
Mr. BINGIIAM—I think your way of getting a living
equally as bad as thieving. Who put you up to such a
mode of imposing on the public ? Prisoner—No one.
I was once told that if the string under my tongue was
cut I could swallow it so as not to be seen. This made
me think of working the " dumb-dodge."
The MAGISTRATE said the prisoner was one of the
most artful toys he had ever mt t with, and committed
him fur a month with haid labour.
CLERKEIV WELL.

William Crump, a journey man bricklayer, wai placed
at the bar before Mr. Combs, charged with having
committed a violent assault upon William Chambers, a
sheriff's officer, while in the ex,cution of his duty.
It appeared from the evidence that a process was is-
sued trona the Court of Common Pieas against Mr.
Peake, a master builder in the City road, for a debt of
163/. The prosecutor proceeded, with other officers,
with his warrant to make a capture at a house which
was building in Hall-street, City-road. The witness
went up a lad& r and got on a scaffolding, where he saw
Mr. Pcake, whose person he was acquainted with, to
whom he called that he was wanted. The prisoner
said, "My name is Peake." Witness replied, "You
are not, that is Mr. Polka." The prisoner called him
a liar, seized him, and struck him a violent blow, and
attempted to throw him off the scaffolding, which was
three story high. They struggled together, and had not
witness caught hold of ore of the scaffold-poles to save
himself, be must have been precipitated to the ground
below and lost his life. During this period Mr. Peake
escaped from the scaffolding, but he was captured by
witness's assistant who was below, and taken to White-
cross-street prison.

The proscCutor's assistant proved that the prisoner
threatened to break their necks, and threw boards at
them. He also threatened to cut them down with a
shovel. lie confirmed the evidence.

The prisoner denied the charge.
?dr. CONDE lined him M., or two months' impri-
sonment.

FROM THE LONDON GAZETTE
OF TUESDAY.
DIVIDENDS.
In the Country.
J. Price, Birmingham, cabinet and chair maker, May
23, at twelve, at the Court, Birmingham—R. W. God-
win, Lincoln, ship and boat builder, May 29. at half-past
twelve, at the Town-hall, Kingston upon-Hull—W. bud-
daby, millwright, May 29, at half
past, twelve, at the Town-hall, Kingaton-upon-Hall—T.
1). Hammond, Kingston-upon-Hull, druggist, June 5, at
half-past twelve, at the Town-hall, Kingston-upon-Hull
—J. Saner, Kingston-upon-Hull, tailor and draper, May
22, at half-past twelve, at the Town-hall, King6ton-
upon-Hull—E. llowitt, Lincoln, miller and baker, June
5, at half-past twelve, at the Town-hall, Kingston-upon-
Hull.